Camigliatello Silano: Nature, Rail and Culture

Mountain railway, forest and cross-country skiing

Camigliatello Silano combines seasonal mountain railway services with forest scenery, cross-country ski trails and cultural destinations. When choosing a hotel in Camigliatello Silano, your planned activities can provide a helpful guide: are you mainly interested in winter sports, nature by the lake, or a combination of rail and culture? The different themes can be assessed through specific places and offerings.

The Tasso–Monte Curcio cable car connects the station in the Tasso district, at 1,380 metres above sea level, with the Monte Curcio mountain station at 1,786 metres. It operates in both winter and summer. Camigliatello Silano is close to the lifts and cross-country ski trails. The mountain railway and cross-country skiing therefore offer different starting points for a trip, without requiring you to visit in a particular season.

The Strada delle Vette can also be explored from Camigliatello Silano. The route passes through pine and beech forests. Numerous squirrels live in the woods around the town. If you would like to include forests and scenery in your travel plans, this provides another specific nature-focused option alongside activities on Monte Curcio.

Nature at Lago Cecita and trails through the Sila

The Centro Visita Cupone is located near Camigliatello Silano, on Lago Cecita. Its offerings combine environmental education with nature trails, wildlife observation points, a museum and a geological garden. These different elements give your visit a range of possible focuses: you can explore nature-related topics, visit the observation points, or include the geological garden and museum.

Lago Cecita can be reached from several points by car or on foot via unpaved roads. Bear the road conditions in mind when planning your journey. For Riserva de I Giganti della Sila, the FAI access information directs visitors along the SS 107 (Silana-Crotonese) towards Camigliatello Silano as far as the Croce di Magara exit; from there, follow the signs. It is 3 kilometres from the exit. The FAI also notes that the site is temporarily closed. Check this information before your visit.

Historic railway and practical information

The Treno della Sila runs from Camigliatello Silano to San Nicola–Silvana Mansio. The journey is made with a historic steam locomotive and carriages dating from the early 20th century. The station at the destination is more than 1,400 metres above sea level, has a track gauge of 950 millimetres and is described as Europe’s highest narrow-gauge railway station. The route thus combines a specific rail journey with the history of its locomotive and carriages. Check the timetable to plan your journey.

As of May 2024, the municipal visitor information lists a road to the station and an entrance accessible to all visitors. Service staff assist people with disabilities when boarding the train. This information may be helpful when planning your visit; please note the date given.

Church, museum and cultural offerings

The walls and liturgical areas of the parish church of Santi Roberto e Biagio are finished in pine wood. Its artistic features also include an apse mosaic by Father Ugolino da Belluno. The woodwork and mosaic offer two different ways of appreciating the church: its interior furnishings and a specific attributed work of art.

La Nave della Sila is a museum on the Old Calabria Torre Camigliati estate in Camigliatello Silano. Torre Camigliati is an 18th-century baronial residence. The museum visit includes large-format photographs, a narrative voice and songs of Italian emigration. The history of the residence and the museum’s stories of emigration are thus presented as distinct cultural themes at the same location.

A nature-themed theatrical route about Calabrian brigandage is associated with performances by reservation in the forests of Camigliatello Silano and San Giovanni in Fiore, as well as near Lakes Arvo and Cecita. Folk songs and tarantella dances are part of this format. The reservation requirement and the locations listed are useful points to consider if you are thinking of including this cultural offering in your plans.

Discover more destinations: Villapiana, Marcellina, Zumpano, Plataci, Marina Di Amendolara, Altavilla, Alessandria del Carretto, Lupia.

For the broader travel overview: Cosenza.