San Pietro in Amantea

San Pietro in Amantea, a town in the Province of Cosenza, borders on Amantea, Aiello Calabro, Belmonte Calabro, Lago and Serra D'Aiello. Besides the old hamlet, it includes some sparse settlements and districts (Gallo, Scala, Giardini, Tuvolo, Froffa, S. Elia, Conocchia, Muschicella, Muglicelle, Colopera, Sciolle, S. Caterina, S. Maria and Petrone). The village originated in 846 when the inhabitants of Nepetia , a coastal town on the Tyrrhenian Sea, took refuge on the mountains following the Arab invasion. It was one of the Amantea “casali” and was besieged during the French invasion in 1807. The large Piazza IV Novembre stands in the middle of the town, shadowed by the majestic oriental planes that dominate the square. It is embellished with a  beautiful fountain called "u zu Tittu" dated 1900. There are four open churches in the town: the Church of Madonna delle Grazie, the Parish Church of San Bartolomeo Apostolo, the small Church of Sant'Elia in the district with the same name, and the Church of San Michele in the Gallo district. The ancient ruined Church of San Bartolomeo was recovered and now houses the "Centro per l'Arte Orafa Calabrese" (Center of Goldsmith’s Art in Calabria), where the works of renowned local goldsmiths are often displayed. The town is the trailhead of a trekking trail that climbs up to the surrounding mountains, and a wonderful Mediterranean landscape can be enjoyed from some rest stops along the trail. A public electric bicycle sharing system is available to circulate comfortably around the town.