Church of Santa Maria in Controne

In the centre of Controne, the Church of Santa Maria was built in 1599 as the seat of a charitable congregation. The three-nave interior preserves a small but precious collection of 18th-century wooden sculptures, including figures of St Joseph and St John the Baptist.It also holds the statue of St Donatus, the town's patron, which leaves the church in August for the procession of the patronal feast. We suggest visiting on those very days, when the village at the foot of the Alburni comes alive with music and devotion. We like rounding off the walk by heading down to the banks of the River Calore.