Pentedattilo, Calabria’s ‘ghost town’, was severely damaged by the earthquake in 1783 which affected many structures in the region, causing its residents to abandon the town completely. Explore Pentedattilo today, inhabited only by a few artists and artisans, with the remaining houses in ruins.
The town is positioned precariously high on the hilltop and named after the ‘five fingers’ of protruding rock that it was once perched upon, before the collapse of part of the mountainside. Overlooking the southernmost coast of the Italian mainland, Pentedattilo is a crumbling abandoned town in the Reggio di Calabria province, with roots as a commercial town in the Greek and Roman eras, from 640 B.C.
Park at the vantage point next to the small restaurant, as the small town is only accessible by foot. The main street which winds through the town and past the church has been cobbled to make the town more accessible to visitors. From the 1980s, areas of the town were partly restored and it is now partly inhabited by volunteers from all over Europe, who sell handcrafts and local produce.
TRAVELLER’S TIP. Note that the small handicraft shops and the bar are not open all year round, so ensure that you take your own refreshments with you if visiting out of season.
Venture up the hill from the main cobbled street to visit the areas left completely abandoned. A bit of scrambling is involved so ensure that you are wearing sturdy footwear. Climb up behind the main town and you will be above the church spire, where you can find the remains of buildings astoundingly built into the rock face right at the top of the mountain. The views from up here are spectacular, both out over the town towards the coast, and also over the other side of the mountain to further inland.
There is a certain beauty to the crumbling remains of this ancient village, left completely abandoned for over a century. Enjoy this piece of history and the eery silence at 250m high, not possible in other regions due to an inundation of tourists. It is possible to visit at nighttime only in August, when the town’s pathways are illuminated even right to the top. Pentedattilo is also host to a film festival every year between August and September, for international short films.
