Factory Pastificio Afeltra
Gragnano, Campania
In Gragnano, home of IGP pasta, Pastificio Afeltra has roots going back to 1848, when Giuseppe Afeltra began making artisan pasta, attracting a visit in the mid-nineteenth century from King Ferdinand II of Bourbon, curious to taste it. The business was formally established as a pasta factory in 1895, marking the start of more than 150 years of history. The secret of production remains bronze-die extrusion, which gives the pasta a rough surface that holds sauce well, combined with slow, low-temperature drying. The guided visit on Via Visitazione leads through the workshops, drying areas, packaging and warehouses, letting visitors breathe in the scent of wheat and tradition that fills the plant.