From a natural paradise of lush woods and soaring mountains, to one of the most spectacular stretches of the Calabrian coast: from the Pollino National Park to the shimmering Ionian sea.
Our journey commences in Morano Calabro. This picturesque hill town, situated on the edge of the Pollino National Park, is characterized by a maze of closely knit lanes and passageways, home to elegant patrician palazzi and charming houses of worship, all of which wind their way up towards the town's imposing Norman-Swabian Castle, from where a commanding view of the Pollino massif can be seen. Of all the town's religious edifices, the Church of San Bernardino da Siena is particularly worthy of note. This 15th century masterpiece, built in typical late Gothic style, features a fabulous trussed wooden ceiling, similar to the hull of a ship and the only one of its kind in Calabria. Construction of the Collegiate Church of S.S. Pietro e Paolo, the oldest church in Morano, began at the start of the 11th century. Its late Baroque appearance is the result of an extensive 19th century make-over. The church houses two marble statues by Pietro Bernini, father of the famous Gian Lorenzo. Taking pride of place in the historic center of Morano, the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena, with its blue and yellow majolica faced dome and bell tower, more than deserves a visit.
Another town lying within the Pollino National Park is that of Castrovillari. The older part of the town, the Civita, is dominated by its immense Arragon Castle, a stunning 15th century fortress complete with massive cylindrical towers, one on each of the castle's four corners. In the town's Archaeological Museum, visitors can admire artifacts dating all the way back to the paleolithic age. Until the 16th century, when they were expelled, Castrovillari was home to a large Jewish community, who inhabited the Giudecca district. In the heart of Giudecca, there is a 12th century church dedicated to San Giuliano, patron saint of the town. Inside the church there is an ancient wooden altar and a painting of the Black Madonna, a 16th century replica of a much older byzantine icon. From Castrovillari, numerous itineraries through the Pollino National Park commence.
For those visiting the area during the long Calabrian summer, Sibari is the perfect place where to take a dip in the sparkling waters of the Ionian sea. The appeal of Sibari is not limited to its long sandy beach; the town also boasts an important archaeological site in which traces of the passage of both the Greeks and Romans in the area can be seen, a historic center dominated by the ruins of the old castle, and any number of beautiful churches. Inland, the fertile Piana di Sibari, provides ideal terrain for the cultivation of citrus fruit.
The last stretch of this journey brings us to Rossano, famous for the production of licorice and, above all, for the Codex purpureus rossanensis: 188 sheets of wafer thin parchment, containing a Greek evangeliary, written in gold and silver. The pergamene purpuree, now housed in the town's Diocesan museum in the Palazzo Arcivescovile, was brought to Rossano some time between the 6th and 10th century by Greek monks. One of the major byzantine towns in Calabria, Rossano boasts a great number of impressive religious buildings. Santa Maria del Pàtire, the so-called Pathirion, is what remains of the town's impressive medieval monastic complex. The edifice conserves traces of Rossano's Byzantine past, and yet others of the passage of the Normans and Arabs. The Oratory of San Marco is another Greek-byzantine complex, with Greek cross plan. The origin's of the town's cathedral are thought to date back to the 9th century. Rebuilt by Roberto d'Angiò in 1330, in 1836 part of the edifice was destroyed by a violent earthquake. The building of the new cathedral was terminated in 1914. The result is a curious concoction of architectural styles, the 20th century facade providing a stark contrast with the elaborate 16th century portal on the right side of the church. In the central nave there is a byzantine fresco of the Madonna Achiropita: legend has it that this 9th century fresco miraculously appeared on the wall of the church at the time of its construction.
