Overview

Part of the Pollino National Park, Sangineto is a hilly centre of ancient origins, combining sea and mountain with its territory.

The historic centre of Sangineto, with its typically medieval layout, is one of the most characteristic examples of sea/mountain proximity in Calabria: a hinge between Sangineto Lido, on the Riviera dei Cedri, and the foothills of the Pollino.

Although Sangineto has developed a strong marine tourism vocation, so much so that Sangineto Lido is one of the most popular summer destinations in the ‘’Riviera dei Cedri‘’ Regional Marine Park, the panoramic aspect of the mountains and valleys that frame the historic centre is also of great interest to excursion lovers.

The steep steps in the centre lead to the monumental Castello del Principe, built in the second half of the 14th century by the Sangineto counts and part of the itinerary of the Historic Houses in Calabria. It is a quadrangular building with four cylindrical towers placed at the corners and embellished, to the south-west, by a 16th-century loggia. Religious buildings worth visiting in Sangineto include the Mother Church of S. Maria della Neve, with its fine 14th-century portal in tuffaceous stone and a 17th-century baptismal font, and the remains of the Convent of San Francesco di Paola, dating from 1558.

Those who love hiking in the mountains can easily reach Lake Penna, on the slopes of the ridge, of great speleological interest due to the karstic nature of the area surrounding it, the summit of Mount Cannitello and, above all, the Vuglio Waterfall (u Gùgliu), inside a monumental cave not far from the village, which can be reached via the attractive ‘’Dream Path‘’. Those who love the sea will find their paradise at Sangineto Lido, a well-equipped shoreline that alternates small bays of mixed sand and gravel with sloping seabed rich in marine flora and fauna.