Holiday apartment in Vastogirardi: Nature, Culture and Regional Festivals

The historic village of Vastogirardi is surrounded by imposing walls; narrow, winding alleyways and old buildings tell the story of its medieval past. When choosing a holiday apartment in Vastogirardi, your preferred travel focus is therefore a useful starting point: you can give different weight to nature, mountain landscapes, local history, trails, and regional festivals.

Trails and mountain landscapes

The Celano–Foggia transhumance trail enters the Vastogirardi area from the southwest and runs at the foot of Monte Pizzi. The trail is suitable for hiking, horseback riding, and cycling tours. The 1,373-metre-high Monte Pizzi massif attracts visitors who climb its gullies with local experts. This means that active days here can take several forms—from hiking and horseback riding to cycling tours.

Nature between forest and protected area

The Montedimezzo Nature Reserve covers 291 hectares in the Villa San Michele/Vastogirardi area. In the forest of Contrada San Nicola stands “Re Fajone”, also known as “il Faggione”, a beech tree around 500 years old. Access to the visitor centres, museum areas, trail networks, and the CRAS (Centro Recupero Animali Selvatici di Montedimezzo) is free with prior registration at the local visitor centres and is limited to the days and times specified in the published calendars.

Castle, church, and medieval village setting

Despite several alterations over the centuries, the medieval castle of Vastogirardi retains the original layout of the medieval complex. The circular layout of the castle complex includes the mother church of San Nicola di Bari. The castle’s watchtower also served as the bell tower of the parish church. Those interested in architectural history will therefore encounter a closely connected ensemble of castle, church, and defensive architecture here.

Ancient remains near the centre

The Italic Temple is located a few hundred metres from the historic centre of Vastogirardi, near one of the three most important springs fed by the Monte Capraro above. In addition to the Italic Temple, worked fragments of columns, architraves, and other blocks are dated to the second half of the 2nd century BC. Thus, medieval local history and older remains stand side by side around Vastogirardi.

Festivals throughout the year

The Volo dell’Angelo takes place during the celebrations of Madonna delle Grazie on the first two days of July. The first documented performance of the Volo dell’Angelo in Vastogirardi took place on 2 July 1911. Those wishing to include this event in their travel plans can use this fixed period as a guide.

Regional cuisine is another possible reason to travel. The annual “Cazzariéglie e Fasciuóle” festival takes place at dusk on the last Saturday of August in the medieval village of Vastogirardi. The gastronomic event “Caciocavallo e dintorni”, held in Cerreto in August, offers tastings of dairy products from Vastogirardi’s cheese dairies.

Choose accommodation according to your travel interests

A holiday apartment in Vastogirardi can therefore be considered according to the planned pace of your trip: the trails and Monte Pizzi are suited to an active focus, while the castle, San Nicola di Bari, and the Italic Temple provide a cultural and historical focus. Montedimezzo and Re Fajone add different highlights to the landscape. The Sulmona–Isernia railway line is also relevant for getting around locally; it has stops in the hamlets of Cerreto and Villa San Michele, both part of Vastogirardi.

Discover more places

More destinations in the surrounding area: Venafro, Conca Casale, Castelpetroso, Sesto Campano, Macchia d'Isernia, Sant'Agapito, Castel San Vincenzo, Pizzone.

For the broader travel overview: Isernia.