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Valleluce is an Historic-Religious-Scenic little town, located in a panoramic valley surrounded by mountains of olive trees and pine trees, slowly descending down to the town where a variety of tropical flowers and trees can be found. The most important sites to be seen are: 1) The Historical district of Valleluce, including the famous church build in the year 978, and the building at the south end of the town square, which was originally a monastery and the residence of St. Nilus and St. Bartholomew for a number of years. 2) The ancient Roman Aqueduct build 2000 years ago'. You can see portions of it still in a well preserved state, and it's a 30 minute tour from the center of town. 3) A short drive followed by a short walk to the top of Mount Cifalco which rises up from the town of Valleluce to an altitude of 900 meters, takes you where you can see a gigantic Cross erected on the top of this mountain, near the place where St. Bartholomew lived for awhile in seclusion and spiritual retreat. Here you can enjoy a spectacular 360 degrees panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, including a view of the Abbey of MonteCassino. Viewing what the original Saints and Religious Pilgrims of that time could have seen from that same location. In the very near area of Valleluce one must go to MonteCassino Abbey and also to the church of CasaLucense in order to appreciate ancient wall paintings, mosaics, and sculptures. Of additional interest in Valleluce is the yearly celebration of the "Corpus Domini" holiday, during which you can participate in a religious procession through the streets of town while being "showered" with flower petals following an ancient tradition dedicated to the young people. (Corpus Domini falls 60 days after Easter) Gaeta is also one of my favorite places to visit whenever I go to Valleluce, it's only 30 minutes away by car and it has one of the most beatiful beaches in Italy, Serapo Beach. Beside having some very fine restaurants right on the Medioeval part of town. If you need Hotel reservation you may check: http://www.cassinohotel.it For travel information from the USA and CANADA - you may check: http://www.terrabellaservices.com/
Il paesello e' contornato da una cerchia di monti, ricoperti di boschi e oliveti che lo proteggono dai venti freddi del Aquilone. Gli oliveti di Valleluce producono un olio dolce, profumato, leggero, poco grasso e privo di acidita'.
Le ulive costistuiscono una delle principali risorse dell'agricoltura locale e il prodotto era rinomato fin dall'antichita'.
Risulta ormai lontano il ricordo di quelle ulive essicate all'aria, dalla buccia nerastra, raggrinzita, con le quali i nostri nonni bevevano il vino accanto al fuoco.
E' sicuramente dovuto alla costituzione dei terreni e alla loro esposizione al sole, che crescono felicemente le viti. Il cui prodotto e' la delizia dei buongustai. Sulla creta si coltivano il sirah e il cabernet: le uve, mescolate ad altre di diverse qualita' secondo dosaggi tramandati dai nonni, danno un vino dal singolare sapore erbaceo, asciutto e profumato e di rilevante gradazione alcolica
Valleluce in the evening, a view from Valvori. (photo courtesy of Simone Di Mascio @ http://www.valvori.com
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