A warm sulphur spring in a cave and a sanctuary on the mountain
On the slopes of the Pollino, overlooking the plain of Sibari and the Ionian Sea, Cerchiara di Calabria is a village known for two very different places. A few kilometres below the village, at the foot of a rock wall, a natural cave gushes a sulphurous thermal spring with water at about 30 °C, rich in minerals: this is the Grotta delle Ninfe, the Cave of the Nymphs, known since antiquity, when, according to tradition, the inhabitants of the nearby Greek city of Sybaris came here to bathe and to treat their ailments, and the place was dedicated to the nymphs. Today the water flows into an open-air pool surrounded by greenery, and the site is equipped as a small natural spa, where you can bathe in the warm water with the view of the mountains, with mud treatments.
High above the village, at about 1,000 metres, on the slopes of Monte Sellaro, stands the Santuario della Madonna delle Armi, a sanctuary built in the fifteenth century against a rock wall, in an incredibly scenic position, overlooking the whole plain of Sibari and the Ionian coast. According to legend, it was built after the miraculous discovery of an image of the Virgin on a stone; it is a destination for pilgrimages, especially in spring. Cerchiara is also famous for its bread, the "pane di Cerchiara", large round loaves baked in wood-fired ovens with local flour and natural yeast, with a dark crust and a fragrant crumb, which stays fresh for many days.
Tip: in winter, the warm water is especially pleasant; take a loaf of Cerchiara bread home.
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