Holiday apartment in Serra San Bruno: monastery, forest and culture

Serra San Bruno in Calabria combines monastic history, art and woodland landscapes with regional gastronomic culture. At its heart is the Certosa di Serra San Bruno, complemented by churches, museums and places associated with San Bruno and local sculpture.

Certosa, churches and art in Serra San Bruno

The Certosa di Serra San Bruno is the first Carthusian monastery in Italy and the second of the entire order. It is located in a picturesque forest on the outskirts of Serra San Bruno. The Chiesa di San Biagio houses four marble statues from the Certosa: Santo Stefano, San Bruno, La Madonna con Bambino and San Giovanni Battista. The present-day church was rebuilt after the earthquake, partly with 800 ducats from the Cassa Sacra; the date of the rebuilding, 30 August 1795, is indicated above the portal.

The Museo della Certosa was established in 1994 at the initiative of the monastic community within the monastery walls. Its tour leads through 22 rooms, first covering the history of San Bruno and the order he founded, then continuing through exemplary reconstructed areas of the Certosa with original furnishings. The Gipsoteca Pisani offers a different cultural focus. It is dedicated to the sculptor Giuseppe Maria Pisani, who came from Serra San Bruno, and houses the artist's entire studio in a recently restored building. Numerous plaster casts can be seen there; many were cast in bronze and placed in squares, churches or cemeteries in numerous Italian and foreign cities.

The Santuario di Santa Maria del Bosco also closely links history and landscape. It was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1783 on the remains of an older church that San Bruno had commissioned for the monks' prayers. The complex lies among old silver firs and young beeches. Opposite the Santuario is the Dormitorio di San Bruno, considered the monk's burial place, which houses a marble statue from the late 18th century by Stefano Pisani. The tour of the Museo della Certosa ends in a small chapel established in a 16th-century tower, where visitors can pause for a moment of solitude and prayer.

Trails, forest and regional specialities

On stage 3 of the Ciclovia dei Parchi della Calabria through the Parco Regionale Naturale delle Serre, Serra San Bruno is reached at an altitude of 798 m at kilometre 46 along the Fiume Ancinale. The Cammino del Normanno passes through the town of Croce Ferrata and then through the forest to the Eremo di Santa Maria del Bosco in Serra San Bruno. Croce Ferrata is known for the presence of the local carbonai serresi. The area around Serra San Bruno also features forest products such as mushrooms, which accompany first or second courses, as well as the typical sweet pastry “'nzulli” as part of its gastronomic culture.

From the north, the journey leads via the Pizzo Calabro exit and then along the SS 110.

More destinations for planning your trip

For more ideas for places to visit, you can also explore Filandari, San Cono, Cessaniti, Gasponi, Pizzo, Drapia, Mongiana and Tropea.

For the higher-level travel overview: Vibo Valentia.