Between May and June, in the height of spring, the Sila plateau, in the heart of Calabria, bursts with color: daffodils, primroses, asphodels, and wild orchids dot the meadows and woods of the vast National Park, the oldest in Calabria.
Here lies the Land of the Lakes: the Cosentino side of the Sila is characterized by the presence of a large number of water mirrors, such as Lake Arvo, Lake Cecita, Lake Ariamacina, and Lake of Tarsia; on the Catanzaro side sits Lake Ampollino, a well-known and distinctive tourist spot.
Mountains, water, and the richness of nature in spring are the ingredients of a journey through the Sila National Park, which remains a destination distant from the large mass-tourism circuits, even in peak months. Spring, however, is a special period, not least for the chance to go in search of a rare and unique flower that grows only here: the Calabrian snowbell, raised to the symbol of this underrated yet splendid region of Italy.
The Sila National Park in Spring
Established in its current form in 2002, but existing since 1968, the Sila National Park covers over 73,000 hectares across the provinces of Cosenza, Catanzaro, and Crotone, embracing all three major areas of the plateau: the Greek Sila, the Great Sila, and the Small Sila.
It is one of the largest national parks in southern Italy, and it boasts a richly diverse flora, counting over 900 species, some of which do not exist anywhere else in the world.
In spring the park transforms: the dense stands of Laricio pine, the tree that has become a symbol of Calabria, resume a vibrant deep green, while beech canopies put on the first leaves of a bright green; the vast high-altitude plateaus become carpeted with flowers to a sky-painting extent, a true explosion of colors.
The numerous lakes that characterize the land are, likewise, silent protagonists of this natural scenario. The Arvo, the Cecita, the Ampollino, and the Ariamacina are all artificial basins built between the 1920s and 1950s for hydroelectric production, but over time they have transformed into places fully integrated into the natural landscape, becoming symbiotic and harmonious elements with the surroundings.
After the long winter, which on the Sila can be quite harsh, not only do the forests come back to life: small villages like Camigliatello Silano and Lorica come alive day by day, awaiting the livelier summer season.
The Calabrian Snowbell, a Unique Flower
If there is a botanical symbol of the Sila, especially in spring, it is undoubtedly the Soldanella calabrella Kress, the scientific name of the best-known Calabrian snowbell.
An endemic herb that produces a splendid flower in azure and violet tones, it occurs spontaneously only in Calabria, among the mountains of the Sila and the Aspromonte. It is not found anywhere else in the world.
It lives at elevations between 900 and 1500 meters, particularly along shaded and moist slopes, especially near streams or lakesides. Together with daffodils, wild orchids, and other plateau flowers, it is one of the small wonders of the Sila spring, to be searched for, found, admired, and respected: its bloom takes place between May and June.
Its symbolic value is officially recognized. In 2018 the Italian Botanical Society, through a survey involving more than 500 experts and enthusiasts from all over Italy, elected the Calabrian snowbell as the symbolic plant of Calabria.
The snowbell is not the only rarity of the Sila flora. The plateau also hosts Luzula calabra, another species exclusive to the Calabrian ranges, as well as an extraordinary variety of wild orchids of the genus Dactylorhiza, asphodels, daffodils, and crocuses that in spring color the meadows with spectacular abundance.
Three Hikes on the Sila to Admire Splendid Blooms
With more than 600 kilometers of trails and several dozens of cataloged routes, the Sila National Park offers many options for those who want to explore the Land of the Lakes and the rest of the Calabrian plateau during the flowering season.
Three itineraries in particular deserve a visit organized around them.
The Italia Trail from Lorica to Monte Botte Donato
This route starts from the lakefront village of Lorica, perched on the shores of Lake Arvo at over 1300 meters of altitude, and ascends to the summit of Monte Botte Donato, at 1928 meters, the highest peak of the entire Sila.
It is perhaps the most spectacular route in the National Park during this season: as you climb through beech and Laricio pines, the occasional clearings along the path reveal carpets of flowers in a thousand colors. From the summit of Botte Donato, on the clearest days, the view spans the entire Sila up to a glimpse of the sea. Near the summit there is also the small wooden shelter of the same name.
The route is of moderate difficulty, suitable for hikers with a minimum of experience and preparation. It is part of the Sentiero Italia, the long-distance trail that crosses the whole country. The stage, as designed, is about 15 kilometers long, but with a light elevation gain of less than 500 meters. The return to Lorica can be made by reaching the refuge and following the Strada delle Vette, an asphalt stretch that descends through the beech trees to Lorica (about 13 kilometers), or by using, after carefully checking the timetables, the Lorica Cable Car, which halves the return distance.
The Fallistro Trails and the Macchia Sacra Plains
A itinerary particularly suitable for those who love discovering wonderful blooms, it starts from Croce di Magara, a small hamlet of Spezzano della Sila, at an elevation of 1420 meters. One finds themselves just a few steps from the monumental forest of the Giants of the Sila, i.e., great centuries-old Laricio pines, which here reach extraordinary dimensions.
The so-called Fallistro trails traverse the undergrowth, then open onto large clearings: the plains of Macchia Sacra and Macchione, where in May and June narcissi, violets, asphodels, and wild orchids color the meadows in a spectacular way, and perhaps one might encounter the much-lauded Calabrian snowbell.
The itinerary touches the summit of Monte Curcio, above 1700 meters above sea level. It is a pleasant and long walk with minimal hiking difficulties: about 12 kilometers with a positive elevation gain of 400 meters and a walking time of around four hours.
The Monte Gariglione Loop in Sila Piccola
Beeches and Laricio pines hide a rushing, crystal-clear stream, the Tacina. This trail is located in the Sila Piccola, on the Catanzaro side of the massif.
The bubbling waters of the stream accompany the hike, the meadows that open along the route are dotted with wildflowers of a thousand colors, and the damp banks of the streams are among the most accessible and suitable places to spot the Calabrian snowbell, given its natural habitat.
The route starts from the alpine-styled chalet that is the Gariglione Forest Station, just below the summit of the mountain. One then quickly reaches 1765 meters of the peak, then descends into the Tacina valley and follows its course to a beautiful waterfall, which in May and June benefits from the moments of maximum flow during spring and summer. A tough climb back to the starting point awaits, with a notable elevation gain to tackle at the end of this long excursion.
