In the week of Valentine's Day we could not miss a short list of romantic destinations to visit in Southern Italy both during the month of lovers and throughout the year because, you know, love is timeless! We have chosen a symbolic place for each region of Southern Italy between Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily, but we know that our country is full of evocative places that should definitely be added to this list. Here are the ones we have chosen.

1. Trentinara - Campania
   The village of Trentinara is located in Cilento and stands on a hilly area about 600 metres above sea level, enjoying a beautiful panorama of the Sele plain. This village has the particularity of being totally dedicated to love, to lovers and to romantic sunsets, so much so that the Sunset Garden has recently been created, a panoramic spot where one can look out to admire the sun as it sets, tinging the valley below with pink as it gently reaches the sea. In Trentinara, you can also stop in the Lovers' Garden, cross the Via dell'Amore and discover the 'Preta 'ncatenata', the romantic sculpture of the brigand Saul and his beloved Isabella, and you can (or rather, you should!) exchange a kiss where you will find the unmistakable 'Kiss Please' sign.
   
   

2. Alberobello
The town of Alberobello is a place to visit in every season, but doing so during the Valentine's Day period is not only even more romantic but also more convenient, because the large tourist flows that affect the town from late spring are still quite far away and you can enjoy your trip in total tranquillity. In addition, on Valentine's Day the town is decorated with thematic displays that contribute to a romantic, fairytale-like atmosphere that is definitely worth a visit. By the way, during your walk, don't forget to spot the trullo with a heart painted on the roof. The symbols on the tops of the trulli have a propitiatory value and derive from the ancient peasant tradition that saw the use of symbolism as a powerful means against the evil eye. Look for the most particular ones and have fun travelling with your imagination!

Matera and the Lovers' Fountain
Among romantic destinations, we could not miss Matera, a magical city that never ceases to hold surprises in store for travellers. This is the case of the Fountain of Lovers, a very special monument dedicated to love and romantic courtship. The fountain is actually an installation consisting of a sculptural group of five life-size figures: a maiden filling an amphora at the fountain, a young man approaching it and three boys observing the scene from afar. The monument celebrates the ancient courtships of the village, which could only take place at precise and rare moments, one of which? Precisely when the women went to refill water at the ancient fountain. During this operation, in fact, the maidens were alone, so the young men would wait for them at the little wall and take advantage of those brief moments to court and agree on fleeting future dates.

The Convent of San Daniele at Belvedere Marittimo
Perhaps not everyone knows that Calabria has a special bond with the patron saint of lovers. Yes, because part of his relics can be found at the convent of San Daniele dei Padri Cappuccini, in the town of Belvedere Marittimo. But let's start with why Saint Valentine is considered the patron saint of love: according to tradition, the saint gave a young girl a dowry in money, without which she would not have been able to marry, and since then his figure has been associated with romantic unions. In 1969, an ampulla with blood and bone fragments was discovered in the Convent of San Daniele during some maintenance work. The ampulla, related to a letter from the Vatican dating back to 1700, refers to these remains by associating them with Saint Valentine, who has been venerated in this sacred place ever since.

5.IOrtigia alone and the Lovers' Grotto
The island of Ortigia in Sicily is famous, among its many historical and scenic beauties, also for the uniqueness of its sea caves, which can be visited by boat excursions during the summer. These include the Grotta degli innamorati (Lovers' Grotto), which is immediately recognisable by its rocky conformation resembling the outline of a large heart.

Our list ends here, but we know there are plenty of other romantic destinations to visit.
All that remains is to choose the next stage and decide to go on a discovery tour of nature and history, in the sign of love!

I want to accompany you along the streets of Saracena. I want you to see dusk on 19 February as you have never seen it, even this year when we can only imagine it. This is the feast where all the classic religious schemes are skipped, the occasion to rediscover the authentic spirit of the community: Saint Leo is not just a saint, he is the very identity of a hard-working and spontaneous people who return to their roots. 

The cold is biting and the air, perfumed with the scent of cut olive branches and dry wood, piled in large quantities and leaning against the walls of houses, will soon be filled with a new odour: that of the fire burning in honour of the patron saint to whom the Saracens address prayers and requests and whom tonight, as for almost a thousand years, they will celebrate noisily, joyfully. 

The 'fucarazzi'. , imposing bonfires set up in every neighbourhood, burn in anticipation of the passage of the banner carried in procession in place of the statue, and more fire accompanies the route through the lanes of the village: the 'varvasche' - wax torches formerly made from the barbasco yew, a spontaneous grass of the Pollino - are numerous and form a red, crackling river that, starting from the church, prays and purifies the air as it passes, chasing away evil and preparing nature for rebirth, in an obvious interweaving of Christian and pagan rites.

