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The
widespread hospitality programme
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Back to Aspromonte National Park
The English man trail
Asprotekking
Bizantino's trekking
Program organizer : "NATURALITER"
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The
English Man’s Trail
In 1847, the English landscapist/traveller Edward Lear covered this
itinerary that he described in his book: "Diario di un viaggio a
piedi in Calabria e nel Regno di Napoli" (Journal of a Jouney on
Foot in Calabria and the Kingdom of Naples) Editori Riuniti, Nov.1992:
" The travelling system that my companion
and I adopted, when these journals were written, was the most
simple and the least expensive one; as a matter of fact, we performed
the whole journey on foot. A horse to carry the little luggage
we took with us, and a guide. (..) Since there are no hotels in
those provinces, but on the carriage road running along the western
coast, the traveller shall always count on the hospitality of
some families, in every town he visits"
E. Lear, August 1847
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PRESENTATION
| TYPE:
|
Trekking
without rucksack |
| TARGET: |
for
organized groups of tourists (minimum 8, maximum 40 people)
even with no specific experience |
| DIFFICULTY: |
E
(Excursion) |
| DURATION: |
minimum
3 nights maximum 7 nights (4/8 days) |
| PERIOD: |
March
to November (excluding July/August) |
| OVERNIGHTS: |
Accomodation
in holiday farms and hospitality houses |
| AREA: |
Hellenistic
area of the ASPROMONTE NATIONAL PARK
(southern Ionian side) |
| OLD
TOWNS: |
Pentedattilo;
Amendolea; San Pantaleone; Gallicianò; Roghudi; Bova; Staiti. |
| SERVICES: |
transfer
with suitable local means; luggage transportation; guides and
tour escorts; board (wine included) and lodging (beds provided
with sheets, pillows and blankets); animators; maps of the itineraries
(scale 25,000, scale 50,000 or scale
100,000); brochures of the sites visited |
| NATURE: |
dry
river beds, colossal landslides, waterfalls, river gorges, forests,
Mediterranean maquis |
| FLORA: |
Phoenician
juniper, holm-oak, black pine trees, chestnut trees, centuries-old
oaks, white fir trees, walnut trees, almond trees, oleanders,
tamarisks, wild orchids, heath, cistus, affodil, jasmine, bergamot,
olive trees, dog-rose, wild pear and apple trees, vineyards |
| FAUNA
: |
(wild
animals that can be seen) raptors, squirrels, wild boars, trouts,
foxes, water ouzel, hoopoe, jay |
| LANDSCAPE: |
mostly
rural with views over the Ionian sea and the volcano Mount Etna.
On the Montalto, the Messina Strait and the Aeolian Islands
can also be seen |
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PROGRAMME
| 1st
day: |
Arrival
at Reggio Calabria and transfer to Pentedattilo (old and picturesque
medieval village). Transfer to San Pantaleone and rural buffet
lunch (typical home-made food) offered by the young members
of the "Circolo Culturale" (Cultural Club). Three hour excursion
(long stops included) from San Pantaleone to the holiday farm
"Il Bergamotto" in Amendolea. Enjoy your dinner at the "Bergamotto".
After dinner, ethnic music is performed. Overnight at the "Bergamotto". |
| 2nd
day: |
Breakfast
at the "Bergamotto". Three hour excursion (long stops included)
from the "Bergamotto" to Gallicianò (centre of the Hellenistic
culture). Rural buffet lunch (with typical home-made food) in
Gallicianò, followed by ethnical music performance. Four hour
excursion from Gallicianò to the "Bergamotto", along the dry
river bed Amendolea. Dinner and night accomodation at the "Bergamotto". |
| 3rd
day: |
Breakfast
at the "Bergamotto" and packed lunch is given to participants.
Transfer from the "Bergamotto" to Chorio di Roghudi. Eight hour
excursion (long stops included) from Chorio di Roghudi to Mount
Cavallo, Pesdavoli, Maesano waterfalls, Scarorella. Transfer
from Scarorella to the foot of Mount Montalto. Twenty minute
excursion to the highest peak of the national park, view over
the two seas (Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas), over Mount Etna and
the Aeolian Islands: the Montalto (1956 m). Transfer from the
foot of the Montalto to the "Bergamotto". Dinner at the "Bergamotto". |
| 4th
day: |
Breakfast
at the "Bergamotto" and packed lunch is given to participants.
Three hour excursion (with visits to some farms) from the Bergamotto
to Bova. Accomodation in Bova in hospitality houses. Visit of
the old centre of Bova. Dinner and night accomodation in Bova. |
| 5th
day: |
Breakfast
offered by a shepherd in Bova. Transfer from Bova to Roghudi.
