Cusano Mutri
Cusano Mutri (BN)
Hidden gemVillages
The story
Houses of white limestone clinging to the slopes of the Mutria, medieval alleys and porticoes that survived the 1688 earthquake, and in autumn the air that smells of porcini mushrooms.
The story
Perched on a hill on the southern side of the Matese, on the border between Campania and Molise, Cusano Mutri is a stone village in the heart of the ancient Sannio Pentro. The name, which is said to refer to 'cup', describes its position: a basin surrounded by mountains, with a single natural outlet, the Lavello gorge. Since December 2025 it is part of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy.
What to see
The old centre, a tangle of alleys and stone steps, is the reason for the visit, together with the nature that surrounds it: the spectacular Lavello Gorges and the mountains of the Matese national park, among streams, springs and woods rich in mushrooms and chestnuts.
How to get there
- Car needed
Public transport. Il trasporto pubblico in quest'area interna è limitato: i collegamenti in autobus sono radi e non sempre giornalieri. In pratica il luogo è difficilmente raggiungibile senza un mezzo proprio; per eventuali autolinee e per la stazione ferroviaria utile più vicina, verifica su Unico Campania e sui canali ufficiali degli operatori regionali (AIR Campania). · fonte: Fallback onesto — area interna, routing transit non disponibile
Hours and prices
Free entry.
Tips
Wear comfortable shoes for the uphill alleys and for the Lavello Gorges. In autumn the town is famous for mushrooms and chestnuts, with much-frequented festivals. You arrive by car; you are in the Matese national park, ideal for those who love the mountains.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cusano Mutri a Most Beautiful Village of Italy?
Yes, the municipality entered the circuit of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy in December 2025.
What is there to see at Cusano Mutri?
The stone old centre and the nature of the Matese national park, in particular the Lavello Gorges.
Where is Cusano Mutri?
On the southern side of the Matese, on the border between Campania and Molise, in the province of Benevento.
More gems in Cusano Mutri
- ◆ Nature
Cusano Mutri e le Gole di Caccaviola
Cusano Mutri (BN)
The Titerno has carved the limestone into a gorge of waterfalls and green pools, where the light filters down between the walls: you descend with rope and helmet, in the heart of the Matese.
◆ HikingGole di Caccaviola
Cusano Mutri (BN)
Carved by the Titerno in the Matese, the gorges of Caccaviola are traversed with harness and helmet, among roaring waterfalls and pools where the light barely filters through.
◆ NatureForre di Lavello
Cusano Mutri (BN)
The Titerno has carved the limestone into deep gorges, and a path along an ancient Samnite mule track skirts them among caves, bridges and the constant sound of water.
- ◆ Nature
Mulino di Zi' Fiore e Ponte del Mulino
Cusano Mutri (BN)
A mill carved into the rock face, still since the Fifties, reached by an arched bridge once crossed by the Oscan mule track. The water keeps turning a wheel that is no longer there.
- ◆ Hiking
Gole di Conca Torta
Cusano Mutri (BN)
A stone's throw from the houses, the Reviola torrent has cut a limestone gullet between little waterfalls and green pools: you go through in a harness, hanging from steel cables, with the water under your feet.
- ◆ Sacred art
Chiesa di Santa Maria del Castagneto
Cusano Mutri (BN)
Founded at the end of the 7th century amid the chestnut groves, survivor of earthquakes and centuries of neglect: a rural church that seems to grow out of the wood, where silence is part of the furnishing.
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