San Sostene: Church Art, Festivals and Nature

There are three main themes to explore during a stay in San Sostene: church art, religious festival traditions and the landscape around the Alaco. The artworks have specific dates, the processions take place on recurring feast days, and the hikes offer their own distinctive landscapes. This lets you plan your trip around whichever theme interests you most.

Church Art in San Sostene

The central vault panel in the Church of Santa Maria del Monte was painted by Giovanni Spadea in 1805. It depicts the Virgin Mary of the Mountain between Saints Rocco and Sostene. Behind the main altar, dated 1840, is an older altarpiece: it dates from 1787, is signed by the painter Francesco Basile, who was from Borgia, and depicts the Madonna del Monte, San Sostene and San Giovanni Battista. The three years refer to different parts of the furnishings—the altarpiece, the painted decoration and the main altar. If you are interested in art history, you can view works from different periods side by side here.

In the Church of San Sebastiano, a processional statue of San Sebastiano is displayed in the niche of the main altar. The two churches thus feature different forms of sacred art: dated paintings in Santa Maria del Monte and a statue of a saint in San Sebastiano.

Processions and Recurring Festivals

The Festa di San Rocco in San Sostene is celebrated every year on August 16. It includes a procession in which participants walk barefoot and dressed as pilgrims. The order of the statues of the saints is also part of the local procession tradition: both statues are carried in the processions for San Rocco and San Sostene. At the festival of San Rocco, the statue of San Sostene leads the procession; at the patron saint’s festival, San Rocco walks ahead of the patron saint.

Another festival date is the Festa della Madonna del Rosario in San Sostene Marina. It is celebrated twice a year: on August 20 and on the first Sunday in October. This combines a fixed August date with an autumn date determined by the day of the week. If you would like to plan your trip around one of the festivals, check the dates before making arrangements.

Alaco, Lacina and the Landscape

San Sostene is linked to the valley of the Alaco River; the Alaco flows into Lake Lacina in the heart of Parco delle Serre. La Lacina is a SIC site and one of the few southern mountain wetlands with high habitat diversity. More than 300 species occur there, about 26 percent of which are rare. The natural landscape encompasses not only the river and lake, but also the distinctive mountain wetland habitat and its biodiversity.

Hiking Trails and Landscape Views

The Anelli sull’Alaco route begins at the western service buildings of the Alaco Dam and ends at the eastern service buildings; both are located in San Sostene. After about one kilometer of climbing, the route opens up to a view of the Lacina basin and its lake. Check trail conditions before setting out.

Stage 43 of the Cammino Basiliano runs from Torre di Ruggiero via San Sostene to Satriano. Beneath centuries-old chestnut trees, it offers views of the Gulf of Squillace and the Bay of Soverato. The two hiking routes have different highlights: Anelli sull’Alaco has specified endpoints and a view of the Lacina basin, while Stage 43 connects a series of places and offers views of the gulf and bay. These differences can help you assess the routes by their landscapes and courses.

Discover more destinations: San Floro, Martirano Lombardo, Roccelletta, Badolato Marina, Soverato Marina, Amaroni, Cropani Marina, Gimigliano

For the overview of the wider area: Catanzaro.