Calabria, the tip of the boot in southern Italy, has four mountain ranges: Aspromonte , Pollino , Sila and Serra , with some of the highest peaks in Italy. Lush dense vegetation, clear streams, lakes, and beautiful waterfalls grace these mountains, which are still perfectly wild and uncontaminated in many areas. The air is cooler here, of course, so a trip to the mountains on a hot summer’s day is a huge relief.
Walking, walking, climbing, horse riding, fishing and cycling are all viable activities in the Calabrian mountains. In winter you can also go cross-country and downhill skiing; The main ski areas are in the Sila Grande.
See the Calabria Map for the location of the national parks in the four mountain ranges.
Aspromonte
At the tip of Italy, the Aspromonte Mountains are the southernmost portion of the Apennines and offer a unique opportunity, standing on a beach and on a ski slope at the same time.
Located near the sea, Aspromonte National Park is made up of thousands of years old marine sediments and features sharp granite cliffs. Its highest peaks are around 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) and the park is a giant pyramid with thick stretches of trees (beech, black pine, chestnut, and white fir), almost tropical vegetation, and many rivers.
Wildlife includes the wolf, the peregrine falcon, the eagle owl, and the Bonelli’s eagle; The entire area is full of archaeological and artistic sites that showcase the rich culture of the area.
However, the mountains are probably best known as the home of ‘Ndrangheta , the Calabrian mafia. When the group used to kidnap people for ransom, they hid their prisoners in Aspromonte . Although there is still organized crime in the area, the mountains no longer serve as a refuge.
Pollino
The northernmost range of Calabria is the Pollino Mountains with the highest peak reaching around 2250 meters (7500 feet). The Pollino National Park is located in Calabria and in neighboring Basilicata, between the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas.
In this park, you will find beech forests, rare species of plants and animals such as loricato pine and golden eagle, dolomite-like rock formations, glacial deposits, and countless cave systems. Within its borders, the Pollino National Park is home to many paleontology and archeology sites, including the Romito Caves and the Mercure Valley, as well as sanctuaries, convents, castles, and historic centers of the original Albanian settlers from the 15th and 16th centuries.
Tight
Probably the least known of the Calabrian mountains, the Serre chain is famous for hosting an impressive number of porcini mushrooms.
Heavily wooded with beech and oak trees, this area has a wonderfully serene escape: the monastic complex at Serra San Bruno , founded by Saint Bruno of Cologne in 1090. The Carthusian monastery is still in operation and the complex offers a reproduction of the lives of its monks inside a nearby museum. Legend has it that one of the monks (now deceased) was a WWII veteran who, as an American aviator, flew atomic bomb missions in Japan.
The gardens offer an incredibly peaceful atmosphere in which you can visit its church of Santa Maria del Bosco, the tomb of San Bruno and a small reflecting pool that features a kneeling Saint Bruno, which marks the place where the water gushed after it. the bones of the saint had been unearthed for placement in the abbey. The resort’s restaurant offers many delicious and authentic Calabrian dishes with boletus and also homemade ricotta cheese.
Massif Sila
The Sila massif is divided into three groups: Sila Greca , Sila Grande and Sila Piccola , and as its slogan confidently proclaims: “Its nature will surprise you.”
Sila Greca
The Sila Greca is the northernmost section and is now grown mainly in place of thick forests. Around this area, you’ll find Albanian villages from the 15th century, such as San Demetrio Corone, which arose when Albanians were fleeing the wrath of Muslim invaders. If you are in late March, early April, mid-July, or late September, you can watch a festival that features exquisite costumes and traditional Albanian chants.
Big Sila
The highest peaks in the entire range are found in this densely forested part of the Sila massif: Monte Scuro , Monte Curcio and the highest, Monte Botte Donato , which is 1928 meters (6300 feet) high.
Calabria’s main ski slopes call the Sila Grande home, but this range is also particularly suitable for walking, hiking and horse riding in summer. Three man-made lakes made for hydroelectric power make fishing another popular activity in this area.
Located on the Sila Grande, but extending to the Sila Greca, it is also a national park complete with picnic spots, including La Fossiata .
Small Sila
Foresta di Gariglione anchors this most densely wooded part of all Calabria with its fir, beech and the gigantic turkey oak after which the forests are named. The southern end of Sila Piccola reaches Catanzaro and the Ionian coast. Now a national park, the Sila Piccola is heavily protected and very sparsely populated, but two notable towns in the range are Belcastro and Taverna .
