Visit to the Arbëreshë village of Falconara Albanese

Among the Arbëreshë (Italo-Albanian) villages of Calabria, Falconara Albanese offers the perfect blend of history, folklore and unspoilt nature, stretching from the sea to the mountains, with the seaside hamlet of Torremezzo.

Falconara Albanese, in the province of Cosenza, is the only Arbëreshë town overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea to have kept both its language and Greek-Byzantine rites intact.

Ready to discover the oriental charm of Falconara Albanese?

Perched on a hill at the foot of the Cosenza coastal mountain range, the Arbëreshë village of Falconara Albanese is halfway between the mountains and the sea, where the hamlet of Torremezzo di Falconara is located. Among the Arbëreshë villages of Calabria overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, Falconara Albanese is the only one to have kept its Italian-Albanian traditions intact: namely, the Arbëreshë language, an ancient variant of the Tuscan dialect spoken in southern Albania, which still appears today on bilingual shop signs and street names, and the Greek-Byzantine rite belonging to the Eparchy of Lungro (CS).

According to some sources, Falconara Albanese was founded in 1517 by seven Albanian Orthodox families who had arrived in Calabria a few decades earlier. The oldest neighbourhoods in the historic centre date back to this period: the Manesato district, the Kurtina district and the Church of Sant'Atanasio, the first in the town. The layout of the town is characteristic of eastern villages: perched around the so-called Castelluccio, a panoramic viewpoint accessible via a staircase, on which stands a stone cross. The Castelluccio is a monolith about 50 metres high and is the symbol of Falconara Albanese.

Just below are the Church of the Madonna dell'Assunta, with its large churchyard; the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, built in 1611; and the Church of the Madonna del Buon Consiglio, dating back to the 16th century, whose name is linked to the legend of the fortuitous exodus from Albania.

When is the best time to visit Falconara Albanese and learn about its ancient traditions? September, when the patron saint's festival of Buon Consiglio takes place, and Albanian Easter week, during which you can witness the evocative Motrëmat ceremony. Traditional festivals, including fairs and other sacred ceremonies, are the perfect opportunity to admire Albanian folk costumes and taste typical local dishes.

Torremezzo di Falconara Albanese (more commonly known as Torremezzo) is the seaside hamlet of the municipality, located along the Tyrrhenian coast. A popular destination for beach tourism, especially in summer, Torremezzo is one of the most beautiful and extensive beaches on the entire coastline, with a microclimate that makes it pleasant in all seasons.

Torremezzo beach is suitable for all tourist needs: composed of fine sand and small pebbles, it alternates between large free stretches and a series of beach establishments equipped for the comfort of the whole family.