The hamlets of the silk

Calabrian hamlets

1 - 3 Days, 1 – 3 Giorni

TYPOLOGIES

Activities Experiences

+ 1

Culture Tradition

PERIOD

All year round

PAX

2-12 people, groups

from 35 €

DESCRIPTION
MAP

Mendicino and San Floro

Once in Calabria the silk production was a great business for the whole region: every family had their small breeding of silkworms and the industry was very known for the production of yarn.

The silkworm arrived in Calabria in the Byzantine era, transported from China by Basilian monks, with the introduction of the cultivation of the white mulberry, better than the black one for feeding silkworms.

The maximum development of this business took place in the 1700s while its decline started from 1800 until the complete disappearance.

Today this old tradition has been resumed in two villages: Mendicino, where there are two old spinning mills renovated and transformed into a museum, an unique example of industrial archeology, and San Floro where a cooperative has taken up again the sericulture and the production of silk yarn according to the old traditions.

Mendicino

A day in Mendicino - The hamlet of the spinning mills

Cooking class in family for preparing a typical dish to taste with more local products. In the afternoon sightseeing of the historical centre and the 2 spinning mills which have turned into a Museum.

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San Floro

A day in San Floro - The hamlet of the silk

Sightseeing of The Museum of the Silk and move to the farm where a cooperative of youth breed the silkworms and produce the silk yarn with traditional methods. Visit of the silkworm breeding where you can take part to the "reeling" activity, which is the unwinding of the cocoon to get the silk thread. At the end a small walk on foot in the mulberry grove with finally lunch based on organic food.

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What you can add

Mendicino
San Floro

Mendicino

The day tours to add with base in Mendicino

Trekking on Cocuzzo Mount where you can admire the Tyrrhenian Coast. Excursions in the morning or at the sunset with the opportunity of observing the stars with an amateur astronomer.
Sightseeing of Cosenza: the old part of the town and the Cathedral UNESCO heritage, the modern part and the MAB Bilotti Open Air Museum - an exposition of famous author' sculptures along the high street - and the bridge which is designed by Santiago Calatrava, the highest bridge in Europe.
Guided visit of a winery with tasting of some Calabrian wines.

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We can make your tour with more days and the activities listed above.

San Floro

The day tours to add with base in San Floro

Workshops: the weaving and the botanical printing classes.
Visit to a ceramic workshop in Squillace with a demonstration of their work.
Visit to a company producing organic olive oil: story of all the steps of the production and mini class of olive oil tasting.