The best traffic-free bike rides around Lungro

Beautiful view from below of the village from the cycle path

Just outside the medieval village of Policastrello, the Policastrello Multipurpose Center is housed in a charming former convent transformed into a multipurpose center: a fully fenced "fortress-style accommodation facility," designed to welcome pilgrims, hikers, and groups walking the Pollino trails. Inside, spiritual charm blends with modern hospitality: the internal chapel, a conference room for approximately thirty people, and several common areas—including a meditation room, library, relaxation room, and bike storage—offer a setting conducive to contemplation, socializing, and cultural discovery. The Policastrello welcome center is also the ideal place to charge your e-bike and earn DINAclub points. Find out how at https://dinaclub.repower.com To discover the area, a ready-to-ride itinerary: https://www.komoot.com/it-it/tour/2372996720?share_token=aLunYaZvoq77u8cUeA5JP3CtkDy42JoYc8A32Uw5yHSTqQy2Dx&ref=wtd

The best time to visit Saracena is in spring (April-June) and autumn (September-October). During these months, the weather is mild, perfect for hiking and cycling around the area – temperatures are usually between 15-25°C. The landscape is at its most beautiful then – in spring, olive groves and fruit trees bloom, in autumn the area takes on warm colours and the grape harvest begins. In winter, it can be cold and rainy, and there can be snow in the mountains around Saracena, making it difficult to move around. Summer, on the other hand, can be hot (even well over 30°C), which can make longer cycling trips or sightseeing difficult.

The cuisine of Saracena clearly shows traces of Arab influence. Local ingredients include almonds, figs, cinnamon, anise, dried grapes and honey. An example is the traditional cannariculi cake, fried in olive oil and seasoned with cloves and citrus peel.

Here Moscato di Saracena is made - a wine that was included in the list of traditional products of the Calabria region in 2010. It is made in small batches according to a local technique that combines the fermentation of fresh must (from the Guarnaccia and Malvasia varieties) with the addition of dried grapes (Moscatello di Saracena and Addoraca). This process has no equivalent in other regions of Italy. The grapes are dried traditionally on mats or grills. The entire production is done by hand, without industrial techniques. The wine has an intense aroma of dried apricots, spices and honey.

Saracena is a mountain town in northern Calabria, located at an altitude of about 600 m above sea level, in the province of Cosenza, at the foot of the Pollino massif. The name of the town comes from the Saracens - Arab settlers who came to Calabria in the 9th century. The town is built in the "kasbah" system - dense development, narrow streets, irregular plan, houses placed wall to wall. This is a structure characteristic of Islamic cities, adapted to climatic and defensive conditions.

Morano Calabro hosts a live nativity scene every year, where locals reenact scenes from Bethlehem against the backdrop of old streets and squares. You can see shepherds, craftsmen and even real animals, all prepared with great care and dedication. This is a local event that is put into the heart and is worth seeing if you are in the area in winter.

Morano Calabro is called "Presepe del Pollino" - the Nativity Scene of the Pollino Mountains. This comparison is a direct result of its unique location and appearance, especially when viewed from a distance or from the lower parts of the valley. The town is built on a very steep hillside, and the houses are densely packed one on top of the other, towering upwards. The entire town, with the ruins of the castle at the top, takes the shape of an almost perfect cone. This gives it a three-dimensionality and a specific silhouette that resembles traditional, three-dimensional nativity scenes.