Holiday apartment in Cantinella – history, faith and local cuisine

Cantinella combines a long history with vibrant religious and culinary traditions. Those looking for a holiday apartment in Cantinella will find a place where archaeological traces, Greek-Byzantine culture and Calabrian cuisine stand closely side by side. Its various facets are ideal for a journey in which you not only admire the sights, but also get to know the character of the place and its community.

Discover the history around Cantinella

The inhabited centre of Cantinella is connected today, as in antiquity, with the use of agricultural resources along an important transport route. The settlement context examined during excavations also points to this historical role: it was presumably located along a route connected to the Roman city of Copiae. Cantinella therefore offers interesting points of connection for anyone wishing to combine their stay in a holiday apartment with a sense of historical curiosity.

The Castello San Mauro is particularly striking. Bernardino Sanseverino had it built in 1515 on the remains of an ancient medieval monastery. In autumn 1535, Emperor Charles V was hosted at Castello San Mauro. The building is located in the Cantinella hamlet within the larger protected area of Cozzo San Mauro. History and protected landscape are therefore an immediate part of the local setting here, without Cantinella being limited to a single era.

Greek-Byzantine culture and Arbëreshë traditions

The Church of San Mauro in Cantinella is the only church of the Greek-Byzantine rite in Corigliano-Rossano. In the Mandria del Forno district, there is also a Greek-Byzantine place of worship dedicated to Sant’Anna. Cantinella continues to preserve the traditions of the Arbëreshë communities in their unchanged form. For your travel planning, this creates a cultural focus that extends beyond individual buildings and connects your visit with religious and community-related themes.

In addition to the Church of San Mauro and the Greek-Byzantine place of worship dedicated to Sant’Anna in Mandria del Forno, Cantinella is also home to the Parrocchia di S. Mauro, which was consecrated in 1963. Its 20th-century date gives it a different emphasis from the ancient traces and the medieval monastery. When planning your trip, the religious themes can be combined with the history of Castello San Mauro.

The Cantinella Beer Fest programme included guided tours of the Church of San Mauro in Cantinella. There was also a demonstration of spontaneous icon painting, during which Giovanni Piccirillo explained the techniques and symbolism of Byzantine art.

Local cuisine and community celebrations

The culinary side of the town includes the Festa della Pasta, a community event that has now become established in Cantinella. Dishes from Calabrian cuisine were sampled at this festival. The Cantinella Beer Fest also supplemented its programme with a barbecue for which only products from the local area were used.

Other places for your travel planning

If you would like to consider other places in the region alongside Cantinella, you will find further destinations here: Nocara, Rossano, Montalto Uffugo, Camigliatello Silano, Cariati, Fuscaldo, Maierà and San Marco Argentano.

For the overarching travel overview: Cosenza.