The Arbëreshë population is an ethnic-linguistic community with Albanian and Greek origin who arrived in Italy between the 15th and 18th centuries to escape the invasions of the Ottoman Empire. The great emigration happened after the death of their national hero Giorgio Castriota Skanderbeg in 1468.

The largest community is found in Calabria in particular in the province of Cosenza. Most of the villages of this community have kept the Catholic-Greek-Byzantine religious rite. In fact, Lungro is home to the eparchy, one of the two bishoprics established in Italy in 1900; the other one is in Sicily. The language has also been handed down through the centuries and derives from a dialect of southern Albania, called Arbërisht.

Some communities have lost their link with their culture, others have preserved their language and traditions, keeping them alive today.

Among these the Villages of Civita and Frascineto.

Civita, called the village among the rocks, is located in a unique position close to the Raganello stream gorge. In fact, from its belvedere you can admire the Canyon whose imposing rocky walls have been carved out by the waters of the stream. The view includes the plains of Sibari reaching the Ionian Sea. The hamlet is also known for its typical chimney pots with several shapes and the Kodra houses with a human faces which remember the paintings of the homonymous Albanian artist. Frascineto, the heart of the Arbëria in the Pollino National Park, is surrounded by the mountains of the park, including the Dolcedorme, the rocky wall of the Little Dolomites and the plains full of vineyards which produce an excellent Pollino DOC wine.

Both villages are famous for the Vallje, folk dances and songs that take place every Tuesday after Easter by wearing the precious and colorful traditional clothes.