Discover Paola: Coast, Sanctuary and Holiday Apartment

Paola lies on a terrace at the foot of the Catena Costiera and overlooks the sea. Marina di Paola has a long sandy beach. Above the Tyrrhenian coastal strip stands the Castle Tower on a sloping rock formation. The cylindrical tower rests on a square bastion, combining a distinctive architectural form with the area's dynamic topography.

Sanctuary, Pilgrimage Tradition and Historic Routes

The history of the Santuario di San Francesco di Paola dates back to the 15th century, approximately between 1435 and 1452. The sanctuary is a pilgrimage destination situated in a lush gorge of the Torrente Isca. Its basilica church still features a Gothic floor plan and contains the saint's relics.

Paola's historic centre is accessed through the monumental San Francesco di Paola Gate, which leads directly to Piazza del Popolo. The Pisciarieddi Fountain is located in front of the Church of the Madonna di Montevergine. The Birthplace of St Francis of Paola is now a chapel in the town centre. The Church of the SS. Rosario provides another architectural highlight with its elaborately designed Baroque interior. The Percorso turistico in Paola connects historic monuments, cobbled streets and local traditions.

Special Places Around the Sanctuary

Below the sanctuary are two rocks positioned one above the other, known as the Pietre del Miracolo. The Devil’s Bridge is also part of the Santuario di San Francesco di Paola grounds. The Fonte della Cucchiarella, a spring from which pilgrims draw water, also belongs to the sanctuary. A cave below the sanctuary served Francesco as a retreat for meditation and prayer. In the Chapel of San Francesco, an urn containing five bone fragments is located beneath the main altar.

The “zona dei prodigi” encompasses places associated with the miracles attributed to San Francesco di Paola. The Museo Multimediale San Francesco di Paola introduces visitors to the saint's life and character through virtual simulation, abstraction and fiction.

Hiking, Feast Days and Culinary Tradition

The Cammino di San Francesco di Paola comprises four routes totalling 318.3 kilometres and 15 hiking days. It runs predominantly along municipal roads and local side roads; short sections follow state and provincial roads.

Paola's Festa del 4 maggio is celebrated during the first days of May and ends on 4 May. On that day, the silver bust of Paola's patron saint is carried on people's shoulders through the town's streets. The cuisine also draws on the connection with San Francesco: the Menù di San Francesco project is based on recipes from the “strettissimo magro” cuisine, which go back to a book published in 1880 by the Minim friar Father Gaspare Stanislao Delle Piane from the monastery in Genoa. The dishes exclude meat, eggs, dairy products and products made from them, using vegetables, fish, molluscs and crustaceans instead.

Discover More Places

For further travel planning, you can also discover Cirella, Calopezzati, San Demetrio Corone, Torremezzo Di Falconara, Tarsia, Praia A Mare, Palombella and San Benedetto Ullano.

For the broader travel overview: Cosenza.