Sperone has 3,655 inhabitants at the foot of the Avella mountains, and its story begins inside the walls of ancient Abella. When the Roman town was destroyed, the inhabitants who had taken refuge on the mountains came back down in separate groups: one of them formed to the south, around the very old mother church of Sant'Elia, and in time detached itself from Avella. The name says exactly where it lies: sperone meant «foot», the most advanced point of Avella's territory towards the plain.
Right here opened the gate of Corte, one of the six of ancient Abella, later also called the gate of Sant'Elia: it is recorded by the Cippus Abellanus, the Oscan inscription kept in the episcopal seminary of Nola. The coat of arms, granted in 1885, puts the two things together: the spur of the name and the trees of the crops. Today the countryside is all hazel groves — the hazelnut of Avella, which Ferrero has bought many times for Nutella.
Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
Near Sperone
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
Places to see within 25 km
Outside Sperone, but an easy day trip away.