The good cuisine is an all time passion, especially at the table of a monarch. Pizza and "focaccia" were a Ferdinand IV great passion, however cheese, fruit and wine were never missing "at the Bourbon's table" but the main course was usually a meat dish, often personally hunted by the King. Hunting was the typical activity of the nobles of the XVII century. It also was a passion common to all the Bourbon generations. Charles acquired numerous lands, which were converted to game estates and reserved them as a special branch of the Bourbon administration called "Real Sites". Hunting in the XVIII century was functional to the regal power symbology so much so to be almost considered a State's function. On this subject the Commissary President of the Royal House, Domenico Caravita wrote: "… The grave concern to govern the subordinates forced the monarchs to resort sometime to the comfort of the honest pleasures which lifted the spirit and reinvigorated the body allowing to easier sustain the

weight of governing" (G. Alisio, The Real Sites, in Civilisation of the '700 in Naples). A variety of products were often produced in the same Sites: cheese and other dairy products, cultivation of mulberry trees for the production of silk worms and barley as fodder for cows. In particular the Kings developed the raising of bovine (especially buffaloes) and the cheese production to oppose the prestigious French cheeses. It was in this period that from buffalo milk mozzarella assumes its specific identity. This name derives from the manual production process of cutting (mozzare) the mix during the workmanship. The proposed itinerary derives from these reflections. It begins from Capriati al Volturno; The feud of Capriati in fact, was purchased by Charles of Bourbons and later enlarged by Ferdinand IV. It was part of an extensive game reserve, which was developed up to the border between Campania and Molise and included also Venafro and Ciorlano. The splendid Torcino estate rose in the vicinity of Ciorlano. This district (painted by J.P. Hackert in the famous "Hunting to the wild boar in Venafro" preserved in the Royal Palace of Caserta) represented the northern limit of the Bourbons hunting territories; in the same territories the WWF oasis of le Mortine - Capriati al Volturno - Venafro is located.
Living the hinterland travelling in the southerly direction toward the Domitiana coast it is possible to reach Mondragone an ancient Roman colony called Sinuessa whose ruins are visible. The present centre of the town is located at the foot of the Mount Petrino on which lie the remains of the Rock of the Dragon. Today Mondragone is a famous bathing centre, while during the Bourbon period it was an appreciated game reserve. The Bourbons also utilised precious marbles from this territory in the construction of the Palaces of Caserta and Portici. The historic centre of the town along with Palazzo Falco and Palazzo Torcagnata can boasts precious sacred constructions such as the Mother Church of S. Michele Intra Moenia, the Convent of S. Francesco and the Church of S. Rufino. To be remembered of course the extraordinary tradition of cheese production principally the buffalo mozzarella, which is its maximum expression.
Still within the confines of Terra di lavoro, along the Casilina Way, at the foot of the Mount Maggiore, we find Calvi Risorta, the ancient Cales. There are many interesting highlights in the territory of Calvi: the Saints Cave and those of the Forms (or Formelle) dog in the sandstone with splendid Byzantine votive paintings; the remains of the Castle; the Cathedral built in the XII century in Romanesque style. In Cales there are many suggestive ruins such as the Amphitheatre, the remains of the thermal spa and the ruins of Roman sepulchral monuments. Dated back to the Bourbon period, instead, we find the Royal Lodge House of the Calvi Domain; this complex ruined by time and by disinterest was originally composed by the West Tower, the Royal Lodge House in front of which the "Circus" was located (a semicircular space destined to the horse races) and by an extraordinary and luxuriant game reserve.
Caiazzo is another splendid site really appreciated by the Bourbons. Here Charles had to realise the estate of the Fagianeria a pheasantry embellished with buildings and country hunting houses realised by the Vanvitelli.Of all the works of the court architect only the Bourbon Villa remains; the Villa was the fulcrum of the whole estate but even though in state of discreet maintenance it has lost its principal internal characteristics. Caiazzo is a charming town dipped in a generous and suggestive nature; the historical centre has very interesting noble buildings with the rococo façades; it also has numerous religious edifices which include the Cathedral, the Church of S. Francesco with its cloister (today's centre of the Town Hall); last but not least we must remember the Longobard Castle built in the X century but enlarged and rebuilt several times.
Beside these places selected by the Bourbons as ideal places to hunt we propose other localities which even though present a weak "Bourbon connection" they represent today's excellent centres of wine production. This is an ancient tradition of Campania dating back to the first Greek colonisation (VIII century BC) and it also was an authentic Bourbon's passion. In fact in the Seventeen Hundreds the Bourbons created in San Leucio an experimental Vineyard named Ventaglio (fan). In this vineyard (today partially visible) the various vines were planted in diverse manners to obtain the maximum wine yield.
Sant'Agata de' Goti a medieval town located in the Regional Park of the Taburno is an excellent wine producing centre. The following monuments are well worthy of a visit: the Cathedral devoted to the Assunta (X century), the Alphonse Museum, the Church of the Annunziata, the Church of the Carmine and the Church of S. Francesco whose Convent today is the Town Hall centre and the Church of S. Menna (XI century) which conserves the relics of the Saint. In this Samnite town a strong handicraft tradition is still well alive particularly embroidered laces and wrought iron workmanship. However Sant'Agata de' Goti is above all a DOC wine producer with famous labels such as Greco di Tufo, Falanghina, Aglianico and Piedirosso.
In the heart of the Telesina Valley rises Solopaca a town which we also remember for the chain sustained bridge build by the Bourbons in 1835 which crosses the Calore river and devoted to the Queen Maria Cristina. Here viticulture has ancient origins (as testified by the remains of a rustic villa of the I century BC) therefore, we should not wonder if Solopaca has been one of the first wines from Campania to obtain the DOC mark (Controlled Denomination of Origin). The passion for wine is here celebrated every year in September. During the annual Grape Festival thousands of people crowd the roads of the town centre to assist in the traditional parade composed of allegorical floats entirely designed with different coloured grapes.
This itinerary terminates in Guardia Sanframondi a town located in northern Sannio famous for its olive oil and wine production. The historical centre is really characteristic with its narrow streets winding up toward the majestic Norman Castle. Guardia Sanframondi also boasts an authentic Baroque jewel in the Church of S. Sebastiano whose recently restored interior represents a magnificent example of the Neapolitan Sixteen Hundreds. Guardia Sanframondi has numerous buildings of cult namely the Church of the Annunziata and the Church of S. Rocco. According to a secular tradition, in Guardia Sanframondi, every seven years the folklorist-religious procession of the penitential Rites of the Assumption is held; during this unique celebration all four Neighborhoods of the town (Croce, Portella, Fontanella and Piazza) give rise to exciting processions attracting several thousand visitors.