Campania

The southern Italian region of Campania forms the shin of Italy’s boot-like shape and has Naples as its capital. The name of the region comes from Latin and was called Campania felix (fertile countryside) by the Romans.

Campania is a region of splendour and wonder with stunning UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Royal Palace of Caserta, a former royal residence, with beautiful courtyards, an immense park with gardens inspired by the park of Versailles, and splendid works of art or the fascinating archaeological site of Pompeii (another UNESCO World Heritage site), an ancient Roman town, destroyed and buried under volcanic ash in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD or the ruins of the beautiful Greek city of Paestum.

But Campania is not only history and ruins, it is also the famous island of Capri, known for its “bella vita”, with its “piazzetta” with bars and cafés, a very popular tourist destination that has many archaeological wonders such as Villa Jovis which was commissioned by Emperor Tiberius or the island of Ischia, another gem. And last but not least, the Amalfi Coast, with Amalfi, Positano and the drive, with breathtaking views over the sea, and wonderful villages. Campania is also foods, the pizza is certainly the most famous of all, but also the “baba” a pastry immersed in rum, or the “sfogliatella”, another Neapolitan pastry, and there is no great food without great wine.

Campania has a long history of wine production dating back to the 12th Century BC, and is one of Italy's very oldest wine regions. The considerable influence of ancient empires, including the Greeks, Romans and Byzantines, means some of this area's varieties have historical legends attached. The area is also famous for producing Falerno (Falernum), one of the most ancient wines in Italy.

Campania, like many Italian regions, is home to an impressive array of grape varieties, some of which are found almost nowhere else on earth. Its most important red variety is arguably the Aglianico, the grape behind the region's two most famous and respected red wines, Taurasi called the Barolo of the south, and Aglianico in all its denominations, Greco, Fiano and Falanghina are the most important white variety.