10 natural and cultural wonders to discover in Sila.​

Introduction: Sila, located in the central part of the Calabrian peninsula, offers a unique natural and cultural beauty to the world. With its well-defined borders, from the Isthmus of Catanzaro in the south, the Ionian coast in the east, the Sibari plain in the north and the Crati valley in the west, Sila is a place of spectacular nature, with landscapes that extend to the horizon and a rarity for mountainous areas where the view is usually limited by high peaks and deep valleys.

With breathtaking landscapes that extend to the horizon and spectacular nature, this granite and crystalline mountainous area houses numerous artificial lakes, centuries-old forests, various species of flora and fauna, including broom, predators such as the wild cat and the wolf, and birds such as the black woodpecker and the eagle owl. Don't miss the opportunity to visit the majestic Cozzo del Pesco forest and admire the natural beauty of Sila.

Celico, one of the wonderful hamlets of Cosenza, is one of the 12 natural and cultural wonders to discover in Sila. Founded in the 9th century by the population fleeing from Saracen invasions, this charming village boasts a rich historical heritage, with ancient churches such as St. Michael with its beautiful bell tower of 1595 and its two stone gates of the 15th century, and the church of St. Nicholas erected starting from 1518. The connection with the historical figure of Gioacchino da Fiore makes Celico an even more special place. Admire the houses with loggias and wrought iron balconies from the 17th-18th centuries and the incredible beauty of the territory, which includes more than half of Lake Cecita. Although agriculture remains an important activity, especially in livestock farming and patato farming, exploring this historical gem of Calabria is a must-see experience.

Picture below: Church of the Assumption (behind), located on the birthplace of #GioacchinoDaFiore(https://www.instagram.com/brunopino.it/)

Torre Camigliati Estate, located in Camigliatello Silano (Cosenza). The beautiful scenery, in the heart of the Sila National Park, is that of a 16th-century country mansion which, declared a monument of historical and artistic interest and bound in 1998, was made available for the realization of cultural initiatives to the Fondazione Napoli Novantanove, presided over by Mirella Stampa Barracco. Since 2001, the Tower has in fact been the headquarters of the Old Calabria Park - Norman Douglas and the Grand Tour travelers, while since 2003 it has been the headquarters of the Barracco family historical archive to which the estate belongs.

Below: View of the Barracco Estate, headquarters of the Old Calabria literary park, Sila National Park - Ph. © Gianni Termine

Embark on a journey of discovery in Sila and explore the beautiful Via Roma, the city's main thoroughfare. Adorned with local and international artisan shops, it's famous for its Christmas displays, all year round. You can visit the various craft shops offering a wide range of products, including stunning tapestries from Longobucco. Indulge in the local Calabrian cuisine, including the delicious "cuccurelli" fried potato fritters. Every Sunday, the Camigliatello Silano market takes place in the Croce Magara district, offering a display and tasting of locally produced food. You'll find some truly entertaining products here. We also recommend visiting the Old Village Christmas Shop, located on Camigliatello's main street. This shop offers Christmas items all year round, which is rare in our area. You'll find a wide variety of Christmas trinkets and moving displays. The exterior of the shop is also very charming. Whether it's August or December, entering this shop always holds its own special charm. You'll find beautiful objects and unique items, and we highly recommend visiting at the beginning of the main street. Lastly, the Church of Saints Biagio and Roberto Abate deserves a special place on your list, with its stunning mosaic inside that will captivate you.​

Lake Cecita is the largest lake in Calabria, situated in a vast basin of fields and meadows. It is a 7.5 km long artificial basin created in 1951 by blocking the Mucone river with a dam. State road 177 runs through a protected area of the Sila National Park and leads to the Cupone Visitor Centre, equipped with nature trails, wildlife observatories, a museum, a geological garden and a botanical garden accessible to the blind, as well as a picnic area along the lake shores. The Fossiata basin is a wide expanse of pastureland surrounded by an amphitheatre of reliefs typical of the Sila region, covered by thick larch pine forests. The lake is also a place of archaeological interest with finds ranging from prehistoric to Roman times. A picnic area with barbecue is available for spending a day outdoors surrounded by unspoilt nature

The Cupone Visitor Centre:

The Cupone Visitor Centre is located near Lake Cecita and the Sila National Park. The Centre, which was created by converting an old state-owned sawmill, offers environmental education activities with nature trails, wildlife observatories, a museum, a geological garden and a picnic area along the lake. It is also a popular area of the park, managed by the Sila National Park Authority and the Carabinieri Biodiversity Department in Cosenza, which offers free guided tours for schoolchildren and organised groups on request. The Centre also has a Botanical Garden that is accessible to the disabled and the blind, with panels and audio files explaining the various essences, and a didactic path for the visually impaired and the blind along which they can interact with the 115 native species of Calabrian mountain flora.The Garden is located at an altitude of 1,156 m. and includes the essential flora native to the Park territory. It consists of both a wetland and an acid rocky area that reproduces the characteristic vegetation of the Silan plateau, diversified in the south with larch pine and in the north with beech and silver fir, among erratic granite boulders. Dedicated to the visually impaired and the blind, the educational trail of the Cupone Botanical Garden runs for the 350 metres of its length on wooden sleepers bordered by a fence with a handrail. The landscape is that of the Sila mountains and the plants with which to interact are 115 native species of Calabrian mountain flora - from potentilla to the Calabrian astragalus - arranged on the ground or in trays according to size and genus. All plants are accompanied by cards in Braille and marked characters for the visually impaired. The Botanical Garden occupies an area of 10,400 square metres, almost entirely flat, and was created within the State Forests falling within the perimeter of the Sila National Park.

The Cupone visitor centre offers the possibility of walking along trails to admire the area's fauna, including stuffed wolves, insects, snakes, bats and reptiles, as well as a 3 km walk with a loop trail to admire fallow deer, deer, roe deer and wolves. The Raven Forest Trail leads to Cozzo del Principe with a panoramic view of Lake Cecita.