Hiking onwards into the Sila section, the first point of interest is Acri, the northern gateway to Sila National Park, famed for its dense forests and woodlands. The town of Corigliano Calabro is another worthwhile stop for its superlative views of the Piana di Sibari, set against the backdrop of the sky-scraping Pollino mountains. The settlement itself has ancient origins, and boasts a Norman castle with a fine octagonal turret. Passing the show-stopping Abbey of Santa Maria del Patire, a monastery complex dating back to the early 11th century, you’ll come to Rossano, once an important Byzantine spiritual and political centre. The route then takes in a series of remote mountain villages, where ancient monks carved tuff caves into the hillsides – you can still see them today – before reaching San Giovanni in Fiore, known for its 12th-century abbey, one of Calabria’s largest religious buildings. The trail continues along mountain tracks to Villaggio Trepidò, on the shores of Lago Ampollino; from here, it’s possible to reach Gariglione, the highest peak in the Sila Piccola. Don’t miss Petilia Policastro, a village whose treasures include a highly prized relic in the form of a branch from Jesus’s Crown of Thorns, and the Convent of Santa Spina. There’s more than one way of reaching the village, so you can choose your route: if you hike via Santa Severina, you’ll be rewarded with staggering views over the Neto Valley. The Cammino then meanders through the Valli Cupe Natural Regional Reserve, its paths shaded by giant chestnut trees and tumbling waterfalls, before making for Sellia Superiore – expect tremendous views out over the Gulf of Squillace. Catanzaro, the administrative centre of the Calabrian region, perched on a trio of hills and facing the Ionian Sea, features towards the end of the Sila stretch, which comes to a close at Tiriolo.
