Sila Fridays: Visiting Villaggio Mancuso
Posted on: Nov 28, 2008
In all of the 73,695 hectares that make up La Sila, no village is more enchanting than Villaggio Mancuso. This petite-sized Alpine community is home to 37 or so inhabitants who feast on their homegrown mushrooms and red hot chili peppers – the food, not the rock band.
The village is often one of the first places – and in fact one of the only places – in Calabria to see snow.
See?
Although tourist shops are hard to come by in Catanzaro, Villaggio Mancuso has more than the lion’s share of Calabrian-themed paraphernalia.
Just be sure you get there before lunch … or they will be closed!
Just off of the main strip is a cul de sac of mountain homes, each one more charming than the other.
After spending the morning walking along the hills in Villaggio Mancuso and eating at the fabulous restaurant I’ll tell you about next week you can venture into neighboring Taverna. Taverna is the “big city” up there and with 2,668 citizens (1,317 men and 1,351 women … seriously, it says that here) they have reason to boast.
Taverna calls themselves the “City of Art” and offers a museum, Roman churches and noble statues as proof.
So if you find yourself driving along the roads of La Sila Mountains, be sure to look for Villaggio Mancuso … you’ll be glad you did.
Be sure to visit Judith today for her La Buona Cucina Americana bread pudding recipe!
I love the architecture of mountain villages. The slanted rooves and the carved wooden balconies … I can’t get enough of them!
I love them, too. So quaint!
joanne at frutto della passione’s last blog post..The Nibble Gourmet Food Magazine Website of the Month November 2008
Cute! Were the hills alive with the sound of Calabrian music per chance?
See, I *thought* it was just in my head …
My grandfather Vincenzo Mancuso was from Nicastro and my grandmother Angelina (Caruso) Mancuso was from Catanzaro. They came to the United States in the early 1900′s. My grandfather had a brother by the name of Francesco. Could you send me any brochures on Villaggio Mancuso? My name is Stephen Mancusi 116 Klondike Ave #302, HAverhill,MA 01832-8620. Thank you.
I wonder if you are related at all to some of the guests we had at our B&B last year. They were Mancusos, too and had family ties to Villaggio Mancuso. Next time I go to VM I can see if I can find some brochures for you. I haven’t seen any here in Catanzaro.