Packed lunch is given to participants. Five hour excursion (long
stops included) to the Gorges of the dry river bed Amendolea,
waterfalls Santa Trada. Transfer from Santa Trada to Bova. Dinner
and night accomodation in Bova. |
| 6th
day: |
Breakfast
in Bova and packed lunch is given to participants. Six hour
excursion (long stops included) from Bova to Staiti. Accomodation
in Staiti in hospitality houses. Dinner and night accomodation
in Staiti. |
| 7th
day: |
Breakfast
in Staiti. Five hour excursion (stops included) from Staiti
to Pietrapennata and back to Staiti on a trail other than the
outward journey. Dinner and night accomodation in Staiti. |
| 8th
day: |
Breakfast
in Staiti. Transfer from Staiti to Bova Marina and visit of
a cooperative of women working with old looms. We carry on for
Reggio Calabria. Departures. |
notice:
this is the general programme which is usually modified according
to individual or group requests. Costs will be calculated according
to the number of participants.
Index
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Asprotrekking
"While
we carried on walking upstream, rocks appeared ever closer, up
to the top of high gorge cliff; it seemed that the towering shapes
of the Aspromonte were closing out the sky, the long furrows of
mountains dressed with thick forests. Our road went now on this
side, then on the other side of the stream, often at the level
of the river, between flowering oleander trees, of the largest
shape I have ever seen; they were often very high, between luxuriant
holm-oak trunks which were hanging down from the rocks. The sense
of mistery and solitude of these scenes, the deep solitude of
these mountains are such that neither a pen nor a pencil can describe
them"
E. Lear, August 1847
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PRESENTATION
| TYPE:
|
Trekking
without rucksack |
| TARGET: |
for
organized groups of tourists (minimum 8, maximum 25 people)
trained for trekking and ready to adapt themselves to the various
situations |
| DIFFICULTY: |
E
(Excursion) |
| DURATION: |
minimum
3 nights maximum 7 nights (4/8 days) |
| PERIOD: |
March
to November |
| OVERNIGHTS: |
Accomodation
in holiday farms, hospitality houses and forest houses (mountain
structures) |
| AREA: |
ASPROMONTE
NATIONAL PARK |
| OLD
TOWNS: |
Pentedattilo;
San Pantaleo; Amendolea; Gallicianò; Bova; Roghudi; Roccella
Jonica, Locri, Gerace, Staiti. |
| SERVICES: |
transfer
with suitable local means; luggage transportation; excursion/environmental
guides and escorts; tourist guide; board (wine included) and
lodging (beds provided with sheets, pillows and blankets; tents
in the forest houses); maps of the itineraries (scale
25,000, scale 50,000 or scale 100,000); brochures
of the sites visited |
| NATURE: |
dry
river beds, colossal landslides, waterfalls, river gorges, forests,
Mediterranean maquis, winding ravines and steep peaks |
| FLORA: |
Phoenician juniper, holm-oak, black pine trees, chestnut trees,
centuries-old oaks ("Esculu", endemic oak species), white fir
trees, beech trees, maple trees, dwarf juniper, alder, walnut
trees, oleanders, tamarisks, wild orchids and peonies, heath,
cistus, affodil, jasmine, bergamot, olive trees, dog-rose, wild
pear and apple trees |
| FAUNA
: |
(wild
animals that can be seen) raptors (Bonelli eagle), squirrels,
fire-bellied toad, coluber snake (Elaphe situla), wild boars,
hares, water ouzel, hoopoe, jay, dormouse, wild goats, trouts |
| LANDSCAPE: |
mostly
rural with views over the Ionian sea and the volcano Mount Etna.
On the Montalto, the Messina Strait and the Aeolian Islands
can also be seen |
|
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PROGRAMME
| 1st
day: |
Arrival
at Reggio Calabria and transfer to Pentedattilo (old and picturesque
medieval village). Transfer to San Pantaleone and rural buffet
lunch (typical home-made food) offered by the young members
of the "Circolo Culturale" (Cultural Club). Three hour excursion
(long stops included) from San Pantaleone to the holiday farm
"Il Bergamotto" in Amendolea. Dinner at the "Bergamotto". After
dinner, ethnic music is performed. Night accomodation at the
"Bergamotto". |
| 2nd
day: |
Breakfast
at the "Bergamotto". Three hour excursion (long stops included)
from the "Bergamotto" to Gallicianò (centre of the local Hellenistic
culture). Rural buffet lunch (with typical home-made food) in
Gallicianò, followed by ethnical music performance. Four hour
excursion from Gallicianò to Bova and accomodation in hospitality
houses. Dinner in Bova. |
| 3rd
day: |
Breakfast
served by a shepherd in bova and packed lunch is given to participants.
