Rocca Imperiale – Nocara

It is the opening stage of the Cammino Basiliano. The trail is characterised by landscapes with vast views onto the Sibaritide, in the wide Golfo di Taranto. It crosses the city centres of Rocca Imperiale (one of the “Borghi più belli d’Italia”, funded by Frederick II), Canna (with a local dialect that inspired many studies and researches) and Nocara, with the Convento di Santa Maria degli Antropici, where the Nursing Madonna fresco (“Madonna del Latte”) was discovered during restoration works.

Panoramica di Rocca Imperiale

Area

Alto Ionio cosentino

Difficulty

T – Also accessible via MTB

Distance

19,52 km

Travel time

6.50 – 7.50 hrs

Start

Rocca Imperiale – Piazza Castello

Finish

Nocara – Monastero S. Maria degli Antropici

Difference in altitude

↑ 614m ↓ 262m

Accessible

All year round

Springs and fountainheads with waypoint

Fontana Massa e Fontana Capolicello

Attraversamenti fiumi e fiumare (waypoint)

Bridge on the Canna Stream (waypoint “Incrocio”)

Route

The opening stage of the Cammino Basiliano is on the border with the neighbouring region of Basilicata. From Piazza Castello hikers will reach the archeological site of Murge di Santa Caterina – a sort of defensive outpost of the castle – and then proceed in the direction of Contrata San Biagio.
The trail is characterised by landscapes with vast views onto the Sibaritide, in the wide Golfo di Taranto. It enters the Valle del Torrente Canna: a scenery of small patches of land dedicated to the cultivation of olives, then oaks trees and free fields.
The itinerary moves downhill towards the Canna stream, one of the many waterways of the Calabria Ionica: from this point onwards the steam becomes a fiumara, the riverbed stretches and becomes extremely wide as it begins its descent towards the sea. The trail then goes back uphill along the provincial road (“strada provinciale”) and arrives in Canna shortly after – crossing maquis shrubland and olive groves. In the meantime, the landscape begins to change from olive groves to holly oaks. Hikers will proceed in the direction of Nocara, where a beautiful holly oak forest will guide them along the ancient trail to the Ex Convento degli Antropici.

Brief historical overview

Rocca Imperiale, once known as Petra Ceci (hidden hill), was founded by Fredrick II, who wished to build a castle on the top of this hidden hill with a twofold objective: It was to be used as a stopover (to welcome the Court during hunting trips and travels to and from Sicily) and as a strategic location to defend the kingdom’s only access (the via costiera ionica mentioned in the Tabula Peutingeriana) between the Puglie and Calabria.

An impressive building that took numerous years and funds to be completed. Its construction required the work of many men from up to twenty-seven nearby villages. The same people went on to create the first settlements of the new town. After the death of Federico II, Rocca Imperiale was handed over by Charles I of Anjou to the Cavalieri dell’ordine Gerosolimitano; following the Angevin’ domination, it passed onto the Lords at the service of Alfonso II of Naples (the Carafa and Raimondi families), that defended it against the constant pirate attacks. The epic 1664 battle is especially worth of mention: over four thousand pirates attempted to conquer the castle in vain and the village was destroyed. In 1717 the feud was handed over to the Crivelli Dukes, then to the bishop of Pujia di Tursi, who intended to turn it into a seminary. It was then bought by the Cappa family and finally donated by the last descendants to the municipality of Rocca Imperale in 1989.

Rocca Imperiale has many churches (Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta, Cappella di San Giovanni, Cappella del SS Rosario, Cappella del Carmine); the Monastero dei Frati Osservanti now hosts a wax museum and the municipal library. Along Rocca Imperiale’ seven kilometres of shores, are beaches and rocks: the “Marina” is four kilometres away from the city centre and was developed around the warehouse of the Crivelli Duke (used as storage house for sea trade with nearby cities).

Rocca Imperiale – whose typical local dishes are Frizzulli with soft inside of bread, Laganelli with chickpeas, Crispi and majatiche – is also famous for its lemon cultivations, that recently received the IGP trademark: it belongs to one of the most ancient cultivar Femminiello Comune that can be attributed to the Citrus Limon species, also knows as Antico (or Nostrano) of Rocca Imperiale.

