Itinerary through the Reading Villages of Calabria

The itinerary through Calabria's Reading Villages starts in the heart of the Pollino National Park, with the discovery of Civita, a delightful village of Arbëreshë (Italo-Albanian) origin that combines nature, history and... reading! Membership of the Reading Villages circuit aims to use books as a tool for local development, transforming the village into a veritable cultural centre through the creation of widespread libraries and themed public spaces. The famous "Talking Houses" (or "Kodra Houses"), one of the defining features of Civita's urban landscape, contribute with their appearance to inspiring stories and narratives to be discussed. Places to visit include the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, a splendid Baroque building, the Spinning Mill Museum and the Ecomuseum of the Landscape of the "Valle del Raganello" Nature Reserve, housed in the ancient Palazzo Castellano.

We remain in the province of Cosenza, in the Pollino National Park, and visit Grisolia, the second stop on our tour of the Reading Villages. Here, culture is linked to the ancient identity of the area, which harks back to the origins of the Italian-Greek monastic community that settled in this 'dark' area around the 6th century. Those who wish to 'read' even earlier stories can visit the Serra Cave, where Neolithic and Phoenician artefacts have been found. Central in both the Greek and Roman eras, in the Middle Ages Grisolia was home to the Mercurion, the Monastery of St. Nicholas and the Chapel of St. Sophia. The Reading Villages meetings are held in the 'Italo Muti' Civic Ethnographic Museum, located in the ancient Ducal Palace (15th century), which displays a collection of objects from agropastoral civilisation, ceramics and coins. The typical Grisolia Stone, a valuable raw material, embellishes the buildings in the centre, such as Palazzo de Patto and Palazzo Tosto. The upper part of the town is dominated by the Shrine of San Rocco da Montpellier, an important pilgrimage destination.

The third stop on our itinerary through the Reading Villages takes us to Santa Severina in the province of Crotone, one of Italy's Most Beautiful Villages. The history of this village is rich in narrative and cultural inspiration and encourages reading through its magical places. In a panoramic position overlooking the Neto River Valley, Santa Severina is famous for its Medieval Castle, one of the best-preserved castles in Calabria, which houses the Archaeological Museum. Spring, between May and June, is the best time to visit Santa Severina and take part in literary activities (such as May of Books) during the Medieval Festival, when the village comes alive with a historical re-enactment involving dozens of costumed participants, flag throwers, juggling shows and tastings.

The journey to discover the Reading Villages ends in the province of Reggio Calabria, in the historic centre of Bova, one of Italy's Most Beautiful Villages. Here you will find a unique place for local history and culture: the Gherard Rohlfs Museum of the Greek-Calabrian Language, named after the German philologist who was the first to take an interest in reviving the Greek of Calabria, the original local language which is a mixture of archaic Greek, Latinisms and Calabrian dialect and represents the highest expression of the Greek ethnolinguistic minority. In addition to reading and writing workshops, the village of Bova offers the panoramic beauty of its acropolis (the main square), overlooked by the Cathedral, the Bishop's Palace and other noble palaces, reaching the ruins of the Norman Castle, which stands atop the rocky spur.