Transfer to Chorio di Roghudi. Eight hour excursion (long stops
included) from Chorio di Roghudi to Mount Cavallo, Pesdavoli,
Maesano waterfalls, Scarorella. Transfer from Scarorella to
the foot of Mount Montalto. Twenty minute excursion to the highest
peak of the national park: the Montalto (1956 m), view over
the two seas (Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas), over Mount Etna and
the Aeolian Islands. Transfer from the foot of the Montalto
to the forest house of cano (1,500 m). Accomodation in the house
with sleeping-bags on the floor or in a tent. Dinner at the
forest house offered by the workers of the house. |
| 4th
day: |
Breakfast
at the forest house and packed lunch is given to participants.
Nine hour excursion (long stops included) in the heart of the
national park, departure from and arrival to the forest house
following a ring-shaped trail: Cano/Valle Infernale/ "Ra nfernali"
waterfall / forgiarelle / forgiarelle gorges/ forgiarelle waterfall
/ Canovai / Pietra Mazzulisà / Cano. Dinner and night accomodation
at the forest house of Cano. |
| 5th
day: |
Breakfast
in Cano, packed lunch is given to participants. Nine hour excursion
(long stops included) in the heart of the national park: Cano
/ Cerasia /Quattro bivi / Canovai/ Aposcipo /Waterfall of the
Aposcipo / Canovai / Cerasia / Cano. Dinner and night accomodation
at the forest house. |
| 6th
day: |
Breakfast
at the forest house of Cano and packed lunch is given to participants.
Six hour excursion (long stops included) from Cano / dry river
bed Bonamico / natural lake Costantino / Giardino di San Luca.
Transfer from San Luca to Roccella Jonica near the sea: accomodation
in a holiday farm. Dinner and night accomodation in the farm. |
| 7th
day: |
Breakfast
at the farm. Transfer to Locri and visit of the local museum
and archaelogical site. Then visit of Locri and of a family
of wood craftsmen. Transfer from Locri to Gerace, lunch is served
in a local tavern in Gerace. Visit of the internationally-important
old town centre. Transfer from Gerace to Staiti. Accomodation
in hospitality houses. Dinner and night accomodation in Staiti. |
| 8th
day: |
Breakfast
in Staiti. Transfer from Staiti to Bova Marina and visit of
a cooperative of women working with old looms. We carry on for
Reggio Calabria. Departures. |
notice:
this is the general programme which is usually modified according
to individual or group requests. Costs will be calculated according
to the number of participants.
Index
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Byzantine
Trekking
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PRESENTATION
| TYPE:
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Trekking
without rucksack |
| TARGET: |
for
organized groups of tourists (minimum 8, maximum 20 people)
even with no specific experience |
| DIFFICULTY: |
TE
(Tourist Excursionist) |
| DURATION: |
minimum 3 nights maximum 7 nights (4/8 days), possible extension
14 nights/15 days |
| PERIOD: |
March
to November (excluding summer period) |
| OVERNIGHTS: |
Accomodation
in holiday farms and hospitality houses |
| AREA: |
SERRE
AND ASPROMONTE NATIONAL PARK |
| OLD
TOWNS: |
Bivongi;
Stilo; Gerace; Staiti; Amendolea; Bova |
| SERVICES: |
transfer
with suitable local means; luggage transportation; excursion/environmental
guides and escorts; tourist guide; board (wine included) and
lodging (in the villages beds provided with sheets, pillows
and blankets); maps of the itineraries (scale
25,000, scale 50,000 or scale 100,000); brochures
of the sites visited |
| NATURE: |
dry
river beds, waterfalls, river gorges, forests, Mediterranean
maquis |
| FLORA: |
Phoenician juniper, holm-oak, black pine trees, chestnut trees,
oaks, alders, walnut trees, oleanders, tamarisks, wild orchids,
heath, cistus, affodil, jasmine, bergamot, olive trees, vineyards |
| FAUNA
: |
(wild
animals that can be seen) raptors, raven, squirrels, wild boar,
hoopoe, jay, trouts |
| LANDSCAPE: |
rural
and mountain landscape with views over the Ionian sea and the
volcano Mount Etna. |
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PROGRAMME
| 1st
day: |
arrival
at Lamezia Terme and transfer to Bivongi. Accomodation in hospitality
houses. Visit of San Giovanni Theristis abbey (an 11th century
Byzantine-Norman basilica; Greek-Orthodox Monastery), visit
guided by the Greek-orthodox monk father Chosmas, coming from
mount Athos. Return to Bivongi for dinner and overnight. After
dinner, we meet the members of the association AICAE on the
Ferriere Museum. |
| 2nd
day: |
Breakfast
in Bivongi and packed lunch is given to participants. Transfer
from Bivongi to Stilo and visit of the "Cattolica" (an important
Byzantine monument, the most complete monument of its kind in
Calabria, dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries; it is
the most marvelous Greek church exiled in Calabria. Two hour
excursion (to go and back) from the "Cattolica" to Mount Consolino
where the remains of a Norman castle can be seen. We walk back
to Stilo through its old centre. Transfer from Stilo to Monte
Stella (Madonna della Grotta). We walk back to Bivongi for dinner
and night accomodation. |
| 3rd
day: |
Breakfast
in Bivongi and packed lunch is given to participants. Eight
hour excursion (long stops included) from Bivongi to Marmarico
waterfall (one of the most beautiful waterfall in southern Italy)
(time 3 hours). We continue on foot to the Ferdinandea (abandoned
Bourbon residence) (time 3 hours). Transfer from the Ferdinandea
to Bivongi. Dinner and night accomodation in Bivongi. After
dinner, visit of the picturesque old centre of Bivongi and of
the Museum of Farmers’ Art and Civilization "A Lumera". |
| 4th
day: |
Breakfast
in Bivongi and packed lunch is given to participants. Transfer
from Bivongi to Natile Vecchio. Four hour excursion (long stops
included) Natile Vecchio / Rocche di San Pietro (refuge of Basilian
monks in the year 1,000) / Pietra Cappa / Periplo di Pietra
Cappa (a 100 meter high suggestive monolith made of pebbles
and sand and placed on a surface of one hectar surrounded by
flourishing Mediterranean maquis, in the area of San Luca).
