Squillace – San Vito sullo Ionio

This stage of the Cammino Basiliano is characterised by a landscape of olive groves, chestnut forests and fields of various vegetables and cereals. Departing from Squillace, the trail leads to San Vito sullo Ionio – the village of silk, mulberry trees and briar root-wood pipes. Squillace is an ancient village where Flavio Magno Aurelio Cassiodoro, Roman politician and writer born in 485 AD in the nearby Scolacium (important Roman colony founded in 123-122 BC over the ruins of the Greek city of Skylletion), founded the monastery of Vivarium, with annexed a library and a research centre for Bible studies.

Lake Acero

Area

Serre

Difficulty

E – Also accessible via MTB

Distance

19,5 km

Travel time

6 – 8 hrs

Start

Squillace

Finish

San Vito sullo Ionio

Difference in altitude

↑ 385m ↓285m

Accessible

All year round

Springs and fountainheads with waypoint

Yes

River/fiumare crossing (waypoint)

River Scorsone

Route

The trail starts from the Carabinieri Police Station of the municipality of Squillace and ends in San Vito sullo Ionio. The trail passes by Palermiti, Centrache and Olivadi. The landscape – characterised by olive groves and chestnut forests – is typical of medium to low hill areas, with fields dedicated to the cultivation of a variety of vegetables and cereals.

Brief historical overview

Squillace, in invidiabile posizione sull’omonimo golfo, è un borgo di antica storia. Da visitare l’affascinante centro storico con il Castello di origine normanna, la Concattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta e le numerose chiese. Qui Flavio Magno Aurelio Cassiodoro (485-580 d.C.), politico e scrittore romano nato a Scolacium, fondò il monastero di Vivarium con annessi una biblioteca e un centro studi sulla Bibbia. Poco prima del centro abitato, con una breve deviazione dal cammino, è possibile ammirare il ponte Ghetterello, struttura in pietra locale (granito) con arcata ogivale cosiddetta a “schiena d’asino”. Squillace è anche famosa per la lavorazione della ceramica: i bellissimi lavori si possono ammirare e acquistare nelle botteghe situate lungo le vie del borgo.

Chiesa Matrice

San Vito sullo Ionio was founded by Normans and is renowned for its produc-tion of silk, mulberry tree cultivations and the manufacturing of distinctive briar root-wood pipes. The Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata, the Chiesa di San Vito Martire and the ruins of the Convento dei Padri Carmelitani are all well worth a visit.

Lake Acero from above

Map and elevation profile

Further information

Guide of reference for the stage: Gabriel Figliuzzi +39 339 7125954

[San Vito allo Ionio]

Pro Loco San Vito allo Ionio –  mail: prolocosanvitoionio@yahoo.it
San Vito allo Ionio Comune San Vito allo Ionio – tel. +39 0967 96087 – web: www.comune.sanvitosulloionio.cz.it

Last update: 2021-12-30