Tourism Services – Naturalistic Routes and Excursions – Bars, Pizzerias, B&Bs, Entertainment
Perched boldly on the Apennine foothills, Saracena is a municipality in the province of Cosenza, located 72 kilometers from the provincial capital. It is part of the Pollino National Park. The town, situated 600 meters above sea level, looks southeast towards the Sibari plain and the Ionian Sea. Known for its particularly healthy climate, Saracena has a population of 4,309 inhabitants and covers an area of 111.51 square kilometers, including over five thousand hectares of mountains covered with magnificent beech forests.
The surrounding mountain areas of Saracena are among the most beautiful and best-preserved in the Pollino region. Between forests of centuries-old beeches and chestnut trees, delightful valleys open up, which in spring are covered with a multitude of colorful flowers on a carpet of intensely green grass.
De Alchemia Brewery
Address: II Trav, Via Giorgio la Pira, 87010 Saracena CS
Phone: 348 235 1168
Website
Cantine Viola
Address: Via Roma, 18, 87010 Saracena CS
Phone: 340 367 4357
Website
Ricci Giuseppe Restaurant
Address: Vicolo I Casale, Saracena, CS 87010
Phone: 0981 349576
Club Red Paradise
Address: Via Stanislao Lamenza, 135, 87010 Saracena CS
Phone: 348 919 6096
Facebook Page
Ristorante Pizzeria Bar Garga
Address: Via S M Maddalena, 181, 87010 Saracena CS
Phone: 0981 34209
Website
Casa Saracena
Address: Via Aldo Moro, 8, 87010 Saracena CS
From Novacco
The "Novacco" Cross-Country Ski Center, named after the location, offers a sport that can be practiced almost all winter long and is extremely enjoyable.
Novacco can be reached either from Saracena, via a road that branches off at the town entrance and ascends to the plateaus through forests of pines and beeches, or for those coming from the North, by taking the A3 highway and exiting at Campotenese.
Among the various excursions, it is recommended to visit Mount Scifarello (1,650 m) and Mount Caramolo (1,827 m). The latter is easily accessible for everyone, and from its summit, on clear days, one can observe the majestic and granite Pollino mountain range, which dominates the wide valley of Castrovillari and gently slopes down towards the blue Ionian Sea. Southwest of the town flows the Garga River, which, in the Madonna della Fiumara area, forms a charming artificial lake that feeds a hydroelectric plant. Other streams include Rossale and Venaglie.
Saracena, with its ancient origins, also hosts significant archaeological sites, such as the remains of Città Vetere, the S. Michele Cave (also called S. Angelo), and the Campanella Cave (6th century BC).
Cross-Country Skiing
For sports activities, there are kilometers of trails, traced by the famous Olympic champion Franco Nones, suitable for both beginners and more experienced skiers, as well as numerous paths and plateaus for snowshoe excursions.
Using snowshoes on easy and safe trails allows visitors to easily admire breathtaking and unusual landscapes.
Orienteering, Trekking, and Mountain Biking
The beauty and charm of the area, along with the variety of the terrain, make our mountains particularly ideal for sports and activities, offering the perfect setting for their full expression. The Novacco Plateau, specially mapped, enables the practice of "forest sports." Furthermore, the many trails that wind through the plateau offer opportunities for fascinating excursions on foot, horseback, and by mountain bike.