The small town of Badolato Superiore is positioned 5km inland from Badolato Marina on the Ionian coast and in the province of Catanzaro. A trip to this beautiful village is essential if you are in the area. The teetering old town dominates the hillside and is full of winding medieval streets. Take the road which climbs towards the town from Badalato Marina and you will be treated to an impressive view of the unspoilt village. A ‘mound’ of houses cover the hillside, topped with the spire of the church of SS.mo Salvatore. The church sits at the heart of the village, and is home to the statue of Sant’Andrea Avellino – Badolato’s patron saint.
Little remains of the fortress which protected the town from Saracen pirates in the Middle Ages, yet you can find several Byzantine churches in the vicinity and other beautiful architecture whilst wandering the historic alleyways. The church of the Immaculate Conception boasts a particularly spectacular position on the hillside below the old town – enjoy views over the valley (with a stony wide riverbed which remains dry much of the year) and out to the Ionian Sea.
Leave the car behind in the wide open piazza when you arrive, and then take the time to explore the winding streets. Descend to visit the church of the Immaculate Conception and enjoy the views; you’ll find stately yet overgrown palazzos, locals observing from weathered balconies and a number of roaming cats as you explore the traditional charming streets. This is the type of town conjured up in dreams of an untouched Italy, where life is slow yet full. Don’t leave without enjoying a pizza at La Cantinetta, where you can sit beneath the pergola in the wide piazza and enjoy views all the way out to the ocean. Make sure you try their homemade ‘crema di limoncello’ (a creamy lemon liqueur). One sip will tell you that it is made from plenty of fresh lemons!
On our first visit to this town, I encountered a friendly old lady sat on her doorstep who enjoyed telling me tales of the number of fresh figs she had collected that morning before an upcoming party. And the village has enticed me back many times ever since – because of its people. In Badolato, you’ll be beckoned into wine cellars, be offered food and wine from everyone’s kitchen, invited to join singing and dancing on the streets, join locals in the annual grape and olive harvests, and be welcomed as part of the community. Visitors are very welcome, with a couple of small B&B’s set up within the old town, and many of the old houses having been restored and reinhabited by families all over the world. It’s not surprising that the few who visit this undiscovered piece of Italy feel compelled to return and own their own piece of paradise.
