Pentedattilo

Imagine yourself walking through the streets of a fairy-tale-like little village.

You feel a special calmness and breathe in a veil of mystery that permeates the village even when you observe it from afar…

In this article, we will take you to such a place.

Here you can join a story that starts many hundreds of years before Christ. We are going back to when the Greeks colonized Calabria.

We take you on an exciting journey to an abandoned Città Fantasma.

We will take a closer look at why Pentedattilo became such an important and strategic economic center, via the rule of the Byzantines and Normans in the 12th century and well into the future. 

Pentedattilo is an old village in the province of Reggio Calabria - almost like a nativity scene carved into the rock.

In Greek, the name means "five fingers" - pente (πέντε) and daktilo (δάκτυλο) refer to the village's characteristic shape resembling a hand with five fingers.

The Story of Pentedattilo 

The small village was increasingly abandoned until, at the end of the 20th century, it was "rediscovered" by the Austrian painter Alex B.

After moving to Pentedattilo, a group of young artists and activists gathered to lead the rebirth of the town. In 1991, someone set fire to Alex B's house and studio; he left town in shock, and the group disbanded.

Soon after, the association ProPentedattilo was born, which is still alive and run by volunteers from all over Italy and Europe. These people have given new life to the small alleys in the middle of the overhanging rocks, making this village a very special experience.

A bit like entering a cozy living room.

Around the village, people bring life and decorate the town with flowers

This is what you can experience in Pentedattilo

Visiting this village - in Italian it would be defined as an Italian borgo - visiting this village is an experience that will stay with you your entire life. A fairytale landscape, an enchanting mystery. It is possible to visit what remains of the castle, where the ruins blend in with the stone, almost merging with it.  

There are two beautiful churches that are open to visitors, and some small galleries such as the Museum of Popular Traditions, the Bergamot House and the woodcarving workshop.

The village's small streets and alleys tell a sad, but also hopeful story. It’s a place where the salty air mixes with dry dust, causing the cactus to shoot up from the ground, a truly magical mediterranean sight.