Along the trail hikers will reach the small but unique village of Canna, “land of noble and welcoming people”. Founded by a small group of citizens of Nocara, it was once feud of the Sanseverino family, counts of Lauria, and of the Loffredo family, Dukes of Nocara and Marquis of Canna. The village, of Medieval origins, is immersed in ancient olive tree groves and surrounded by the Commaroso forest. The dialect of Canna has inspired many studies and researches and its village is well worth a stroll along the alleys to see the palaces with marble gates of renaissance, baroque and neo-classical feel.

Overview of  Rocca Imperiale

Nocara is a small village of inland Calabria that plays a key role in many folk tales and legends: the birthplace of Pontius Pilate; the docking place of Epeius, maker of the Trojan Horse, who stopped here after the war and founded the city of Lagaria; and lastly, the nearby Piano della Noce could be the site of the cave of Polyphemus, the Cyclopes. According to certain studies, the ancient city of Lagaria should rest under the modern municipality of Nocara. Lagaria either owes its name to the shepherd Lagaride, whose flock of sheep grazed the hill where the city was built, or to the “lagaroi” (“exhausted ones”), the tired Greek heroes exhausted by the long trip back home.

Nocara has very ancient origins: it seems urban settlements existed on the hill since prehistoric Italy. The archeological sites of Presinace, Murge di Santa Caterina, Armi di Sant’Angelo (to mention only a few) originated here, and it is only reasonable to presume that they would have had a leading role in the control of the Valle del Torrente Canna up to the Ionian Sea and basins of the Ragone and Sarmento streams, tributaries of the Sinni river. The municipal palace hosts the Museo Epeo (from the mythical homeric hero): it showcases sculptures, paintings and contemporary artworks from many countries, including Argentina; a special section is dedicated to Tommaso Di Taranto, Italian-Argentinian born in Montescaglioso then emigrated to South America, where he became a famous artist.

The Convent of Santa Maria degli Antropici, dedicated to the veneration of The Virgin and Child (“Madonna con il Bambino”), is a mile away from the city centre of Nocara: built throughout different eras, it got to its present appearances during the second half of the XVII century. A fresco depicting the Nursing Madonna (“Madonna del Latte”) was discovered during recent restoration works. The ex-convent has been converted to overnight accommodation and rest-stop.

Canna: walking among brooms

Map and elevation profile

Further information

Guide of reference for the stage: Emanuele Pisarra +39 333 8732829

[Canna]

Comune Canna – tel. +39 0981 93400 – web: www.comune.canna.cs.it – mail: info@comune.canna.cs.it
Comune Canna – tel. +39 0981 93400 – web: www.canna.it
Pro Loco Canna – tel. +39 345 1307775 – web: www.facebook.com/prolococanna

[Rocca Imperiale]

Castello Castello svevo di Rocca Imperiale – sito web: www.facebook.com/castellosvevoroccaimperiale
Comune Rocca Imperiale – tel. – sito web: www.comune.roccaimperiale.cs.it – www.facebook.com/RoccaImperialePaeseDellaPoesiaLimoniMareCasello
Pro Loco Rocca Imperiale – tel. +39 333 8440549 – sito web: – mail: prolocoroccaimp.@tiscali.it
Altre informazioni Emanuele Pisarra – tel. +39 333 8732829

Where to eat

Extra: not verified

[Rocca Imperiale]

Ristorante – Palazzo Pucci- tel. +39 0981 936195
Ristorante – Braceria La Forgia Del Gusto- tel. +39 379 1100079
Ristorante – Trattoria Dei Poeti- tel. +39 320 7949693

[Stopover: Canna]

Ristorante – Pub Trono Di Spade – tel. +39 331 8755669
Ristorante – Osteria Le Logge – tel. +39 334 6978184

[Nocara]

Agriturismo – La Nivera – tel. +39 338 7848120
(Dista dal Borgo Circa 2 Km)
Nocara – Agriturismo – Il Pantano – tel. +39 349 2562267
(Dista dal Borgo Circa 4 Km)
Nocara – Ristorante – Pizzeria La Noce – tel. +39 0981

Last update: 2024-02-28