The Norman Path in Calabria: route and stages

If Paths are your passion, come and discover the wonders along the Norman's Path, an itinerary immersed in the Serre Regional Park, between the provinces of Vibo Valentia, Catanzaro and Reggio Calabria.

The Norman's Path in Calabria connects two beautiful rivieras: the Tyrrhenian coast of the Costa degli Dei (VV) and the Ionian coast that flows into the Costa dei Gelsomini (RC), crossing the green naturalistic lung of the Serre Regional Park.

Why ‘Norman Path’? Let's now discover the historical origins of this itinerary and the unmissable places it crosses, combining nature, culture and spirituality. 

Imagine taking a plunge back in time: we are in the middle of the Middle Ages, Calabria and Sicily are under Byzantine Catholicism and the Arab rule of the emirs, a good reason for Roger I of Altavilla, originally from Normandy, to take the Via Francigena to join his brother, Robert Guiscard, and conquer the south.

Roger I thus became Duke of Apulia and Calabria, establishing his court in Mileto (present-day province of Vibo Valentia). Here he founded the episcopate requested by Pope Gregory VII, linking himself to the important figure of Saint Bruno of Cologne, founder of the Charterhouse of Serra di Serra San Bruno (VV).

Mileto is the city that will be the birthplace of his successor, Roger II, known as ‘’The Norman‘’, destined to be the first king of Sicily and accomplish great feats, also giving Calabria a period of great artistic, cultural and spiritual splendour.

The Norman Path is the historical-naturalistic itinerary that retraces the footsteps of the ‘’Great Count Roger II of Calabria‘’, a breathtaking landscape route that winds through 22 municipalities and 3 provinces, in the Serre Regional Park.

An evocative trek that combines nature and spirit, art and culture through a series of not-to-be-missed stops: villages and towns of ancient charm, traditions, excellent food and wine and landscapes of the soul between the cliffs of Capo Vaticano (Ricadi, VV) and the Ionian beach of Monasterace (RC), passing through the forests of the Serre Regional Park.

The Norman Path is suitable for everyone, professional walkers and amateurs alike, as it can be walked in stages according to one's level of fitness and interests, either on one's own or in the company of expert guides from the Serre Regional Park:

the Norman Path covers a total length of 163.5 km, passing through 15 villages, including some on the ‘’Most Beautiful Villages of Italy‘’ circuit, for a total of 8 main stages to which are added several intermediate ‘goodies’ and, of course, views of the Norman castles encountered along the way.

Here are the main stages of the Norman Path:

• STAGE 1: Capo Vaticano (VV) - Spilinga (VV)
• STAGE 2: Spilinga (VV) - Zungri (VV)
• STAGE 3: Zungri (VV) - Filandari (VV) - Mileto (VV)
• STAGE 4: Mileto (VV) - Dinami (VV) - Dasà (VV)
• STAGE 5: Arena (VV) - Gerocarne (VV) - Soriano Calabro (VV)
• STAGE 6: Soriano Calabro (VV) - Serra San Bruno (VV) - Mongiana (VV)
• STAGE 7: Mongiana (VV) - Bivongi (RC)
• STAGE 8: Bivongi (RC) - Stilo (RC) - Monasterace (RC)

Don't miss the opportunity to discover nature, culture, spirituality and art along the Norman Path in Calabria.

If the walk has whetted your appetite, stop to taste the delights of a rich territory, which offers three branded products: the PGI Tropea Red Onion, the Pecorino of Mount Poro PDO and the Bivongi DOC wine, as well as numerous traditional local products, from the delicious Porcino mushroom of the Serre to the delicious mostaccioli biscuits (‘’mastazzòla‘’) of Soriano Calabro, and the spicy ‘Nduja di Spilinga.