Stage n. 69
Bagaladi – Pentedattilo
Area
Aspromonte meridionale – Area Greca
Difficulty
E – Also accessible via MTB
Distance
17 km
Travel time
6 – 9 hrs
Start
Bagaladi
Finish
Pentedattilo
Difference in altitude
↑ 665m ↓830m
Accessible
All year round
Springs and fountainheads with waypoint
Spring with drinking trough near Pristeo stream
River/fiumare crossing (waypoint)
Torrente Pristeo, Torrente Paludi, Fiumara San Vito
The stage starts in the city centre of Bagaladi and leads hikers through the typical rural landscape of lower South Aspromonte. The territory of Bagaladi is one of the most significant in the Valle del Tuccio and has been site to numerous important places of worship of Byzantine origins. The final stop is the small hamlet of Pentedattilo (with a population of just 40 inhabitants) that reveals its ancient Greek roots in the name “Pentadaktylos” (“five fingers”), so called due to the spectacular and fascinating shape of the rocks upon which the village was built, towering over the fiumare Montebello and San Vito. Among many breathtaking landscapes on the trail are hills covered with olive groves in the Vallata del Tuccio and the extraordinary clastic rock formations rising up to the sky from fields and oak forests. Hikers will be able to admire both the mountains of Aspromonte Massif and the Ionian Sea, with the Etna volcano in the background.
Pentedattilo
The stage starts in the city centre of Bagaladi and leads hikers through the typical rural landscape of lower South Aspromonte. The territory of Bagaladi is one of the most significant in the Valle del Tuccio and has been site to numerous important places of worship of Byzantine origins. The final stop is the small hamlet of Pentedattilo (with a population of just 40 inhabitants) that reveals its ancient Greek roots in the name “Pentadaktylos” (“five fingers”), so called due to the spectacular and fascinating shape of the rocks upon which the village was built, towering over the fiumare Montebello and San Vito. Among many breathtaking landscapes on the trail are hills covered with olive groves in the Vallata del Tuccio and the extraordinary clastic rock formations rising up to the sky from fields and oak forests. Hikers will be able to admire both the mountains of Aspromonte Massif and the Ionian Sea, with the Etna volcano in the background.
Pentedattilo
Area
Aspromonte meridionale – Area Greca
Difficulty
E – Also accessible via MTB
Distance
17 km
Travel time
6 – 9 hrs
Start
Bagaladi
Finish
Pentedattilo
Difference in altitude
↑ 665m ↓830m
Accessible
All year round
Springs and fountainheads with waypoint
Spring with drinking trough near Pristeo stream
River/fiumare crossing (waypoint)
Torrente Pristeo, Torrente Paludi, Fiumara San Vito
Along the way
Route
Leaving Bagaladi behind, the trail runs along the Provinciale road towards Melito Porto Salvo for roughly 1.7km. At the bridge over the Fiumara del Tuccio, hikers will continue via a gravel road on the right hand side following the white/red signage of the “Sentiero dell’Inglese” until Pentedattilo. For the first stretch, the trail runs for 1km in the riverbed of the Priteo stream, then with a left turn it follows for 2km the Paludi stream (both dry throughout most part of the year with the exception of heavy rains). From this point onwards the route moves quickly uphill until a crossroad on top of a slope: great panoramic views onto the Vallata del Tuccio and the Vallata di Fossato (municipality of Montebello Ionico, whose city centre also will be visible from above). The trail ends in Pentedattilo.
