In July 2026, the Touring Club Italiano awarded the Calabrian mountain village of Papasidero the Bandiera Arancione, one of the most coveted distinctions for small towns in the Italian interior. Papasidero thus joins an exclusive group of currently 308 locations across Italy recognised for their quality in hospitality, environmental protection, cultural heritage and local identity. For those wishing to discover southern Italy beyond the Costa degli Dei, this opens the door to a little-known village at the heart of the Pollino National Park. What makes Papasidero special, and why the award is more than a formality, is explored in this portrait.
The borgo at the Lao gorge
Papasidero is situated in the Province of Cosenza, in the north-west of Calabria, on a limestone rock 210 metres above sea level. Built along a narrow ridge above the gorge of the River Lao, it is one of the oldest Basilian settlements in the region, founded by Greek Orthodox monks of the Basilian order in the early Middle Ages. The village is characterised by narrow lanes, steep stairways and densely packed stone houses that follow the contours of the rock, almost merging with the mountainside when viewed from a distance. The historic centre is dominated by the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Costantinopoli, a pilgrimage church partly hewn into the rock face, which remains a significant place of local devotion to this day.
The village has a population of just over 700 and sits within a geologically remarkable landscape. The carbonate rock of the surrounding area is the remnant of an ancient ocean floor, with a cave system extending over 600 metres that includes, among other features, the Abisso del Bifurto, at 683 metres one of the deepest caves in southern Italy. In addition to the old village centre, the municipal territory encompasses the abandoned settlement of Avena, whose stone ruins bear witness to an older, medieval Papasidero that was gradually deserted over the centuries.
Grotta del Romito: Palaeolithic art in Europe
Around 14 kilometres north of the village centre lies the Grotta del Romito, a cave discovered by chance in 1961 and now regarded as one of the most important sites of Palaeolithic art in Europe. As the official Calabrian tourism portal Calabria Straordinaria documents, the cave contains a rock engraving of a Bos primigenius, an aurochs, dating to the late Stone Age, which has earned the find the sobriquet "Picasso della Preistoria". The stratigraphic sequence of the cave documents the presence of Homo sapiens from the Upper Palaeolithic through the Mesolithic and into the Neolithic, with several individual and multiple burials offering a rare insight into the spiritual world of prehistoric populations. Excavations were led until 1970 by the archaeologist Paolo Graziosi and have continued since 2000 under Prof. Fabio Martini.
The cave is now open to visitors and is introduced by a small museum at the entrance, where finds from the excavations of the 1960s and subsequent periods are on display. As the official website of the Grotta del Romito documents, admission costs 4 euros, with seasonal opening hours of 10:00 to 16:00 in winter, 10:00 to 18:00 in spring and 10:00 to 20:00 in summer. Access is also possible via a guided tour offered by local rafting operators, combining a visit to the cave with a rafting section on the River Lao.
The River Lao: rafting in the heart of the Pollino
The River Lao rises in Basilicata under the name Mercure and, on its course to the Tyrrhenian Sea, flows through the municipalities of Laino Borgo, Laino Castello, Papasidero and Orsomarso. Its flow rate, the steepness of its gradient and its many bends through deep limestone gorges make the Lao one of the most popular rafting destinations in southern Italy. Various local operators such as Rafting Lao, River Tribe and Rafting Adventure Lao offer guided tours for different levels of experience, from straightforward family outings to multi-day expeditions with overnight camping on the riverbank.
The Riserva Naturale Valle del Fiume Lao was established in 1987 within the municipal territory of Papasidero and forms part of the Pollino National Park, the largest national park in Italy. In addition to rafting and kayaking, canoeing, canyoning, river trekking and guided cave tours are all available. For those seeking an activity holiday in Calabria , the region between April and October is one of the most compelling options in southern Italy, combining water-based activities with excellent hiking potential and archaeological attractions.
The Pollino National Park and hiking trails
Papasidero is one of the principal gateways to the Pollino National Park, which spans the regions of Calabria and Basilicata and constitutes Italy's largest protected area. As the official website of the national park documents, the natural landscape surrounding the village is shaped by deep gorges, dense deciduous and coniferous forests, karst caves and rocky uplands, where the characteristic Loricato pine (Pinus leucodermis, also known as the Bosnian pine) grows, a conifer that can live for up to 900 years and is the symbol of the national park. The Sentiero del Monaco, a footpath starting directly at the edge of the village, leads into the surrounding hill country and is suitable for families and less experienced walkers.
Several trekking routes of varying length and difficulty depart from Papasidero, including circular walks within the Valle del Lao nature reserve and longer day hikes towards Monte Pollino and Monte Serra del Prete. The national park holds UNESCO Global Geopark status and offers some of the least crowded yet scenically most impressive walking terrain in southern Italy. For those considering moving to southern Italy or those wishing to explore the region over a longer period, Papasidero, with its short distances to both nature and culture, makes for an interesting base.
Cuisine and Traditions
The local cuisine follows the peasant tradition of the Calabrian interior, featuring simple yet characterful ingredients sourced from local farming. Typical products of the area include fagioli bianchi, white beans from the Val di Lao, fichi secchi, dried figs, home-made cured meats such as Soppressata and Capocollo, as well as local cheeses made from sheep's and goat's milk. The cuisine is marked by a pronounced presence of peperoncino, the fiery Calabrian chilli, which finds its way into almost every savoury dish and is traditionally processed in Papasidero into home-made preserves, oils and salamis.
The cultural calendar of the village includes the Fucarazza dell'Immacolata, a large bonfire lit in the village centre on the eve of 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, representing one of the oldest folk traditions in the region. Further festivities throughout the year include the patronal feast of the Madonna di Costantinopoli and several summer sagra, at which local specialities are prepared in large pots and shared with neighbours.
Practical Information for Visitors
The easiest way to reach Papasidero is via the A2 Salerno-Reggio Calabria motorway, exiting at Mormanno. From there, a winding mountain road leads through the hills to Papasidero. Those arriving from the coast can alternatively travel from Scalea or Praia a Mare via Santa Domenica Talao. The drive from the coast takes between 30 and 45 minutes depending on the starting point. As the official website of the Comune di Papasidero on the Parco Archeologico documents, a visit to the Grotta is only possible as part of a compulsory guided tour. Accommodation in the village includes several small bed and breakfasts in the historic centre, among them B&B Borgo Antico, B&B Il Cuore del Borgo and B&B Miralonga, as well as B&B Lao near the river, which also offers eco-bungalows.
As the official portal of the Touring Club Italiano on the Bandiere Arancioni documents, the award is conferred following a rigorous assessment process involving more than 250 evaluation criteria, with the aim of recognising small inland villages that distinguish themselves through quality in hospitality, sustainability and the preservation of cultural heritage. For Papasidero, inclusion in this network also brings international visibility, opening up new prospects for the small village of 700 inhabitants. Those in search of a different Calabria beyond the Costa degli Dei and Tropea will find in Papasidero one of the most compelling starting points in the north-west of the region.
