Carmelina and Francesca, two different generations united by an intense enthusiasm, are the cornerstone of the company, set in the Savuto hills. Preserving and transforming the products of the land and fruit, with the recipes and methods of the past, encapsulating unique stories, fragrances and sensations.

In the village of Orsara, 900 metres above sea level, Maria and Francesco create prodigious products from the enchantment of nature. Honey from the hills, amidst centuries-old chestnut groves, and chestnuts and flour with which they prepare pastries and bread, according to traditional methods. A model of harmony with the environment, in which the unspoilt landscape becomes part of the company’s heritage and value.

Bold and outspoken, Verusca has the smile of someone who has fulfilled a dream. The farm, on a hill clad in olive trees and wild flowers, is her kingdom. Experimentation is her preference. Her olive oils, the fruit of dedication and respect for nature, engage with all the senses.

Very young, like her company, Alba tells the story of her fascination for bees with all her youthful energy. Enchanted by her grandparents’ dedication to nature and the land, she dreams of setting up her own workshop. Acacia, mixed flower and chestnut are the varieties of honey available.

For the Greeks, this part of Calabria was Enotria, the “land of wine.” Savuto is a noble wine with a DOC (Controlled Designation of Origin) label and an important history dating back to Phoenician times. The Istituto Agrario per l’Agricoltura (Agrarian Institute for Agriculture) is a meritorious structure that combines education and production, giving young people the task of expressing the narrative of this territory.

A project dedicated to the land of the origins that meets, through love, the Caribbean, and generates genuine natural wines, healthy carriers of enthusiasm. In every bottle is the skilful work of an entire community that shares a vision of the future of memory. Guided tours of the vineyard and cellar upon prior booking.

Agriculture interpreted as a form of culture and knowledge of the land based on respect for nature and the ecosystem. Orto Corto is the brainchild of Carmine Gigliotti. When tradition meets awareness of the balance between man and the environment, food and lifestyle also improve in quality.

With his feet in the present and a radiant gaze towards the future, Giuseppe knows that preserving biodiversity and creating innovation inspired by tradition represents the farming of tomorrow. Like his grandparents, he dries chestnuts using the heat of fire; he gathers and prepares rare herbs for specialities such as Verna wheat biscuits with black aniseed.

This source of water comes from several springs on the slopes of Mount Reventino and is a symbol of the purity of these locations. With a fixed residue of only 39 mg/L, it is the lightest mineral water produced south of the Alps.

The right place for people who wish to experience Calabrian food and wine. Fine ingredients and traditional recipes, including reinterpretations by the talented Delfino Maruca, expert in expressing local culture. Stunning starters with cured meats and cheeses, tonnarelli pasta with fennel and walnuts, and chestnuts that are always a valued resource. Professionalism and great courtesy. Unmissable.

The Chiodo family turns farming and the rearing of geese, chickens, pigs, cows, horses and above all Alpine chamois goats, into art. They produce an extraordinary milk with which Franco “invents” goat cheeses of the highest quality.

Welcome to the kingdom of Carlo Arcuri, who dedicates his life to a Calabrian expression of excellence: the Black Pig. Up here, pigs live in extensive spaces with perfect environmental conditions so they can move around and feed in a natural manner. The cured meats are of the highest quality and are well worth a trip.

At the dawn of the third millennium, Luca Gentile, inspired by a foggy autumn, began making limoncello and nocino together with his wife Pasqualina. L’Eremita, made using 21 herbs, is the first liqueur to portray the intensity of the Reventino-Savuto area worldwide. In fact, in 2022 it won a distinction at the World Liqueur Awards in London as one of the best liqueurs on the planet.

In 1998, the four Leo brothers founded the company that epitomises the purity of these locations. Leo is an oligomineral water with a low fixed residue and today it is a sustainable business that, in compliance with the industrial plan 4.0, uses energy-saving machinery, representing an innovative development of the production process.

Ancient traditions, handed down for three generations who, since 1931, have been involved in the processing and conservation of porcini mushrooms in oil and other products of the soil and the forest.

“Giving lustre to everything that surrounds us” is the principle that inspires the work of the Terra Mater Cicala Association, whose mission is to enhance the area through a variety of activities, from nature trekking to cultural excursions, food and wine events, and widespread tourist hospitality, European projects and territorial networks. Young people like Matteo and Erika, who turn an idea into a business, promote the culture of authentic hospitality in which the traveller becomes part of the project, experiencing emotions and sharing passions, choosing to return because shared dreams create happiness.

The company’s products, comprising the finest Mediterranean flavours, dominated by the Calabrian tomato, express the intense bond between the Muraca family and the local area. From grandfather Ferdinando, Kevin inherited the values that inspire the company; integrity, professionalism and a love of work and the land. A recipe that conveys Calabria to families all over the world.

Two generations have passed since Giacomo and Ivana’s dream, and the reason for the prestige they have gained lies in the “artisanal values” of their products, grown respecting the rhythms of nature, prepared following archaic and secret recipes. Genuine, traditional and innovative, the Muraca siblings transmit their values in their choice of products and labels, such as A sarsa da nunna (grandmother’s tomato sauce), which speaks of an entire territory and a family history.

The Bocca di Piazza uplands are a paradise for the mountain potato, which up here is an important resource for agriculture and the local economy. The Consortium of Associated Potato Growers is a point of reference for the promotion of the IGP Sila potato.

Fontenoce oligomineral water is an important resource for this mountainous area: with a temperature of 9°C at the source, it is light and crystal clear like the essence of these mountains. Production methods and ethos are inspired by environmental sustainability, and for cyclists it is an unmissable stop.

Luciano De Fazio inherited the legacy of the so-called fungiari, the mushroom gatherers; his family has grown vegetables and produced what in Calabrian parlance is called u salaturu, the end-result of processing all sorts of vegetables: from tomatoes to peppers, from onions to wonderful aubergines and tasty crushed olives.

Since 1961, the Mancuso family has been telling the story of the local area with high quality artisanal products: jams, preserves in olive oil, patés and creams made with onions, olives, ‘nduja (a very spicy salami product), tomatoes and mushrooms; but above all the historic “Bomba di Calabria,” a potent spreadable cream made with chili peppers and vegetables.

Entering the shop is a delight for the senses, with the heady fragrance and Giulia’s welcome. A model of artisanal skill and close links with the local area, the Caligiuri family makes traditional Calabrian cured meats, following natural curing and certified methods, including PDO certification.

A painstaking task of great beauty, the cultivation of saffron requires a serene and creative soul, like that of Antonella, who, since 2016, has been tending her bulbs from which she obtains the precious pistils for tasty recipes and golden liqueurs with an intoxicating flavour.

Dedication and intuition define the history of this company, which has always focused on the quality of its raw materials, personally sourced by the owners. A varied production that caters both for the local market and international customers hallmarked by a preference for excellence.

From linen blankets stretched out in the sun to trellises in the workshop, Luigi has transformed the passion he inherited from his father into an important business operation. Preserving and transforming mushrooms, dried tomatoes and chilli peppers according to traditional methods.

Pasta as a characteristic feature of a territory and a point of reference in the food and culinary traditions of the Reventino area. Durum wheat semolina, local eggs and the purest Sila water are the principal ingredients of Cardamone’s production: egg pasta, regional specialities such as capunti, fusilli, cortecce, strascinati and maccheroncini; filled pasta envelopes such as agnolotti, mezzelune and ravioli; and lastly the traditional Italian pasta shapes.

Traditional local bread and biscuits. The Piccolo Forno a Frasche (Small Wood-fired Bakery) by Cerrisi is a landmark in the area for its genuine products and courtesy.