Africo Vecchio – Gallicianò

The stage leads hikers into the Greek side of Calabria: the valley of Amendolea is an epicentre of villages still connected to Greek language and culture. Along the trail hikers will visit the hamlets of Ghorio di Roghudi and Roghudi Vecchio, both abandoned during the 1971 floods, now forgotten remains of a culture of shepherds and farmers that developed on this rocky crags since the 11th century. The remote and isolated nature of these districts is what preserved the use of the Greek language to this day.

Fiumana Amendolea from above

Area

Aspromonte

Difficulty

EE

Distance

18,6 km

Travel time

7 – 10 hours (depending on the water capacity of Fiumara Amendolea)

Start

Villaggio Carrà – Africo Vecchio

Finish

Gallicianò

Difference in altitude

↑ 988m ↓1270m

Accessible

From April to November

Springs and fountainheads with waypoint

Spring by the forest rangers’ toll-booth of Marupapa and a spring near the Furrìa bridge. (Warning: during certain periods the year, especially summer time, the springs might be dried out)

River/fiumare crossing (waypoint)

It is not possibile to predict whether crossings of the Furrìa Stream (below the village of Roghudi Vecchio) and Fiumara Amendolea will be accessible due to the fact that the river’s water capacity is extremely erratic. It is highly recommended to proceed with caution and avoid crossings in case of heavy rains or floods.

Route

Brief historical overview

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.

Panoramic view of the abandoned village of Ghorio di Roghudi

Gallicianò is a district of Condofuri renowned for the strong bond of his few inhabitants (around 60 people) to the Greek language and culture. The catholic Church of San Giovanni Battista features a fine marble sculpture of the Saint attributed to Antonello Gaggini. The Orthodox Church of Panaghìa tis Elladas, in the highest part of the city centre, was once visited by the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartolomeo I, and it is dedicated to the Madonna di Grecia. In the village, it is possible to visit the Museo Etnografico and drink from the Fontana dell’Amore (Fountain of Love).

View of the Gallicianò village

Map and elevation profile

Further information

[Condofuri]

Comune Condofuri – tel. +39 0965 776000 – web: http://www.comune.condofuri.rc.it
Pro Loco Condofuri – tel. +39 0965 784476 –  web: www.it-it.facebook.com/ProLocoCondofuri2018/ – messenger: m.me/ProLocoCondofuri2018

Where to eat

Extra: not verified

[Gallicianò]

Restaurant – Trattoria Greca – tel. +39 340 2178647, +39 349 5010588

Last update: 2021-12-31