Monumental Trees in the heart of Pollino

The first stop on the itinerary to discover Calabria's monumental trees is Albidona, a mountainous area that stretches to the upper Ionian coast of Cosenza, with a short stretch of pine forest and a small beach. Here you will find four wonderful monumental trees, which you can discover on a guided trek through the entire municipal area. The tour starts from "u praine i mastr Giuguann" (Mastro Giovanni's Pear Tree), as the Wild Pear Tree, which is about 450 years old, is affectionately called. It is dear to the community because it is located in the place from which emigrants and soldiers left to go to war. The tour continues with the Poplar Canescente near Fontana Lungro, then moves on to a beautiful specimen of Aleppo Pine about 20 metres high and concludes with the centuries-old Black Hornbeam ("o càrpinu"), which is exceptionally large for its species and stands on a rocky outcrop in the middle of a holm oak forest.

We move on to Trebisacce, one of Italy's Most Beautiful Villages on the Costa degli Achei, which also boasts a Blue Flag. In this splendid area, an example of the proximity of sea and mountains, we discover three monumental trees in Calabria that embellish the landscape of a place not coincidentally known as the Balcony of the Upper Ionian Sea. The first is an extraordinary Carob Tree, a plant typical of the Mediterranean climate, which grows majestically in Trebisacce, with a crown diameter of about 13 metres. It is flanked by a group of three Downy Oaks along the Pagliara river and a splendid specimen of Aleppo Pine.

The tour of the monumental trees of Pollino ends in Cerchiara di Calabria, the "City of Bread" perched on the slopes of Mount Séllaro. Here, where birds of prey fly and the forest gradually thickens, there are four centuries-old Calabrian trees that are not to be missed. We are in an area renowned for its Loricati Pines (the symbol of the Pollino National Park) and beech trees. One of the most famous monumental trees in the area belongs to this species: the Cerzeto Beech, located near the Chapel of St. Francis of Paola, where it is said that the saint stopped during his travels between the various convents he founded. Are there other ancient trees in Cerchiara di Calabria? A beautiful specimen of Common Ash, with a crown 15 metres wide, a mighty Downy Oak of great beauty, and a Chestnut Tree (Castagnu di Salavrùni) of exceptional size, which has several cavities that have become habitats for birds and small mammals.