Trip to Spezzano della Sila and Lake Cecita

The second largest municipality in the Sila National Park after San Giovanni in Fiore, Spezzano della Sila, in the province of Cosenza, is an ancient mountain centre that offers history and traditions, outdoor activities for all tastes, including winter snow sports among the ski facilities, and excellent traditional cuisine.

Let's discover what to see and do in Spezzano della Sila on a weekend dedicated to nature and relaxation in the Sila forests.

Nestled in the picturesque natural landscape of Sila Grande, in the Sila National Park, the historical origins of Spezzano take us back in time, to the 9th century, when the population of the mid-Cota fell back to the mountains because of Arab raids.

The historical centre of Spezzano della Sila consists of 6 ancient quarters linked to traditions, water sources, rural dwellings and small urban monuments (mills, fountains, mountain chapels).

Among the symbolic buildings to visit during a trip to Spezzano della Sila, one cannot miss the Convent of St Francis of Paola, who founded his third conventual church in Spezzano thanks to the presence of the trusty monk Fra' Paolo.

The festivities in honour of St Francis are known throughout Calabria for their grandeur. They cover about ten days and revolve around the third Sunday in September. On this occasion, the Franciscan Monastery of Spezzano della Sila is the destination of pilgrimages and evocative traditions that include drum players, Chinese lanterns, musical performances, typical tastings and, of course, religious celebrations.

Among the sacred places to visit in Spezzano della Sila there is the Church of San Biagio, inside which it is possible to admire works of considerable artistic value, such as the wooden statue of the saint, the chapel of the baptismal font and the altarpiece of the high altar.

An integral part of the mountainous territory of Spezzano della Sila, the hamlet of Camigliatello Silano is one of Calabria's main tourist resorts.

An enchanting mountain destination on the Sila Grande plateau, Camigliatello is a winter ski resort but also a place immersed in nature to visit all year round, with unmissable excursions and trekking in the forests and on the shores of Lake Cecita.

Camigliatello and Spezzano della Sila are places of great mountain culinary tradition. Some of the most delicious products and dishes of the Calabrian table are produced and served here, such as the Patata della Sila PGI, the Caciocavallo Silano PDO, the platters of typical cured meats, the first courses with porcini mushrooms and the main courses of Podolica meat, from the green pastures of Sila.

Lake Cecita is an important natural and archaeological resource in this area.

Its shores, at Campo San Lorenzo, were the site of the discovery of the remains of an Elephas antiquus, a species of prehistoric elephant whose presence sheds new light on the history of an area already rich in fascination.

Already the 2004 excavation campaign had brought to light ancient remains of Neanderthal Man, testifying to the ancestral frequentation of these woods; then, following a period of drought, the lake's shoal returned other "submerged treasures", such as the large molar and the 3-metre-long tusks of the ancient pachyderm that inhabited Europe 700,000 years ago.

Not only that, the wealth of artefacts at Lake Cecita is also enriched by the presence of an area of Longobard origin intended for the production of weapons, the only evidence to date of the passage of this people in the Sila region.

A valuable archaeological and naturalistic niche, the Lake Cecita area tells distant stories and delights young and old with the possibility of various outdoor activities.

Although closed to navigation and bathing, Lake Cecita is an excellent destination for sport fishing (with national competitions organised by FIPSAS) and wildlife observation, hosting abundant trout and eels, stationary and migratory birds, including palmipeds, waders and mallards.