Prayers, yes, but above all, songs and dances that recall the Calabrian peasant and pastoral tradition, with its typical instruments: accordions, 'ciaramedde' (traditional bagpipes), 'cupu cupu' (buckets lined with sheepskin with holes in the top, in which a reed is inserted) and 'ciancianedde' (branches decorated with multicoloured bows and bells, which tower over the faithful, making noise, with a clear apotropaic function).

Warming the air and spirits is the wine, red and locally produced, even better if it is familiar, which colours the cheeks and lightens the spirit, prompting the faithful to dance, intertwining their hands to create circles and jumping to the rhythm of ancient tarantellas that have very little that is sacred about them. People laugh, people cackle, some shout "Long live San Leone!" o "semp Santu Liun'!" and the jubilant crowd responds in chorus to the call, in a display of collective joy that at times becomes euphoria. 

The whole village flows around us: we start from the straight and anonymous streets of the upper and modern part and then enter the original heart of the village, the Arab-Byzantine historical centre with its articulated, complex and at the same time simple architecture that constitutes the 'kasbah' of Saracena, a unique and precious jewel.

 The snake of people ascends from the lowest part of the town, the old Scarano square, and some run to reach Santo Lio square before the others, positioned halfway between the new and old town, where the wide-open door of the mother church awaits the procession for the climax of the evening: the dancing and singing on the high altar, under the paternal eye of the statue of Saint Leo the Bishop, placed high up for all to admire, ready to listen to the patron's hymn and the shouted acclamations at the top of his voice.

The church fills up, it is packed. Faithful, guests and onlookers who have flocked in from neighbouring villages find places wherever they can, even standing on the pews, to watch the colourful groups that cross the main aisle to the altar and there dance thunderously in gratitude to the saint who drove out the famine and saved the community, binding it indissolubly to himself. In this way, faith and devotion are manifested, and at the same time we shed our fears to experience a moment of total carefreeness, certain that Saint Leo will understand our gestures, that we do not care if they are understood by others: what really counts is that he listens to us, embraces us, welcomes us in our own way, a Saracen way.

Slowly, the faithful pay homage to the Protector and then, passing through the sacristy, located on the right side of the altar, try to make their way through the aisles to the exit, where one can breathe again after being enveloped by a human tide of all ages. One makes one's way towards the neighbourhoods, the 'vicinanz', where everything is ready to share dinner with one's neighbours and friends, in the open air or in organised places, with music and dancing, welcoming the patrons who will be walking around all night and offering them a glass of wine, some olives, a piece of sausage or the 'cannaricoli', typical sweets containing a special ingredient: moscato di Saracena, a delicious fortified wine and Slow Food presidium whose recipe is jealously guarded by the women of each family, and which brings even more joy when drunk in front of a blazing bonfire, listening to ancient tales and laughing in company. 

The festival ends at first light, when all that is left of the piles of fragrant branches is a pile of twigs, when almost all the 'fucarazzi' are extinguished and the last inhabitants return to their homes to rest after the sleepless night, when the streets are covered in ash and the air smells of smoke.

The wonder of the rite has been fulfilled once again, a rite with unique and authentic traits, deeply felt by the community of Saracena, which does not give up for one night to close in on itself and at the same time to welcome, giving anyone who wants to come to this village immersed in the Pollino National Park a timeless, unchanging experience, shocking for some, but certainly unforgettable and to be preserved. 

On the cover - Jubilant crowd during the second part of the celebrations in Piazza Scarano - photo from fuoriporta.org

Whoever hears of the Umbra Forest everything could be imagined, except that it is in Apulia and, to be precise, within the Gargano National Park.

The name 'Umbra', in fact, means shady and is due to the large amount of vegetation and in particular trees that do not let the sun's rays through in some places.

This beautiful nature reserve, which in summer is a true oasis of coolness and refreshment, is transformed in autumn into a painting of beautiful colours in which to immerse oneself.

The trees that have found their home in these forests have an interesting peculiarity: they are uncommon in southern Italy, while they abound in northern regions. Here they can grow precisely because of the cool (and cold) climate that is present all year round.

We are talking about beeches, turkey oaks, maples and linden trees that, together with the holm oaks typical of the Mediterranean vegetation, explode in autumn in a spectacle of golden and reddish hues.  

Some numbers on the Umbra Forest

The Foresta Umbra is located at an altitude of about 800 metres;

its extension comprises about 15,000 hectares;

boasts over 2,000 plant species;

Since 2017, its ancient beech forests have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In short, this reserve is a natural paradise for young and old who, immersed in the colours of nature, with a bit of luck, will be able to encounter badgers, deer and foxes

Visiting the reserve is easy and one can rely on local organisations and cooperatives, which will accompany visitors along pleasant routes. Alternatively, it is also possible to undertake walks and hikes on one's own, relying on the signs and always taking care and acting with full respect for the local flora and fauna.

Are you tireless sportsmen?

In this case, you will not miss the opportunity to walk a variety of routes of all lengths and degrees of difficulty. In addition, the numerous picnic areas are ideal for a restorative break and are equipped with wooden tables and benches.