At the foot of the Monti della Maddalena, which enclose the Vallo di Diano to the north-east and mark the border with the Basilicata, in the locality of San Giovanni in Fonte, between Sala Consilina and Padula, stands the early Christian baptistery of Marcellianum, built directly over a spring. Here, the ancient rite of baptism by immersion inspired the admiration of Flavius Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus, who exclaimed: “Lucania too has its Jordan!”. It is from this unique place in the world that the “Sentiero Frassati” della Campania (CAI trail marker 601) begins, the first of a national network of 22 trails named by the CAI, between 1996 and 2012, after Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925), the saint from Turin who loved the mountains so much.
After visiting the baptistery (478 m), today within the territory of Padula, the trail continues on level ground towards Sala Consilina, among olive groves, vineyards, vegetable gardens and rural houses. After passing a rest area, a short uphill section leads to the ruins of the monastery of Sant’Angelo in Fonte (14th century, 554 m), where Romanesque and Gothic elements blend in the structure and decorations. In the first half of the 14th century, the monastery housed a community of Cistercian nuns of the Order of Saint Bernard. A little further on, a cave (560 m) can be found, where, for the people of Sala, as in other parts of southern Italy, the cult of Saint Michael originated and later developed on the colle della Balzata (968 m), with the construction and expansion of the sanctuary dedicated to the Archangel Michael. This is where the “Sentiero Frassati” leads in about two and a half hours.
In one hour, the trail reaches the hill of Tempone, which is skirted on the right as the path begins to climb towards a short branch of the road leading to the santuario di San Michele. On the left, near the small chapel dedicated to the Madonna di Loreto (690 m), a fountain allows hikers to replenish their water supply. On the right, instead, the “Sentiero Frassati” avoids the paved hairpin bends and follows an old path with gentle switchbacks along the side of the Balzata facing Padula, still allowing visitors to reach the Santuario di San Michele by walking on natural ground.
From the square in front of the sanctuary, the view extends over the central and southern part of the Vallo di Diano, with the peaks of the Cervati and Sirino in the background. To the north, the Sito Alto (1467 m) rises prominently: the mountain directly opposite the entrance to the sanctuary, where popular devotion has venerated the Virgin for time immemorial in a humble chapel, now a diocesan sanctuary. From the Santuario di San Michele, the “Sentiero Frassati” reaches Sito Alto in about three hours, going around the monte Schiavo and following a route of considerable historical and anthropological value, linked to the high-altitude terraces that were still cultivated in the years immediately following the Second World War. The trail is largely shaded and, during the first hour, coincides with one of the ancient mountain routes that once connected Sala with Marsico Nuovo and the Val d’Agri. Today, this section forms part of a “link route” which, after six hours of walking, leads to the “Sentiero Frassati” della Basilicata, at Sasso di Castalda.
At the point where the trail should turn east towards Basilicata, it instead remains in Campania, turns decisively west and continues climbing through a variety of natural environments, among woods and clearings. It then reaches the road which, coming from another side and unpaved only in its final section, leads from Sala to the chapel at the summit. The chapel houses the ancient stone statue of the Madonna, known by local people as the Madonna della Sit’Auta. From the square in front of the chapel, the view finally opens out in a full 360-degree panorama: in addition to the peaks of Sirino and Cervati, the Alburni and Picentini can be seen, as well as, towards the Lucania, the mountain ranges of Vulture, Arioso-Pierfaone, the highest point of the “Sentiero Frassati” della Basilicata, and Volturino. On clear days, the Calabrian peaks of Pollino and Orsomarso are also visible.

Alternative route to Sito Alto
An interesting alternative route allows hikers to descend quickly from Sito Alto, the highest point of the “Sentiero Frassati”, to the town in about two and a half hours, or to reach it in about three hours and then follow the “Frassati” route in reverse. This is the path traditionally used by the people of Sala on pilgrimage to the Madonna di Sito Alto on 2 June, once the first Tuesday after Pentecoste, and on 14 August.
Described in the uphill direction and following the timing and traditions of the pilgrimage, from the Madonna di Sito Alto the trail retraces the ridge towards the north-east until the first depression, where trail 602 branches off to the left. It then turns north-west towards a Calvario station (1303 m), from where it descends into the leafy Vallone di Cervara, characterized by a dense hazel grove. At an altitude of 900 m, the trail leaves the woodland and continues along a rocky, open path, particularly rewarding for its views over the Vallo di Diano and the mountains surrounding it to the west, visible as the trail changes direction along the switchbacks. The route reaches the foot of the Castello (819 m), first Norman, then Swabian and finally belonging to the Sanseverino family, which can be reached by a short path on the northern side of the hill. Returning to the main trail, the route passes several towers that formed part of the ancient walls and enters the town at the Casalini, a small cluster of the oldest houses, now undergoing architectural restoration and equipped with a convenient rest area with tables. It is particularly attractive in summer, also thanks to special food-related events. The trail continues to the historic centre of Sala Consilina, where the excursion ends.

Sentiero Giorgino Garone alternative route
To reach or leave Sito Alto (1467 m), hikers can also use the Sentiero Giorgino Garone (CAI trail marker 603), named after its historic custodian (†2021), who looked after the Cappella della Madonna di Sito Alto for 75 years. The route starts from the locality of Quartiere (591 m), near the Polo culturale Cappuccini, with an estimated walking time of approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes uphill and 2 hours and 10 minutes downhill.