Camigliatello Silano, CS
La Forestale Calabria
The Calabrian highland you don't know: Sila pine forest, bergamot spa, and mountain retreat in Italy's wildest national park
01 - Arrive
The place itself
02 - Feel
Why it is different
Calabrian pine old-growth forest
The Sila's ancient Pinus laricio stands — some of the tallest and oldest conifers in Europe, in a national park that most Italian tourists have never visited.
Bergamot spa treatments
Spa therapies using Calabrian DOP bergamot from the Ionian coast — the most location-specific wellness treatment in southern Italy.
Mountain Calabrian cuisine
Wild mushroom pasta, caciocavallo silano, and highland products from the most authentic of Italy's mainland regions.
Sila lake and highland
The Sila plateau — glacial lakes, open meadows, and forest horizons that look like the Swiss Alps but belong entirely to Calabria.
03 - Live here
How the days go
- 1
Ascend to the Sila plateau
The SS107 road climbs from the Crati valley into the Calabrian Apennines — the landscape transforms from coastal Mediterranean to alpine pine within 30 minutes. The Sila plateau opens ahead.
- 2
Forest bathing morning
A guided shinrin-yoku walk in the ancient Calabrian pine stands — the aromatic compounds released by the Pinus laricio are scientifically distinctive; the experience of the old-growth is visceral.
- 3
Bergamot spa treatment
A body treatment using bergamot essential oil from the Ionian coast — the most Calabrian thing a spa can offer, and one that produces the distinctive citrus-floral sensory experience of the DOP product.
- 4
Calabrian mountain dinner
Caciocavallo silano, wild mushroom pasta, slow-cooked goat from the highland farm, local wine from the Cirò DOC region — the mountain kitchen of a Calabrian table.
- 5
Sila Lake hike
The Sila's glacial lakes — Lago Arvo, Lago Cecita — are half-day walks through the park with osprey, eagle, and the silence that comes from genuine Italian wilderness.
04 - Stay
Ways to stay
Mountain Forest Stay (half-board)
From ~€120/night — confirm at laforestale.it
Eco-bungalow in the Sila pine forest with breakfast and Calabrian mountain dinner.
Book this packageBergamot Wellness Package
From ~€250/person — confirm at laforestale.it
2-night mountain stay with bergamot spa treatment, forest bathing session, and guided Sila hike.
Book this packageMore of the place
More of the place
05 - Know
Before you go
La Forestale is in Camigliatello Silano, Sila National Park, Cosenza (CS) 87052. Drive from Cosenza: approximately 30 km on SS107 toward Camigliatello Silano (approximately 40 minutes). Train to Cosenza then rental car or taxi. Confirm property-specific arrival instructions at laforestale.it.
Stay for
2-night minimum typical — confirm at laforestale.it.
Children
Confirm child suitability and activities when booking.
If plans change
See laforestale.it for current cancellation terms.
Where is La Forestale located in Calabria?
La Forestale is in Camigliatello Silano, in the Sila National Park, Cosenza province, Calabria — at approximately 1,000 metres altitude in the Calabrian Apennines. The nearest major city is Cosenza (approximately 30 km north). The Ionian and Tyrrhenian coasts are each approximately 60–80 km away.
What is the Sila National Park?
The Sila is a highland plateau in the Calabrian Apennines, designated as a national park covering approximately 74,000 hectares. It contains some of Italy's finest surviving mountain pine forest — Calabrian pine (Pinus laricio) in old-growth stands, mountain beech woods, alpine meadows, and glacial lakes. It is one of Italy's least-visited national parks, making it genuine wilderness by Italian standards.
What is bergamot and why is it special to Calabria?
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) is a fragrant citrus fruit grown almost exclusively on the Ionian coast of Calabria, near Reggio Calabria. It is the defining flavour in Earl Grey tea and the source of one of perfumery's most prized essences. The climate and soil conditions of the Calabrian Ionian coast are unique — bergamot grown anywhere else lacks the intensity of the Calabrian DOP product. La Forestale uses local bergamot in spa treatments and cuisine.
What is forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) and how is it done in the Sila?
Shinrin-yoku ('forest bathing') is the Japanese practice of slow, mindful immersion in forest environments — not exercise hiking but attentive presence in a forested space, breathing the forest air (rich in phytoncides released by the trees) and engaging all senses with the woodland. In the Sila, the ancient Calabrian pine stands create a specific aromatic, visual, and acoustic environment that makes the practice distinctively southern Italian.
Is La Forestale accessible from major Italian cities?
By train: take the high-speed train to Cosenza (or Paola on the Tyrrhenian line) then drive approximately 30 km to Camigliatello Silano. From Rome: approximately 3.5 hours by high-speed train to Cosenza. From Naples: approximately 2.5 hours. A rental car is useful for the Sila exploration; the property can advise on transfers from Cosenza.
How do I book at La Forestale Calabria?
Book direct at https://www.laforestale.it/prenota. MindReach connects ready travellers with La Forestale Calabria — we do not take room bookings or spa reservations.
How do I contact La Forestale Calabria?
Phone: +39 0984 578XXX. Email: info@laforestale.it. Website: https://www.laforestale.it
Who is La Forestale Calabria ideal for?
Italy repeat visitors who want the undiscovered southern mountain interior Forest bathing and nature wellness travellers researching Italian eco-retreats North American guests interested in authentic Calabrian food culture and wild landscapes Hikers and naturalists wanting Sila National Park access from a comfortable base Wellness guests seeking bergamot-region spa experiences unique to this part of Italy
Ask Serena
Serena knows this place
Stay-specific prompts — opens the MindReach getaway planner.
06 - Go
Book on the property site — we do not mark up stays.
If this one drew you in
Where we would look next
Take this with you
Keep weighing up La Forestale Calabria wherever you think best — we will hand over what we know about the place.