Living Like a Local in Benevento, Italy // Heritage Honeymoon Stop #4

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Buongiorno! Here we are at the very last stop on our Heritage Honeymoon - Benevento, Italy. This is the city where my husband's family originated, and it's not far from Potenza, where my maternal grandfather came from. Benevento is inland from Naples, and it is by no means a tourist destination - which made it both exciting and complicated to travel to. But honestly, we were up for the challenge, and the opportunity to visit someplace so meaningful outweighed any complication.

We ended our trip to Split, Croatia and flew to Rome, Italy. There are several SPU>FCO flights, which made that route most convenient. From Rome, we took a Trenitalia train from the Roma Termini station to Benevento. This required a lot of planning in finding the best train times that would work with the flight times, but we were able to create an itinerary that worked. Trains in Europe and Italy in particular are frequent, fairly reliable, affordable, and safe. We opted for first class (which wasn't expensive at all!) on the way to Benevento and it was a very pleasant 3-hour trip.

The fact that Benevento is not made for tourists made it the most authentic travel experience I've ever had. We really felt like locals by the time our stay was complete! What was so charming about the city was that it was modern only in the necessary ways. Otherwise it was like we stepped back into a simpler time, between the ancient ruins, tight cobblestone streets, hanging clotheslines, and the silence and absence that occurs during siesta time mid-day. If you ever find yourself in this Italian city, I hope you'll reference my recommended to-dos and to-eats below!

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Experiences:

• Arch of Trajan - Probably the biggest landmark in Benevento, this ancient Roman arch is extremely detailed and definitely worth a visit.
• Church of Santa Sofia - A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this church is one of the only remaining examples of Lombard architecture.
• Sannio Museum - Right next to the Church of Santa Sofia is the Sannio Museum. You can actually purchase a pass that will grant you access to several museums in Benevento, including this one.
• Teatro Romano - This well-preserved Roman theatre functions today as a venue for concerts and events. It was creepy and wonderful all at the same time to sit and walk around the theatre in total silence, as we were definitely the only tourists in sight.
• Arcos Museum - Arcos is a really interesting contemporary art museum, also included in the Benevento museum pass.
• Corso Garibaldi - This is the main thoroughfare in Benevento, full of shops, cafés, and wandering locals. We loved walking up and down the street, stopping in shops and people-watching.

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Favorite Eats:

• LUNCH // Dionisio - There are actually two locations of this restaurant - You can dine for lunch along Corso Garibaldi or for dinner by walking down an alleyway from the main street and sneaking into the beautiful stone cave-like building. We ate both lunch and dinner at Dionisio and loved both meals! For lunch they offer the perfect little sandwich sampler, too.
• DINNER // Ristorante Nunzia - THE BEST PASTA I'VE EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. Seriously, I cannot rave about this place enough. So authentic, and so, so worth it. Be prepared for the spoken menu based on what nonna felt like cooking that day. She's the best!
• DESSERT // Emilia Cremeria - The sweetest ice cream shop with beautiful, handmade creations.
• DRINKS // Frittole Vineria - We had such a great time at this wine bar. There is a cozy courtyard where you can enjoy the weather beneath romantic twinkling lights. Or head inside to the bar and taste any of the wines available that day. The staff are so friendly and kind, too - they welcomed us like family and made us feel so special on our honeymoon.

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​All in all, our mini trip to Benevento was a relaxing way to end a whirlwind Heritage Honeymoon, and it brought us even closer to our roots, which was the core goal that we wanted to achieve. This city may be unknown to tourists and travelers but it will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Where will you go where no one else does? What can you discover about yourself through travel? If you are interested in planning your own Heritage Honeymoon or Heritage Holiday, I would love to help. Click here to learn more.

And if you're interested in reading about the other stops on our Heritage Honeymoon, please check out the links below! 

Stop 1: Cardiff, Wales
Stop 2: Zagreb, Croatia
Stop 3: Split, Croatia

Thank you so much for following along in our journey. 

xx

Gigi