Samo – Africo Vecchio

A stage across wild nature and spiritual sites of extraordinary charm and beauty: the trail starts from Samo and the ruins of the old village of Precacore, and leads hikers through the canyons of the Aspromonte Massive, along the old mule track up to the solitary Chiesetta di San Leo and the enchanting ruins of the abandoned village of Africo Vecchio – at the heard of the “montagna lucente” (shining mountain).

Africo Vecchio

Area

Aspromonte

Difficulty

EE

Distance

19 km

Travel time

8 – 12 hrs

Start

Samo

Finish

Villaggio Carrà – Africo Vecchio

Difference in altitude

↑ 1670m ↓1017m

Accessible

From April to November, with the exception of heavy rain.

River/fiumare crossing (waypoint)

In the village of Samo and in the proximities of Chiesa di San Leo Africo Vecchio (the latter might be dry during certain periods of the year)

River/fiumare crossing (waypoint)

Fiumara La Verde

Route

Brief historical overview

Samo’s current city centre was built following the destruction of the ancient village of Precacore during the 1908 earthquake. It is located just under the rocky spur where are the ruins of the ancient village, which was called with its oldest name of “Samo”. Folk celebrations for the Patron Saint of the village, San Giovanni Battista, are held from the 20th to the 29th of August. Along the trail that takes to the village of Precacore, throughout the 9 days preceding the birth of the Saint (24th of June) and the 9 days following its martyrdom (24th of August), it is possible to see groups of worshippers walking to the Shrine of San Giovanni Battista barefoot, to fulfil ex-votos (votive offerings). The Shrine of San Giovanni Battista features remains of a fresco of the Madonna Nera.

Mule track Africo Vecchio

Precacore sits on a arduous rock 20 minutes away on foot from the city centre of Samo. As the trail moves uphill along the slopes of the mountain towards the village, hikers will be able to admire the marvellous landscape of the fiumara La Verde, the peaks of the Aspromonte Massif, and the Locride. On the trail along the hill are many low reliefs (donated by various families of Samo) illustrating the Stations of the Cross and other religious scenes. The track continues until a large open space where an altar, dedicated to the Patron Saint, San Giovanni Battista, has been erected. The altar has been entirely caved into the rock. The aforementioned church of San Giovanni Battista and the Chiesa di San Sebastiano, both featuring ancient frescos and remains of Greek/Byzantine tradition, are well worth a visit.

Church of San Leo, località Minigioia

Africo is the most isolated village of Aspromonte: it is located at the heart of the “montagna lucente” (shining mountain). It was completely abandoned after the violent floods of the 1950s and can be considered a great archeological site, whose ruins were almost submersed in blackberry bushes and vegetation (vegetation that has partially reclaimed most of the territory). Thanks to the first restoration projects, the village is still accessible on foot via paths and tracks that move across an unpolluted nature. The origins of Africo are uncertain: there are records of the village from the end of the XII century and it is known that in the first half of the 14th century it was part of Regio. It was then a hamlet of Bova until 1816.
Africo overcame various devastating earthquakes, like most of its fellow villages on the Aspromonte Massif, until the catastrophic earthquake of 1908. The conditions of extreme poverty of the people of the area is recorded in the book “Tra la perduta gente” (Among the forgotten people) of Umberto Zanotti Bianco – a researcher of “Meridionalism” arrived in Africo in 1928, also responsible for the construction of the first elementary school and kindergarten.The photographs of Tino Pertelli on the subject are equally renowned. During October 1951, Africo and the nearby district of Casalnuovo were hit by heavy rains that continued uninterrupted for three long days, causing collapses and landslides until the population decided to flee. They never returned. A new village was built on the coast next to the municipality of Bianco following a failed reconstruction attempt by the old settlements of Carrà. Every year, people of Africo make a pilgrimage to the Church of San Leo, to celebrate their Patron Saint. Among many of the authors that wrote about the village of Africo are worth mentioning Corrado Stajano, Saverio Strati, Gioacchino Criaco, author of the novel “Anime nere” – Black Souls – (Ed. Rubbettino), from which Francesco Munzi adapted a film winner of nine David di Donatello. The village is also featured in the movie“La terra degli ultimi” (Land of the Forgotten) di Mimmo Calopresti (2019) adapted from the book “Via dall’Aspromonte” – Away from Aspromonte – (Ed. Rubbettino) by Pietro Criaco.

Century-old chestnut

Map and elevation profile

Further information

[Africo]

Comune Africo – tel. +39 0964 991109 –  web: www.comune.africo.rc.it – mail: protocollo@comune.africo.rc.it
Altre Informazioni Africo –  web: www.africo.net/

Where to sleep

[Africo Vecchio]

Rifugio – Rifugio Carrà   – tel. +39 349 5269848