What to see in San Giovanni in Fiore, a jewel of Sila

Discover what to see and do in San Giovanni in Fiore (CS), a jewel of the Sila National Park rich in charm and spirituality.

What to see in San Giovanni in Fiore? There are many historical, artistic and natural sights that captivate the visitor: from one of the most important monasteries in Calabria, the famous Florense Abbey, founded by the theologian Joachim of Fiore, to the noble palaces of the old town centre, passing through the green and uncontaminated nature of no less than three Sila lakes.

Follow us on an excursion to discover San Giovanni in Fiore: what to see, do and visit around the ‘’small Gioachimite capital‘’.   

The municipality of San Giovanni in Fiore, in Sila, is one of the largest and most populated centres in the province of Cosenza, a privileged gateway to the National Park.

San Giovanni in Fiore is known as one of the most important places of faith and culture in Calabria: famous above all for the presence of the Florense Abbey, founded by Abbot Gioacchino da Fiore, one of the greatest theologians and philosophers of the Western Middle Ages. The abbey was built between 1189 and 1198 in the ancient locality of Iure Vetere, where the remains of the original monastery, destroyed by a fire and re-founded in 1215 in the locality of Fiore Nuovo, the site of the current monastic complex, are visible today. The church retains its Romanesque Latin plan, with a large cloister with ogival arches and a finely worked stone portal. Both the façade and the interior are undecorated, except for the Baroque-style altar (1740) by master Giovanbattista Altomare, from Rogliano, and the panels of the Liber Figurarum, an original artistic work by Gioacchino da Fiore, in the side aisle.

In addition to being the seat of the important Joachimite Study Centre, the Florense Abbey is the destination of the Joachimite Way, the naturalistic-spiritual itinerary in five stages in the footsteps of Abbot Joachim, one of the official Paths of the region.

San Giovanni in Fiore, in Sila, is a medieval and noble jewel. A visit to the historic centre is enough to appreciate the beauty of its many churches and 18th century palaces, starting with Palazzo Lopez, home of the Municipal Library, Palazzo Barberio and Palazzo De Marco. Strolling through the streets of San Giovanni in Fiore, one passes the Norman Arch, symbol of the town, and admires the Monument to the Fallen of Monongah. In addition to the abbey, churches worth visiting are the Convent of the Capuchin Fathers, the Monastery of the Three Children, the Church of San Francesco di Paola and the Mother Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie (1576), a Baroque building with Renaissance elements that houses numerous works of art, many of which were donated by the Benincasa family. The Sacristy, for example, houses one of the main paintings: the mid-19th century canvas depicting The Apparition of St John the Baptist to Joachim of Fiore.

What to do in San Giovanni in Fiore? Lovers of nature, as well as spirituality, can enjoy a green and uncontaminated heritage, which boasts in its territory the possibility of trekking itineraries and an excursion to the 3 Silan lakes: Lake Arvo, Lake Ampollino and Lake Redisole, to be explored in all seasons of the year. Winter, on the other hand, is the season to dedicate to the splendid ski resort of Lorica, one of Calabria's main ski slopes, where one can practice winter sports and experience the romance of a weekend in a mountain hut on the snow, overlooking the lake.

San Giovanni in Fiore, in Sila, is one of the capitals of taste. Here it is a must to taste two of the typical Sila branded products, one sweeter than the other: the renowned Sila PGI Potato and the Caciocavallo Silano PDO, both the result of ancient local production, just as local is the bakery tradition of San Giovanni in Fiore, which offers visitors the fragrance of the typical hot cùllura, the pitta ‘minata, made with leftover dough, and various types of sandwiches.

As is often the case in Calabrian towns, the best occasions to taste the local gastronomy are the festivals and fairs. What to see in San Giovanni in Fiore undoubtedly includes folklore traditions: from the parades in which the women wear ‘u rituàrtu, the typical costume of the pacchiàna, to religious festivals, passing through the historical Carnival of San Giovanni in Fiore. The latter stages a series of musical representations called Frassìe, which reproduce the most striking events of the year in a satirical key.