Packed lunch in the forest house of San Giorgio. We continue
with a two hour walking to Pietra Lunga. Transfer from Pietra
Lunga to Gerace. Accomodation in hospitality houses in Gerace.
Dinner and overnight in Gerace. |
| 5th
day: |
Breakfast
in Gerace. Guided visit of its old centre. Packed lunch is given
to participants. Transfer from Gerace to Samo and three hour
excursion (long stops included) in the Canyon of the dry river
bed La Verde. Transfer from Samo to Staiti. On the way, visit
of the Byzantine abbey of Santa Maria dei Tridetti. Accomodation
in Staiti in hospitality houses. Dinner and overnight in Staiti. |
| 6th
day: |
Breakfast
in Staiti and packed lunch is given to participants. Six hour
excursion (stops included) from Staiti to Bova. Accomodation
in Bova in hospitality houses. Dinner and overnight in Bova.
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| 7th
day: |
Breakfast
in Bova and packed lunch is given to participants. Visit of
the old centre of Bova. Five hour excursion (stops included)
from Bova to Roghudi. Transfer from Roghudi to Amendolea and
accomodation in the holiday farm "Il Bergamotto. Dinner at the
"Bergamotto". |
| 8th
day: |
Breakfast
at the Bergamotto. Transfer from the Bergamotto to Pentedattilo
and visit of this medieval village. We continue to visit the
museum of Reggio Calabria. Departures. |
notice:
this is the general programme which is usually modified according
to individual or group requests. Costs will be calculated according
to the number of participants.
Index
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The
program organizer
What
is Naturaliter?
It is a small-size cooperative created on first July 1998 in Amendolea
(province of Reggio Calabria), but it has been working since 1986
with the name "Nuove Frontiere". It organizes excursions, trekking
activities, mostly in the Aspromonte National Park, but also on
the Orsomarso and in the Pollino National Park, and on the Aeolian
Islands.
What
does Naturaliter do?
It enhances natural and human resources through:
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Preparing 2 to 15 day excursion (trekking) programmes for organized
groups;
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Offering a network of rural hospitality structures (holiday farms,
furnished houses to let, forest houses) which use a kind of hospitality
inspired by bed and breakfast model.
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Assisting groups daily (skilled guides and tour escorts of the
area;vans to transfer tourist luggage);
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Actively involving local community in the hospitality of groups;
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Fostering a cultural "immersion" of tourists into the local context,
organizing interactive meetings between: shepherds, Foresters,
craftsmen, farmers, housewifes, old people, ethnic/musical animators
and historical-cultural stakeholders.
Every
Year Two Thousand
tourists organized in groups, guided by Naturaliter, have visited
and learnt about the region of Calabria and the Aeolian Islands
in the period between the months of March and October (we would
like to mention in particular the six-year firm relationship of
trust with the local branch of the Italian Alpine Club – CAI -
of Pinerolo [province of Turin] and the sub-branch of the CAI
Edelweiss of Milan).
The
users of Naturaliter’s services are:
-
Local branches of the Italian Alpine Club from: Ivrea, Ponte
San Pietro (province of Bergamo), Siena, Teramo, Caserta, Potenza,
Campobasso, Salerno, Catania;
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The local WWF-Italy groups from Genoa and Pisa, trekking groups
from Grassina and Bagno a Ripoli (province of Florence), Alpina
Excelsior from Bergamo;
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School groups from northern Italy, Switzerland and from Greece;
the German tourist agencies Natur und Cultur and Wikinger Reisen.
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