Cleto: Castles, Churches and Olive Trails

The Castello Normanno stands at the top of the hill in Cleto. Churches, other castle ruins and paths through olive groves add historical and scenic points of interest to the town. This offers a range of options for planning your trip, including architectural history, hiking and local food culture.

Castles and Churches in Cleto

The Castello Normanno stands at the top of the hill in Cleto. For a different perspective on the history of castles, visit Petramala: its medieval castle is a restored defensive structure of Byzantine-Norman origin. Its remains lie at an elevation of about 360 metres and preserve halls, parade grounds, towers and water cisterns.

The churches also offer distinct points of interest. The Chiesa della Consolazione dates from the 17th century; its majolica bell tower is in the Byzantine style. The Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta is Cleto’s parish and main church, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. While the bell tower is a specific architectural feature of the Consolazione, Santa Maria Assunta can also be understood in terms of its role as the town’s main church.

The hamlet of Savuto is home to the ruins of the Castello di Savuto of the same name, dated to 1524. There is also a walking tour of Cleto that includes both castles, Petramala and Savuto. Check the tour’s availability before booking.

Hiking Trails with Different Focuses

The Sentiero dei Tre castelli is a 12-kilometre hiking trail from Savuto to Cleto via Monte Sant’Angelo. Access and trip arrangements may change; check these details before setting out. The Olive Oil Trails route is considerably shorter, at around 4 to 5 kilometres. This rural hike passes through centuries-old olive groves, through the village of Cleto and up to its castle. Along the way, it follows dry-stone walls and paths that are still used for farming.

The two routes differ in both length and focus: the Sentiero connects Savuto and Cleto via Monte Sant’Angelo, while the Olive Oil Trails take in groves, dry-stone walls and paths used for farming. When considering route conditions on the Olive Oil Trails, bear in mind that they may change and that conditions can vary seasonally.

Olive Oil and Local Specialities

The excursion along the Olive Oil Trails also includes a visit to an olive mill, where you can observe the production process for extra virgin olive oil. This reflects the agricultural character of the area, which is marked by extensive farmland and, in particular, olive cultivation. Check the excursion’s availability before booking.

One local speciality is cialetta: Cleto’s traditional durum wheat semolina bread, eaten with local olive oil. A hands-on way to discover the local food culture is to join a fresh egg pasta workshop in Cleto. Participants learn to make pasta by hand. The workshop ends with a shared lunch or dinner, where participants sample the pasta they have made and other local specialities. Check the workshop’s availability before booking.

Discover more destinations: Marina di Santa Maria del Cedro, Lattarico, Amica, Guardia Piemontese, Corigliano Calabro, Rende, San Demetrio Corone, Montegiordano.

Back to the main travel overview: Cosenza.