Brief historical overview
Bagaladi is the gate to the Parco Nazionale dell’Aspromonte, a small village 460m above sea level on the right riverbank of fiumara Ruccio, at the slopes of Monte Sant’Angelo. The village has ancient origins and was probably founded around the 10th century. It is renowned for productions of honey and excellent olive oil. The territory of Bagaladi is one of the most significant in the Valle del Tuccio and has been site to numerous important places of worship of Byzantine origins such as the Badìa di San Teodoro and the Monasteries of Sant’Angelo, San Fantino and of San Michele (only a few remains of these religious centres are visible today). As you stroll around the alleys of the village, we recommended to visit the Chiesa di San Teodoro Martire, featuring one of the most important renaissance artworks of Aspromonte and Calabria: a sculpture of the Annunciation dating 1504 and attributed to Antonello Gagini, and a 16th century marble crucifix. The Frantoio Iacopino, one of the most important olive-oil mills of the area (the first to use water to power up the machines, now seat of the Museo dell’Olio) and the Mulino Rossi, are both worth a visit. The latter has been recently restored and converted to a stone mill with a great 19,50m high saetta (part of the mill where the water from above falls onto the wheel) – the tallest in Calabria. Traditional cuisine is based on local produces, such as “frittole” (pork based dish), cured meats, cheeses, ricottas, olive oil and honey.
Panoramic views along the trail
Pentadattilo is a small picturesque village near the Greek-Calabrian area of Aspromonte. It is a district of the municipality of Melito Porto Salvo with a population of around 40 inhabitants. It reveals its ancient Greek roots in the name “Pentadaktylos” (“five fingers”), so called due to the spectacular and fascinating shape of the rocks upon which the village was built, towering over the fiumare Montebello and San Vito. It has very ancient origins: due to its morphological features, it was probably used as a strategic defensive site since Greek-Roman times. During the Byzantine era, from the VI century onwards, it became an important spiritual and religious centre (to the point that it was elected Protopopal seat). Italo-Greek monasticism had a prominent role here throughout the Medieval era and the following centuries. Pentedattilo was a key location during Norman, Swabian and Angevin rule as an important castrum (fortified military camp).
Towards the end of the 15th century, it turned into a feud and became property of many noble families, the most important being the Alberti family, who named the Castle (the ruins are still visible up above between the rocky peaks of the “stone hand”) and is remembered for the “Strage degli Alberti” (Alberti’s Massacre) during the Easter night of 1686. With the end of the feudal era, at the beginning of the 19th century, the village begun a slow decline in favour of the newborn city of Melito di Porto Salvo on the coastline. Pentedattilo was then completely abandoned following the devastating floods that battered the entire area during the 1950s and 1970s. Today the village has returned to life thanks to many important cultural and artistic restoration projects. It is highly recommended to visit the Chiesa dei SS. Apostoli Pietro e Paolo, at the heart of the village, and the Chiesa della Candelora, in the lower part, below the main square by the same name, featuring a precious 16th century statue of the Virgin with Child in Carrara marble. In the city centre there are many artisans shops and a small Museum of “Farmers’ Civilisation” and “Bergamot”.
Blooming season and Ionian Sea on the background
Map and elevation profile
Further information
Guide of reference for the stage: Giuseppe Battaglia +39 339 4021274, Noemi Evoli +39 388 8610184, Angelo Frangipani +39 3479084316, Antonio Frangipani +39 340 2458208, Andrea Laurenzano Coop. San Leo +39 347 3046799, Mario Giuseppe Petrulli +39 340 7224018
[Melito di Porto Salvo]
Comune Melito di Porto Salvo – tel. +39 0965 775111 – web: www.comune.melitodiportosalvo.rc.it
Pro Loco Melito di Porto Salvo – web: www.facebook.com/pg/ProLocoMelito – mail: prolocomelito@gmail.com
Altre informazioni Pentedattilo – web: turismo.reggiocal.it/area-metropolitana/area-grecanica/pentedattilo
Where to sleep
[Pentedattilo]
Scattered hotels – Case Rurali Pentedattilo – tel. +39 329 3649711 – mail: info@calabriaetnica.com
Extra: not verified
[Pentedattilo]
B&B – Casa Rossella – tel. +39 340 7463173 – mail: selvatichemanti@gmail.com
With thanks to Regione Calabria for the Contribution to the project.
Last update: 2021-12-31
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Project realised with the contribution of Regione Calabria
Project realised with the contribution of Regione Calabria