Calabria

The Pollino, a mountain between two seas

8 days - 7 nights

Calculate your quote and send us your free request for further information
Total: 1400€
, ,

General Information

Number Min./Max.

No info.

Period

May to September

Travel modes

Naturalistic/experiential

Type of trip

Guaranteed departure with confirmation within 15 days of departure date and possible full refund

Per saperne di più

The trip includes

Overnight stays in Hotels and Farmhouses
7 breakfasts; 3 lunches; 7 dinners

No info. bb

No info.

Travel insurance
Tour telephone support: +39 0981 78 63 12

Mount Pollino is a mountain of millenary fascination. Called 'Mount of Apollo' by the Greeks, it has its roots in a distant dimension shrouded in myth. Immersed in the Pollino National Park, Italy's largest nature reserve, this spectacular mountain, touched by the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas, has never ceased to attract travellers and hikers thanks to its wild landscapes rich in rare tree species, officinal herbs and animals and birds that find in this ecosystem the ideal place to settle.

During our journey we will get to know the different faces of the Pollino: ancient villages, millenary cities with priceless artistic treasures, beaches with limpid waters and, above all, pure and unspoilt nature to be discovered and experienced through a variety of activities and engaging experiences.

 

We will leave from Bari, which will welcome us with the ancient beauty of its historic centre; we will move on to Morano, stopping at the Tavole Palatine, which will take us back to the era of Magna Graecia; we will be in Civita - one of the most beautiful villages in Italy - to discover its history and Arbëreshë culture; we will visit the archaeological area of Sibari and the Giorgio Amarelli Museum dedicated to liquorice, and then stop off in Rossano at the Pathirion Abbey, which houses the precious Codex Purpureus; we will admire the Lao River Gorge during an adventurous rafting descent and take a dip back in time by visiting the Romito Cave, a Palaeolithic jewel; we will reach the picturesque Riviera dei Cedri for a visit to the Arcomagno beach and a boat trip to the Island of Dino and its caves; on the Lucanian side, we will enjoy the thrilling experience of aquatrekking along the Mercure river and take part in an excursion to one of the most evocative places on the Pollino: the Garden of the Gods, the realm of the Loricate Pines, the symbolic tree species of the National Park.

Programme

Day 1

Day 1 - Arrival in Bari

After arriving by coach or plane in Bari, a transfer will take us to our hotel. This will be followed by free time to spend in Bari vecchia, a place rich in history and popular traditions to be discovered among the alleys and narrow streets of the old town. We will stop at the famous Basilica of San Nicola, a grandiose example of Apulian Romanesque architecture, and the church of San Sabino where the rose window designed on the floor is illuminated - at certain times of the year - by the light of the second rose window carved on the façade. We will discover the 'Strada delle Orecchiette' (Orecchiette Street) where housewives still make the traditional fresh pasta by hand, and we may go as far as the seafront for a relaxing stroll. After this free city tour, we will dine at a restaurant in the historic centre where we can sample the flavours of the local gastronomic tradition.

Planned hotel for day 1
Boston hotels or equivalent

Dinner at
Borgo Antico R45 or equivalent
Programme
Arrival in Bari and accommodation in hotel
Free time to spend in Bari vecchia
Dinner at a restaurant in the city centre
Return to hotel for overnight stay

Day 2

Day 2 - In the mountains of Apollo

We will leave Bari, heading for the village of Morano. Along the way we will visit the archaeological area where we can admire the remains of the famous Tavole Palatine: an ancient Doric temple dating back to the 5th century BC, dedicated to Hera. After the visit, we will enjoy a historically rich lunch at Roseto Capo Spulico, inside a restaurant located in the Federiciano Castle, from which there is a wide view of the Ionian coast. In the afternoon we will arrive in Morano Calabro, a characteristic village with a medieval imprint, among the most beautiful in Italy. We will discover the old town centre and stop at the Swabian-Norman Castle, and then head to the Il Nibbio Nature Museum, which, in its formula as a diffuse museum, aims to enhance and disseminate knowledge of the Pollino ecosystem through rich and interesting naturalistic collections and exhibitions. In the evening, we will head to our hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Lunchtime
At the Court of Frederick II or equivalent

Hotel planned for days 2,3,4,5,6,7
La Locanda del Parco or equivalent
Programme
Departure from Bari
Visit to the Palatine Tables of Metapontum
Lunch in Roseto capo Spulico
Arrival in Morano, visit to the historic centre, the Norman-Swabian Castle and the 'Il Nibbio' Nature Museum
Arrival at the hotel for dinner and overnight stay

