Vallelonga

Vallelonga lies on the Tyrrhenian side of the Serre Vibonesi, on a natural terrace at the confluence of two valleys. The Mesima runs through the municipality; the river rises at Monte Cucco in the Serre, below Vallelonga, in the province of Vibo Valentia. This gives you different themes to consider when planning your trip: religious history and culture in the town, and forests, mountain ridges and hiking trails in the surrounding area.

Church, Sanctuary and Local History

The 1783 earthquake completely destroyed Vallelonga. The town was later rebuilt at its present location. The history of the Church of Santa Maria di Monserrato is also marked by rebuilding: it was reconstructed between 1930 and 1935 after damage caused by the 1908 earthquake and a major fire in 1926.

The church’s importance is also reflected in the honors it later received: Pope Paul VI elevated Santa Maria di Monserrato to the rank of Minor Basilica on July 16, 1971. On May 31, 2002, it was recognized as a diocesan Marian sanctuary. Those interested in the region’s history will find another clearly defined subject at the Museo Chirurgico Pasquale Castiglione Morelli. The museum focuses on the history of healthcare in southern Italy in the early 20th century, tracing the story of a hospital in a small town in the Calabrian Serre.

War Memorial, Villa Comunale and Viewpoint

The First World War memorial borders the Villa Comunale and is located at Via Loreto Grande 2. Its design evokes a Greek temple: two Doric columns, each about three meters high, frame a roughly 1.60-meter-tall bronze statue of a woman wearing a long, Greek-style robe. The memorial thus combines architectural forms with a figurative depiction.

There is a viewpoint near the war memorial. On clear summer evenings, you can see the silhouette of Stromboli and its volcanic activity from there. Visibility is limited to clear evenings in summer. The neighboring park offers a different attraction: the Villa Comunale covers about two hectares of shaded grounds and is home to plants around 500 years old, including centuries-old holm oaks and oaks. Some of the plants measure six meters around at the base.

Forests, Mountains and Hiking Trails

The landscape around Vallelonga is heavily forested. Its vegetation ranges from Mediterranean and hilly species to typical mountain flora. Monte Cucco, at 958 meters, and Monte Mazzucullo, at 942 meters, lie within the municipality. Together with the Mesima, which runs through the area, these mountain ridges and forested areas define the surrounding landscape.

Numerous hiking trails run through the forests around Vallelonga. There is also a picnic area in a dense beech forest about four kilometers from the town. If you plan to visit, it is best to check its condition locally beforehand. The Villa Comunale and the beech forest offer different nature experiences: a shady park with old trees in town and a forest landscape beyond it. When deciding whether to visit Vallelonga, you can weigh up whether you are more drawn to its history and religious sites or to the wooded surroundings and trails.

Discover more destinations: Longobardi, Brognaturo, Torre Marino, Vibo Valentia, Paravati, Serra San Bruno, Mandaradoni, Joppolo.

Go to the broader travel overview: Vibo Valentia.