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While it’s not what we had in mind when we initially made our weekend getaway schedule for the year, the Parco Nazionale del Pollino sure was a welcome surprise! Just a few hours away, this national park boasts being the largest in Italy. Straddling the borders of Calabria and Basilicata, our 48h trip was no match for the vastness of this pristine, natural reserve. Even with the highway cutting across it, linking all the most popular attractions, we could hardly fit in even one fifth of the things we’d hoped to see.
Having arrived in the late evening, our first real experience of our accommodation, Green House B&B, was over a full, homemade breakfast. Patrizia, our gracious host, served us a wide array of breakfast treats, even accommodating our diets. Her long kitchen table, decorated with fresh-picked sunflowers, was laden with crostata, sponge cake, homemade jams and jellies, and all served with a hot cup of coffee.
While filling our bellies, we chatted and exchanged ideas over what to see and do. Mingling Patrizia’s local knowledge and our googled suggestions, we made a plan!
First up: Morano Calabro
Cupola of the S. Maria Maddalena 
After attempting in vain to get some information at the tourist centre- we’re apparently still too Canadian for Italy, apparently, arriving at the stated opening hour is too early- we decided to ask some nearby locals how to reach the castle at the top of the hill on which Morano Calabro is situated. Thus began our weekend adventure, on a cultural tour of a medieval hamlet.
We started our makeshift tour at the Santa Maria Maddalena church. Struck by an earthquake in 2012, the roof of this church is now covered in “band-aids” and houses some very famous works of art; such as Il Polittico (1477) by Bartolomeo Vivarini, and the world’s only depiction (according to some lady at the church) of a partially exposed Virgin Mary.
“Band-aids“ 
Il Polittico – Vivarini (1477) 
The Madonna 
The organ
From here, it was a winding walk up through sun-drying-chili-pepper-lined streets of the village, with stops at the San Nicola and San Pietro e Paolo churches, before finally reaching the summit and the Castello Normanno Svevo.
S. Pietro e Paolo
Time for lunch
After working up an appetite, it was off to the Agriturismo Colloreto for a vegan lunch sourced straight from their garden.
a nice view 
beans ‘n onions 
eggplants 
cavatelli with pumpkin 
pappardelle with porcini 
a nicer view
After our pitstop and refill, it was off for a mountain hike to reach the ruins of the Monastero di Colloreto. This former convent located within the grounds of the agriturismo, was founded in 1546 on the slopes of the Pollino mountains and has been abandoned since the 19th century and now has a four lane highway running beneath it.
Taking a much deserved dip in a stream 
splish splash!
After that, it was time to wind down and relax before getting ready for the second half of the day which we spent in Mormanno, where we had dinner at Osteria del Vicolo, and Rotonda, where we happened upon the Il bianco & la rossa: Festa del fagiolo bianco e della melanzana rossa di Rotonda D.O.P..
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