Autumn in Campania is a season that speaks of ancient lands, of the silence of the woods, of the slow transformation of colors and scents. It's the time when nature gathers its most secret gifts, and Campania's autumnal produce emerges as a testament to a profound connection between humanity and the landscape. Imagine walking through the streets of an Irpinia village, with the morning mist rising from the valley, breathing in the scent of damp earth, and stumbling upon an ancient farmers' market dedicated to chestnuts and mushrooms: here's an introduction to the flavors of autumn in Campania.
It's not just taste: it's evocation. It's feeling the history pulsating through the alleys, evoked by those who gather, cook, and preserve traditions. In this story, I invite you to explore (with your palate and your eyes) the inland regions: Irpinia, Sannio, Matese, and the mountains of the upper Caserta province. I'll tell you how the chestnut groves of the baronies, the mixed oak and beech forests, and the inland hills become a source of excellence: chestnuts, porcini mushrooms, truffles, Annurca apples, pumpkins, and late-season vegetables. We'll accompany them with local stories, festivals, and dates when they're still available, and with tips for an experience steeped in legend and roots.
Treasures of the woods and fruits of the hills: mushrooms, chestnuts, stories
In the heart of Campania's inland areas, where mixed forests alternate with grassy slopes and shady hills, some of the season's finest gifts are concentrated: mushrooms, chestnuts, truffles, and other wild fruits. They are essential elements of Campania's autumn produce, bridging the gap between nature, culture, and local identity.
Mushrooms and the Cusano Mutri Mushroom Festival
Among the most famous events that celebrate the mushroom in the regional tradition there is the Mushroom Festival of Cusano Mutri (BN), which reached its 45th edition in 2025.
The event takes place from September 19th to October 12th, 2025, and brings the historic center to life with food stands, excursions to the Matese area, music, crafts, and tours through alleys and cellars.
On weekdays, the stands are mainly open in the evenings, while on Saturdays and Sundays they remain open for lunch as well.
An interesting new feature for the 2025 edition is the introduction of an app for reserving parking, to avoid long waits on busiest days.
The festival features traditional porcini mushroom dishes, as well as forest produce, cheeses, local cured meats, baked goods, and handicrafts.
A significant detail: during the chestnut season, a municipal ordinance is in effect in Cusano Mutri prohibiting the collection of wild mushrooms growing above ground in chestnut groves between September 25 and November 30, 2025, with exceptions for landowners.
Chestnuts: the queen of the hills, with a nod to Trevico
Alongside mushrooms, the chestnut is an undisputed symbol of autumn in the mountains. In Campania, the Irpinia and Baronia hills are home to ancient chestnut groves, whose fruits are used to make bread, flour, roasted chestnuts, desserts, and soups.
An emblematic example is the Trevico chestnut, which enjoys PAT (Traditional Agri-food Product) recognition and is harvested in the high areas of Baronia (among the municipalities of Alta Irpinia).
This year in Trevico the Chestnut and Potato Festival On October 25-26, 2025, an event that combines wild berries with the conviviality of the village, with tastings, music, food and wine tours, and shows.
At these local festivals, it's common to find not only roasted chestnuts and chestnut-based desserts, but also sweet and savory soups, chestnut flour mixed with cereals. Ancient recipes are compared and traditional drying and preservation methods are rediscovered.
The myth of the forest and seeds of ancient rites
The Campanian woods are not just food sources: they are theatres of mythical stories and ritual gestures.
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In dishes and festivals, we encounter not only the flavor of the products, but the whisper of a world in dialogue with humanity: each porcini mushroom or chestnut holds a memory of the soil, the climate, the harvests, and the sacrifices of the farmers, and becomes a vehicle for an emotional, as well as gastronomic, experience.
Horticulture, fruit, and "border" ingredients
Alongside the gifts of the undergrowth, autumn in Campania also offers products from the hills and countryside that can surprise the palate. Late early fruits include pumpkins, pomegranates, dried figs, and the first citrus fruits.
A product that deserves special mention is the Campanian melannurca (or Annurca apple). It is one of the region's iconic fruits, harvested as early as September and left to ripen over the following days. In autumn, it can be used in pies, compotes, paired with meat or cheese, or simply eaten raw, as a bridge between the warm and cold seasons.
In local horticulture, a product that gains importance especially in the cooler seasons is the cauliflower from the Sele Plain, which has a full autumn/winter season. Similarly, other late-season vegetables and heritage varieties can enrich soups, side dishes, and traditional rustic dishes.
Local festivals (such as the chestnut and hazelnut festival in Avella) often combine woodland with dried fruit and hillside fruit and vegetables in their stalls, allowing for a total immersion in the flavours of autumn in Campania.
Inspired recipes, sensory journeys, and tips for enjoying food to the fullest.
To fully experience autumn in Campania, it's not enough to simply know the produce: you need to know how to showcase it through recipes and experiences. Here are some suggestions:
- Soups and minestrone: hot classics featuring chestnuts, beans, pumpkins, and mushrooms. A typical example from Campania is chestnut and bean soup, where the sweetness of the chestnuts blends with the richness of the legume.
- Savory pies and rustic dishes: pumpkin and ricotta rustic pie, or local versions of mushroom timbales, allow you to combine autumnal ingredients in a convivial format.
- Seasonal desserts: castagnaccio (made with chestnut flour, raisins, and pine nuts), baked Annurca apples, or sweets with hazelnuts and almonds are perfect for ending the meal with an authentic touch.
- Wine pairings and tastings: Attending the new wine days at wineries (in Irpinia, Sannio, and Vesuvius) is a great way to pair autumn dishes with local wines.
- Food and wine tours and themed festivals: point out events like "Flavors of Autumn" held in small Campanian villages, such as the mushroom festival and the chestnut and hazelnut festival, where you can savor many autumnal Campanian products in the form of traditional dishes.
Additionally, to make the experience even more immersive, suggest the reader:
- visit local farmers markets in hilly or mountainous areas
- ask producers for stories and techniques (harvesting, processing)
- combine tasting with walking in the countryside or woods, so as to experience a true union between taste and landscape
Finally, a small historical or mythical note can give breadth to the story: for example, the presence of the chestnut tree in community rituals in the Campania mountains, or the legends linked to the forest and the transformation of autumn fruits, strengthen the experiential dimension.
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