Myths and Legends

There are still many popular beliefs deeply rooted in the villages of the Monti della Laga, superstitions and legends that continue to feed the baggage of amulets and spells against evil and witchcraft. Among these, one of the best known are the salt against the evil eye , the pieces of blessed candle and the “short” : a bag containing the earth of three different masters to bring back against the bills.
In the territory of the Laga, the stories of witches and sorcerers are linked to a long tradition, in fact even today, in the hot summer nights the windows of the houses are closed (they are also often adorned with garlic heads) to prevent witches in the form of insects and moths from entering homes.
In these places, even the Summer Solstice brings with it customs and legends, according to tradition, in fact, in the period from 19 to 25 June, women called Herbarie, expert connoisseurs of the properties of herbs and berries, climbed the walnut trees barefoot to pick the best fruits and expose them to dew all night long. Nocino was then prepared from those nuts, a liqueur used in ancient times for divination and medicinal purposes. It is also no coincidence that, in popular symbology, carrying a walnut in your pocket protects you from bad luck.