Santa Domenica Talao

St Joseph is the patron saint of the town, although the name Santa Domenica attests to the people's great veneration of this saint. The Mother Church, built in 1640, is dedicated to Saint Joseph. It has a Latin cross plan with three naves. Inside, you can admire stucco decorations, a polychrome marble altar dating back to 1774, an 18th-century wooden bust and an 18th-century altarpiece from the Neapolitan school. During restoration work, numerous burials dating back to before 1339 were discovered in the crypt, which can now be visited.

Nature, history, traditions: walking through the old part of Santa Domenica Talao means taking a dip into the most authentic Calabria. The Museum of the Earth is well worth a visit, with its three sections: one dedicated to fossils found in the municipal area, another dedicated to rural traditions, where tools and implements are preserved, and finally a historical section, where traditional clothing is on display and the biographies of important figures from the village are illustrated. In this now quiet village, every corner tells a piece of history. The elegant noble palaces evoke a past of lively streets, salons lit up for parties, and kitchens with fires always burning. Palazzo Campagna, for example, dates back to 1600 and was the residence of Giuseppe Campagna, a doctor who treated Giuseppe Garibaldi when he was wounded in Aspromonte and was awarded a medal by King Victor Emmanuel II for his efforts.

Moving away from the historic centre, you find yourself immersed in unspoilt natural landscape. The territory of Santa Domenica Talao is rich in springs, the most famous of which are Acque della Quercia and Ragazzo. This village is renowned for its fragrant black truffles, which can be found in the mountains and are used to prepare wild boar meat, whose ragù goes beautifully with the handmade pasta made by the skilled hands of the village women.