Discover Corbara: Borgo Sala, Casa Rossa and Corbarino

Corbara offers several concrete starting points for planning a trip: the medieval historic center of Borgo Sala, church architecture, the historic Casa Rossa, and the cultivation of Corbarino tomatoes. These themes range from architectural forms and pathways to local food culture. If you are planning a stay, these highlights can help you decide whether Corbara’s local history, landscape, or tomato-growing tradition best matches your interests.

Borgo Sala and church architecture

Borgo Sala is Corbara’s medieval historic center. Its densely built ensemble consists of houses linked by narrow streets and stairways. These connections are part of the Borgo’s structure: they pass between the buildings and shape the ensemble as a unified historic center.

The Parrocchia S. Bartolomeo has a simple, rectilinear facade and a square bell tower. Inside, the church is divided into three naves. The central nave is longer and has a flat ceiling, which was built after the 1980 earthquake. Thus, the parish church’s exterior form and the layout of its interior stand side by side as two distinct architectural aspects.

From Borgo Sala’s dense ensemble to the interior of a single church, the focus ranges from the structure of a historic center to architectural details. The church of the Eremo di Sant’Erasmo also has its own approach: it can be reached via a long staircase that winds through small terraced gardens. Here, the route through the gardens is part of the described approach to the church.

Casa Rossa between history and landscape

Casa Rossa is a historic ruin on a rocky spur at an altitude of 596 meters. It lies on the border between Angri and Corbara and served as a checkpoint as well as a customs station for goods transported from Lettere to Corbara and Angri. Its former function was therefore tied to the specific movement of goods between these places.

The area in front of Casa Rossa offers wide-ranging views of the Chiunzi Pass, Torre Orsini, Monte di Chiunzi, Colle Calavricito, Tuoro di Stellante, Vena di S. Marco, and the summit of Cerreto. These named viewpoints give the landscape a specific connection to the places and elevations of the Chiunzi area.

The Sentiero del Professore leads to Casa Rossa and Corbara via trail no. 324a. This highlights two different connections to Casa Rossa: the former goods route, which explains its historical function, and the named trail via the Sentiero del Professore.

Corbarino and local festivals

Corbarino tomatoes have traditionally been grown on the slopes of Corbara. The traditional practice also included storing tomatoes in bunches for eating in winter. Cultivation and storage thus show two sides of the local tomato tradition: harvesting on the slopes and consuming the tomatoes later.

The Corbarino Tour includes a visit to the rows of Corbarino tomato plants at La Tenuta Dicorbara. Travelers can therefore encounter the tomato both as a traditionally grown product and in the form of its planted rows on the Tenuta grounds.

Corbara e il Corbarino was a two-day event held by the municipality and the Pro Loco on July 20 and 21, 2024, featuring food, wine, tammorra, tarantella, and the local tomato. This edition brings culinary themes together with music and dance. The Festa Patronale in honor of San Bartolomeo Apostolo was a religious and cultural festival for Corbara’s patron saint, held from August 21 to 27, 2024.

Discover more destinations: Magazzeno, Albanella, Maiori, Monte San Giacomo, Rofrano, San Rufo, Oliveto Citra, Montesano sulla Marcellana.

For the broader travel overview: Salerno.