Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Paola
POP 16,900
Paola is worth a stop to see its holy shrine. The large pilgrimage complex is above a
sprawling small town where the dress of choice is a tracksuit and the main activity is
hanging about on street corners. The 80km of coast south from here to Pizzo is mostly
overdeveloped and ugly. Paola is the main train hub for Cosenza, about 25km inland.
Watched over by a crumbling castle, the
Santuario di San Francesco di Paola
( 0982 58 25
18; 6am-1pm & 2-6pm)
is a curious, empty cave with tremendous significance to
the devout. The saint lived and died in Paola in the 15th century and the sanctuary that he
and his followers carved out of the bare rock has attracted pilgrims for centuries. The
cloister is surrounded by naïve wall paintings depicting the saint's truly incredible mir-
acles. The original church contains an ornate reliquary of the saint. Also within the com-
plex is a modern basilica, built to mark the second millennium. Black-clad monks hurry
about.
There are several hotels near the station, but you'll be better off staying in towns further
north along the coast.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Cosenza
POP 69,800 / ELEV 238M
Cosenza's medieval core is Calabria's best-preserved historic centre, the one piece of his-
tory that has managed to escape the earthquakes that have levelled almost everything else
in the region. It rises above the confluence of the Crati and Busento rivers, its narrow
lanes winding ever upwards to the hilltop castle. Legend states that Alaric, a Visigoth
king, was killed and buried at the confluence of the two rivers.
In the past Cosenza was a sophisticated and lively city, but nowadays there's a gritty
feel to the old town with its dark, garbage-strewn streets and fading, once-elegant
palazzi
.
It's the gateway to La Sila's mountains, home to Calabria's most important university and
a major transport hub.
Sights
