All cities by Pollino National Park
The Pollino National Park (Il Parco Nazionale del Pollino) lies between the southern Basilicata and northern Calabria and is classified as Italy's largest park. The park touches the shores of both the Ionian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea.
It is a unique natural area with incredible rock formations and mountains with the Serra Dolcedorme mountain being the highest peak at 2,267 metres above sea level. The park's symbol is the Bosnian Pine, which here has one of its last remaining growing areas in Italy. Wildlife in the park is also rich and includes wild wolves to rare and endangered species such as the beautifully coloured beetle "Buprestis Splendens". Pollino Nature reserve also contains up to several relics and ancient engravings on cave walls (Grotta del Romito Riparo) at Papasidero, a church wedged in a cave with relatively well-preserved murals and altars (Grotta di S. Angelo) at San Donato di Ninea.
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Who would have thought that this paradise would have a motorway running through it? It is such a large area that it is nearly impossible to avoid putting a highway though it but unfortunately it is only a short part of it. If you are driving from Campania and Basilicata towards the Southern Calabria area you will have the pleasure of driving through the Pollino nature reserve. From the highway near the town of Morano Calabro you can spot the beautiful ruins of the monastery "Convento di Colloreto" built in 1545.
Activities: You can get involved in several activities ranging from trekking in very diverse landscapes (so here are challenges for all), rafting, mountain biking, rock climbing, caving and cross country skiing.
You can find more information on the park here (only in Italian):
- http://www.longoweb.com/parcopollino
