Pentidattilo: Rocky Landscape, Churches and Hiking Trails

Pentidattilo showcases a place whose distinctive character arises directly from the interplay of rocks, historic buildings and pathways. The historic center of Pentedattilo is built against a rock formation whose geological shape resembles a hand stretched toward the sky. Those who explore the village will find natural formations, sacred architecture and traces of former everyday life here as different facets of the same townscape.

Rocky Landscape and Distinctive Trails

Among the notable natural destinations are the Rocche di Prastarà. They consist of Miocene sedimentary rocks, with fissures and caves between their blocks. A trail that circles the characteristic rocks of Pentedattilo leads to the Rocche di Santa Lena after approximately two and a half hours of walking.

Churches and Historical Testimonies

The churches also give the village a clearly recognizable cultural and historical dimension. The Chiesa dittereale di San Pietro stands at the entrance to the castle and has a spire covered with majolica. The Chiesa Santa Maria della Candelora has Byzantine origins and dates from the 16th century. It contains a Renaissance sculpture of the Madonna della Candelora made of white Carrara marble, dated to 1564.

Other specific testimonies to the village include Fontana e Lavatoio, the municipal fountain of Pentedattilo built in 1955, and two basins that were formerly used for washing clothes and watering animals, respectively. The Canonica was built in 1890 on the site of Pentedattilo’s former cemetery. Today, it houses the Stanza di San Gaetano Catanoso, an exhibition of old altar stones and contemporary sacred art, as well as a cultural space with sacred objects. The Affresco di San Cristoforo is located in a niche at the foot of a sloping rocky overhang along the paths between the ruined houses in the lower part of Pentedattilo and was probably created in the 18th century by an unknown artist.

Hiking Around Pentedattilo

Several different types of trails are available for hiking. The Anello di Pentedattilo is an unpaved and uneven mule track that connects the village of Pentedattilo with the small hamlet of Sant’Antonio behind the rock. A hiking trail to the Rocche di Prastarà begins in the village of Pentedattilo and leads through the valley of the Fiumara di Sant’Elia. The Sentiero dell’Inglese begins in Pentedattilo and leads to Staiti; it is considered a seven-day slow tourism experience. For a panoramic view, La Panchina dei Baci offers a lookout point from which Mount Etna and the Strait of Messina can be seen.

Local Features and Orientation

A gentle walk leads from the car park to the center of Pentedattilo. Casa del Bergamotto adds a distinctive local touch: it produces bergamot essence from the harvests of the family bergamot grove. The Pentidattilo Film Festival is also one of the village’s cultural events; it was founded nearly two decades ago and is dedicated to international short films.

More Destinations for Trip Planning

Martone, Varapodio, Pozzi, Santo Stefano In Aspromonte, Ardore Marina, San Ferdinando, Stignano, Bocale

Reggio Calabria