"In the South you don't climb!" Climbing Zone

How many times have we heard phrases like:

"You don't climb in the South."
"In the South you don't know what climbing means!"
"But are there really cliffs in the south?"

These are comments that make us smile, because they reveal how little is known about the beauty of climbing in Southern Italy. And yet, anyone who has set hands and feet on the rock of our lands knows how special these places are.

In this article, we want to help you discover a fascinating world: the rock, the people and the stories that make climbing in the South something unique. The faces of those who have dedicated time and energy to making these cliffs accessible must not remain in the shadows. They are the ones who, with sweat and passion, have given us the opportunity to experience unforgettable emotions on these walls.

A Climbing History Spanning Centuries

It might surprise you to know that one of the first sections of the Italian Alpine Club, founded in 1871, was born in Naples. But it was in the 80s that sport climbing in Campania began to take shape, with the opening of trad and sport routes. At the end of the 90s, what many call the "golden age" for sport crags in Campania began: new routes appeared in various areas, making the region a true paradise for climbers.

As Oreste Bottiglieri tells in the Malopasso guide (2024) :

"We would meet at the crag to climb or bolt. We would often spend entire days suspended from our harnesses, tracing routes that would become symbols of those places. It was a commitment that transformed our lives, making us perceive those places as true treasures, to be protected and shared with the small community of local climbers."

It was a group of enthusiasts like Oreste Bottiglieri, Stefano Sgobba , Pepito Morgera , together with climbers like Cristiano Bacci , Adriano Trombetta , Marco Capone , who created some of the most beautiful cliffs in Campania, still little known to most people today.

Oreste, in his guide, launches a wish that resonates strongly also among us at Rupe: "I hope that the new generation of Campania can rediscover the taste of adventure, the joy of discovery, and try their hand at this romantic way of understanding climbing." This thought inspires us, and pushes us to make these hidden gems of Southern Italy known.

Climbing Zone: A Project That Unites Passion and Territory

Climbing Zone is a group of climbers from Campania, veterans and new recruits, who have contributed to the development of crags in Campania and Southern Italy. Figures such as Girolamo Galasso and Marco Viscusi have given an essential contribution to this project, with the aim of not only enhancing the crags of the area, but also those of the South in general.

To help this movement grow, we have involved ambassadors who climb in Puglia and Basilicata, who take care of the maintenance and development of local cliffs. Together, through social media, we share videos, photos and information about the territories, inviting all of you to come and discover them in person.

Climbing Zone is committed to bringing the attention of the Italian climbing community (and not only) to the wonders of the South, promoting outdoor culture and helping to stimulate the economy of local communities. We hope that this project can become a point of reference for future fundraisers and initiatives for the maintenance of cliffs, often supported with the personal funds of those who bolted these routes.

In December 2023, the first bolting course was born in Campania, a project that Climbing Zone supports with passion, convinced that the new generations of bolters can continue to make a difference, not only in Campania, but throughout the South.

Climbing is also Sharing

We would like to conclude with the words of Teresa Capacchione , a great friend and supporter of Oreste, Stefano, Pepito and climbing in Campania:

"Stefano's tree comes from far away, it has strong and deep roots like Oreste's. Both have allowed us to experience the cliffs of our beautiful region. But those roots, over the years, have expanded, confused, intertwined with those of many other climbers ready to continue with them the enterprise of valorizing a discipline that allows us to share not only places and sports performances, but also friendships, affections and... great feasts."

We are ready.
CZ – Climbing Zone