Day 3

Stories of the East, the Arbëreshë and Basilian monasticism

We will discover Civita, one of Italy's most beautiful villages and an Orange Flag town, where the ancient Byzantine roots of the Arbëreshë culture blend with the history and traditions of the Pollino area. We will practice Urban Hike in the historic centre, among the cobbled streets and typical Kodra houses with fanciful chimneys, until we reach the Devil's Bridge, symbolic architecture of the place, which sees the origins of its ingenious construction, suspended over the Raganello canyon, in a legendary pact between man and the devil. After lunch in a local restaurant, we will reach Sibari for a visit to the archaeological area and the National Archaeological Museum, where we will admire the remains of Sybaris, one of the richest and most flourishing colonies of Magna Graecia; we will then stop in Rossano, at the Giorgio Amarelli Museum to learn about the history of liquorice, a typical product of this area, which we will be able to taste in different versions. We will then visit the Pathirion Abbey, an interesting and imposing example of Romanesque architecture with its floor decorated with mosaic works, which houses an authentic masterpiece of art and sacredness: the highly refined Codex Purpureus Rossanensis, an illuminated gospel book dating back to the 6th century, with its pink-coloured pages, a Unesco heritage site since 2015. We will then return to our hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Lunchtime
Agora or equivalent
Programme
Morning: Urban hike in Civita and visit to the Devil's Bridge over the Raganello canyon and lunch in a restaurant
Afternoon: visit to the archaeological area of Sibari and the National Archaeological Museum; Giorgio Amarelli Museum in Rossano and Pathirion Abbey.
Evening: return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay

Day 4

A walk through the centuries, the Lao River and the Romito Cave

We will begin the day in Laino Borgo with an adventurous rafting descent along the course of the Lao river, with the possibility of choosing between the 'soft' and 'canyon' routes. The latter will allow us to cross the evocative Lao Gorge and admire a unique ecosystem, criss-crossed by wild vegetation, evocative waterfalls and rock formations sculpted by time, in the most diverse shapes. At the end of the activity, we will enjoy a lunch of typical products a few steps from the river, immersed in the verdant nature of the Pollino Park. We will then visit the Grotta del Romito, an interesting archaeological site dating back to the Palaeolithic period, where we can admire the famous Bos Primigenius rock carving, the creation of which was part of propitiatory rites and ceremonies in favour of hunting activities. The work is executed with a firm and decisive stroke and with great accuracy, which makes it aesthetically appreciable and immediately recognisable. In the interior of the cave, two groups of burials were also found, which probably belong to different eras and are dated between 12,000 and 10,000 years ago. At the end of the visit, we return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Lunchtime
Lao River Camp or equivalent
Programme
Morning: arrival in Laino Borgo and rafting on the Lao River
Afternoon: lunch on the banks of the Lao River
Afternoon: visit to the Romito Cave
Evening: back to the hotel

Day 5

The Cedar and its Riviera

We will reach Praia a Mare, one of the most evocative locations of the Cedar Riviera, the stretch of coastline facing the Tyrrhenian Sea famous for the cultivation of the citron tree, a citrus fruit that is thousands of years old, and for its caves and beaches with crystal-clear waters. We will set off on a boat excursion that will take us to the beach of Arcomagno, also known as 'Aeneas' beach': according to legend, the hero stopped at this particularly beautiful spot during his crossing after the fall of Troy. The beach is characterised by its half-moon shape and the large rocky ridge with a stone arch at its centre that, a few metres from the shore, separates the bay from the open sea. Next, we will reach Dino Island and explore some of its most fascinating caves: the Blue Cave, which owes its name to the colour of its waters, and the Lion Cave, characterised by a large rock whose shape resembles the outline of a lion that seems to guard the place. After the boat excursion, we will have lunch at a local restaurant and, in the evening, return to our hotel.

Lunchtime
Garden or equivalent
Programme
Morning: excursion to Aeneas' Arch and boat trip to Dino Island (Blue Cave and Cave of the Lions)
Afternoon: lunch in local Garden restaurant (Praia a mare)
Evening: back to the hotel

Day 6

Water and land routes

We will reach the Pollino side of Lucania and the Mercure river for an aquatrekking excursion, a type of river trekking suitable for all ages, which involves crossing the watercourse on foot to discover and explore gorges, wells and waterfalls. The activity will be carried out in the company of specialised guides and we will be equipped with special insulating suits and boots. At the end there will be a packed lunch and free time in the afternoon. In the evening we will return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Programme
Morning: aquatrekking on the Mercure River
Packed lunch
Afternoon: free time
Evening: dinner

Day 7

The Garden of the Gods

We will dedicate the day to an excursion between Colle Gaudolino and the Piani del Pollino, passing through one of the most evocative places in the Park: the Garden of the Gods. Here, immersed in wild scenery, we will be able to admire the monumental Pini Loricati, the oldest trees in Europe, which stand - set among the rocks - like majestic sentinels on the heights of the Pollino, where at a glance it is possible to enjoy a panorama that embraces the Ionian Sea and the whole of Basilicata. The Pino Loricato, the park's symbol, is a true arboreal rarity found in Italy only on the Pollino. These trees, shaped by time and imposing for their size, are considered 'living fossils' able to survive over the centuries, adapting to even the most difficult climatic conditions. During the excursion, we will eat a packed lunch and then return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Programme
Morning: trekking from Colle Gaudolino to Piani del Pollino
Packed lunch
Evening: return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay

Day 8

Departure of our guests

After breakfast we will say our goodbyes, making an appointment for the next trip to discover Southern Italy. Our transfer will take guests to Bari, where they can return to their destination by plane or coach.
Programme
Morning: departure for Bari

Pacchetti & Tour correlati
Calabria

The Paths of Flavours

a partire da
165,00€
Calabria

From the Depths of Gaea to the Peaks of Apollo

a partire da
1.390,00€
Calabria

Villages and flavours of excellence

a partire da
199,00€
en_GBEnglish (UK)
it_ITItaliano en_GBEnglish (UK)
View Cart Checkout Continue Shopping