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Lorica, in the heart of the Sila National Park, on Lake Arvo

Among the three large Calabrian lakes of the Sila, the Ampollino is certainly the least contaminated and consequently the most authentic to be appreciated by lovers of nature and landscapes.

In summer, you can take advantage of numerous cycling routes that lead through diverse landscapes - from mountain spruce forests to water areas of lakes. In winter, the area is home to the Camigliatello Silano ski resort, which attracts skiing and winter sports enthusiasts with its well-prepared facilities and picturesque location in the Sila massif. This is a place more for local skiing enthusiasts and beginners who want to combine active recreation with a vacation in the warm climate of Calabria. If you are looking for more serious skiing routes, you have to go further north in Italy or to the Alps. In Calabria, on the other hand, you will certainly appreciate nature, peace and a unique mountain climate.

The Ampollino Valley is surrounded by the mountains of the Sila massif, with clearly distinguishable peaks: Scorciavuoi (1627 m above sea level), Gariglione (1623 m above sea level), Zingomarro (1463 m above sea level) and Monte Nero (1747 m above sea level). There are extensive pine, beech and fir forests here, creating a Mediterranean mountain landscape characteristic of the region. The central element of the valley is the artificial reservoir Lago Ampollino, created by a dam (diga) on the Ampollino River. The shores of the lake are overgrown with reed beds and water lilies, and in the area you can see wild animals - deer, wild boars, waterfowl and birds of prey.

If you’re looking for Calabria off the beaten track, Lorica offers a completely different experience – mountainous, cool and relaxing.

Temperatures here are up to 10°C lower than on the coast, making Lorica a natural air conditioner. The region offers dozens of kilometres of trails, from family walks to technical single-track mountain biking. It lies within the Parco Nazionale della Sila, a UNESCO biosphere reserve with endemic plants and animals. There are a surprising number of modernist hotels and villas from the 1960s (a legacy of the ambitious plan to make Lorica Calabria’s Alpine resort) and a modern gondola that takes tourists up the Botte Donato ridge (for skiers in winter, for the views in summer). The lack of mass tourism means that even in August you can find peace and quiet.

Lorica is one of those places that effectively destroys the stereotype of Calabria as a region of beaches and lemons only. Situated at an altitude of around 1,300 m above sea level in the Sila massif, it offers a landscape more reminiscent of the Alps than southern Italy – with dense larch forests, a cooler climate and a peace that is hard to find by the sea.

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