The Orchid Valley of Sassano in the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park is a popular destination for botany enthusiasts, as well as a source of great pride for the people of the Vallo di Diano. It is an open-air nature museum of no less than 47 square kilometers, and along a route of approx. 13 kilometers one can admire many different species of wild and spontaneous orchids: approx. 180 (to be precise: 68 species, 57 subspecies, 35 varieties, 24 hybrids). A real concentration of orchids! Just think that in the entire Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park there are a total of 254 species of wild orchids, and in all of Europe and the Mediterranean Basin there are 319! Thus, the municipality of Sassano preserves an immense natural heritage, to be protected and defended.
The orchids of Sassano bloom from April to about June, and some varieties maintain their bloom even until July; in May there is the traditional Orchid Festival with free guided tours, tastings of typical products, musical and folkloric performances organized by the municipality of Sassano and open to all.
The trekking route that leads to this beautiful valley starts from the fountain with three stone masks in the historic center of Sassano: it starts at an altitude of 501 meters and ends at an altitude of 1175 meters after passing through five orchid observation stations. From the fountain take the uphill road in the direction of the church of S. Michele and past the medieval Ponte del Peglio, at the hamlet of the same name, continue until you reach the Campo di Gravola and continue, crossing various stations (Affunnaturo, Coddate di Filano, Valtasso and Pietralieddo) in the Campi di Filano area, to reach the Brigante Pool.
This walking tour takes place in an extraordinary naturalistic setting, among flora and fauna, that is, among orchids, flowers, shrubs and trees, particularly beech and white birch trees of the Southern Apennines, the latter dating back to the last glaciation, and among animals in the wild and sightings, if lucky, of the golden eagle.
