The mighty Pollino massif dominates northern Calabria with the region’s highest mountain, Serra Dolcedorme, 2,267 metres above sea level. Together with the Dorsale del Pellgrino – also called Monti Orsomaro – it forms the southernmost part of the Apennine Mountains, which crosses almost the entire Italian peninsula. As a result of erosion, in the Pollino mountain range, which consists mainly of limestone, one encounters rugged karst landscapes with many caves and gorges.

The symbol of Monte Pollino are the pion loricato, the armoured pines, named after their thick, scaly bark. They grow even in the highest areas despite ice and snow and offer a home for the Apennine wolf, roe deer, badgers, stone martens, wild cats, snakes and many wild birds, such as buzzards, wood owls and jays.

To the east, the Pollino massif extends to the coast of the Ionian Sea and to the west to Campotenese, where the Dorsale del Pellegrino rises. Here the wild river valleys of Argentino, Corvino and Lao dominate the mountain landscape. In the Grotta del Romito in the Lao Valley you will find carvings of stones and human skeletons from 15,000 years ago! The valley can be explored wonderfully with the rubber dinghy on a rafting tour.

In the east, on the other hand, the Raganello river valley is characterised by rising rock faces and karst caves. A hike or canyoning tour is a wonderful way to explore this area. At Cerchiara di Calabria in the Grotta del Ninfe sulphur springs bubble up.

The high plains of Sila and the Serre Mountains

The Sila massif, divided into the Sila Greca, Sila Grande and Sila Piccola, rises from crystalline granite in the middle of Calabria. The lovely plateau with its forests, reservoirs and extensive meadows was already called “Hyle” by the Greeks, which means wilderness. Despite thousands of years of agricultural use of the area, the Sila still offers many nature experiences! Foxes, wolves, wild boars, hares, black squirrels and owls live here and trout and eels swim in the waters. The characteristic tree of Sila is the black pine, the pino laricio, which grows up to 50 m high. The area invites to beautiful hikes and mountain bike tours and can also be explored wonderfully during a leisurely walk. In winter the slopes are open for tobogganists and skiers.