The Witches of Benevento : Folklore & Plants
Join Italian American herbalists Lisa Fazio and Lupo Passero for a week in Benevento!
The city of Benevento is known as “La Città delle Streghe” or “The City of Witches”. The history of the city and the surrounding mountains goes back to ancient times and legends of the gatherings of witches around the famous “noce” or walnut tree of Benevento.
ITINERARY
We will be staying for 7 nights in the beautiful mountain village of Guardia Sanframondi in the province of Benevento. Activities and Experiences (subject to change) will include:
Home cooked dinners with local specialities made by the village Nonnas
Hike to Taburno Camposauro or Mount Tiburno which is part of the Apennine mountain range. We will be guided by local botanist, geologist, and historian Roberto Pellino/Zio Bacco.
Flower essence making on the mountain.
Visit to local Erboristeria(Herbal Apothecary) for tea and talk with local herbalist Maddelena Ferrucci
Visit to “Leonessa” a large rock formation and cave in the mountains of Benevento where the Janare (witches) of Benevento are said to have gone to collect herbs and perform magical ritual and ceremonies.
Visit to Benevento City and tour of the Witchcraft Museum/ Janua Museo
Trip to the city of Naples and the cave of the Sybil of Cumae
Trip to “Il Santuario di Montevergine”, the black Madonna, or Mamma Schiavona.
BASIC INFORMATION
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
•All overnight accommodations for 7 nights, 2025 dates TBA
•2 dinners cooked by local Italian Nonnas
• Daily breakfast at BnB which usually consists of a pastry and coffee.
***note: American style breakfast such as eggs are not commonly found in Southern Italy although you might be able to find a place that offers something more than pastries, don't expect it.
•Transportation to and from Naples airport
•Transportation and admission to all events and activities
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED:
• Airfare + Travel Insurance. We will provide suggestions for where you can purchase your own.
• Transportation to location from other points in Italy (other than Naples). We will provide suggestions for transport from other locations.
• Meals other than the 2 dinners mentioned above. Where we will be staying is a walkable village where there are multiple restaurants. There are also groceries stores where you can purchase delicious and usually local produce, bread, meats and snacks.
WHO THIS IS FOR:
• Anyone who wants to connect with the culture of Southern Italy. You do not have to be of Italian descent.
•Anyone who wants to learn more about the folk medicine of rural italy or who is interested in folk medicine in general.
•Anyone interested in learning more about witchcraft and its historical significance in the region of Benevento and Southern Italy in general.
•Those that want to experience “village life” in Southern Italy
WHAT THIS IS NOT
• This is not a “tour”. We will not be tourists, we will be guests and immersed in the experience of being in a different culture.
• This is not a luxury resort style experience. We will be staying in an ancient village with all of its unique variations and history as well as its dynamic and fluid lifestyle. Things can be unpredictable (such as air conditioning and internet service). You may not always be comfortable in the way we are accustomed to being in the US.
“This trip fed my soul in ways that I know will continue to shape me for years to come. I am so grateful for the wisdom of Lisa and Lupo and their approach to putting this sacred experience together. I would 10/10 recommend anything they plan in the future. See you there!”
Lisa Fazio
Lisa Fazio is an Irish/Italian American folkloric witch, heretic, herbalist, astrologer, and una donna che aiutana (one who helps). Her primary focus is ancestral revival and remembrance within the Italian American diaspora. She practices the Folk Catholic and animistic traditions of her Italian ancestors who were the original people of Calabria; the Brutti people, and Benevento; the Samnite people. She is a mother of 4 children and Nonna to 2 grandchildren. She is currently writing a book (to be published with Inner Traditions 2024) on Italian American folk medicine. Her philosophy and teachings seek to uplift the understanding of healing as a relational practice that include deassimilation, decolonization, and an end to all systems of social, political, and economic oppression. Her ultimate hope is to do everything in her power to contribute to a more equitable and generative present and future world.
Lupo Passero
Lupo grew up in hardwood forests of the Northeast. Her paternal Grandmother was a wise woman, a Strega, from Italy. Her paternal Great Grandmother came from Knocknashee, the Druid Hill of the Fae, in Ireland. Since childhood she has been studying plants, creating circles, hosting ceremonies, and holding ritual space for others. At 18 she was pulled to the heart of the Appalachian Mountains where she began her botanical studies. As a young mother, Lupo’s greatest teachers have been her two (now grown) children. Her humble beginning with herbs and flower essences as a young mother in the 90's inspired her to learn and go on to teach others. For over two decades Lupo has had the privilege to teach thousands of students, in both Asheville NC, CT/NYC area as well as around the globe, the art of energetic and spiritual herbalism. A recent trip to Sicily to visit her homeland, has greatly deepened her love and connection to her Sud Italian heritage and reclaiming her birthplace as an American Italian Strega. A true a teacher at heart, Lupo continues to deepened her relationship within her own lineage, as well as many others, by sitting at the feet of and hosting as many teachers as possible.