Sila in winter: snow, forests and adrenaline-fuelled adventures

Fancy skiing in Sila? You'll be spoiled for choice! Sila in winter is perfect for alpine and cross-country skiers, with a choice of ski areas in the park. The main slopes are located in Lorica, in the province of Cosenza, a mountain hamlet in the Municipality of San Giovanni in Fiore (1,314 m). A triumph of snow in Sila, Lorica offers skiers a cable car that takes them to the top in no time, on the Blue, Red and Black category slopes.

With the integrated ski pass, you can also ski in Sila at nearby Camigliatello Silano, in the municipality of Spezzano della Sila, where there are two gondola lifts with enclosed cabins and 2 downhill ski slopes (blue and red). If, on the other hand, you want to ski in Sila in the province of Crotone, Villaggio Palumbo is the place for you! The mountain hamlet of the Municipality of Cotronei offers picturesque scenery, 2 chairlifts and a ski lift to reach Monte Gariglione (1,765 m) and its slopes with artificial snow and night lighting.

Other sports to practise in the Sila in winter? In Lorica, you can try your hand at snowboarding and a fun bobsleigh run. Little ones and snow sports enthusiasts will be captivated by the fun of the Snowpark and the Mareneve Ski School in Villaggio Palumbo. Do you have a soft spot for snowshoeing in the Sila? Then the right places to be are the woods of the Sila Grande, Piccola and Greca: Fago del Soldato, Monte Cupone, Silvana Mansio and then Tirivolo and the upper Valle del Tacina, Trepidò Soprano and Sottano. Perfect locations for snowshoeing, even over several days.

With snowshoes, you can reach the romantic Sila lakes: Lake Arvo, Lake Cecita and Lake Ampollino, among the main ones. Their snow-covered shores are perfect for a romantic getaway to enjoy winter in Sila. 

The Sila in winter is also a perfect destination for those travelling with their four-legged friend! If you love animals, don't miss the birdwatching activities and the adrenaline-pumping sledging and cross-country skiing trips offered by the Centro Fondo Carlomagno: located at 1,500 metres, this centre is the largest cross-country complex in Calabria and one of the largest in central‑southern Italy, with a mountain hut offering refreshments and all kinds of equipment to enjoy snow in the Sila. An unmissable event is held here for those who visit the Sila in winter: the "Criterium Interappenninico", the crossing of the Sila with sled dogs, which features international champions of the sport.

Among the forests of the Sila, in the municipalities of Taverna, Sorbo San Basile and Zagarise, there are some of the most picturesque mountain tourist villages in the region, such as Villaggio Mancuso, and a series of Visitor Centres dedicated to the discovery of the flora and fauna of the Sila, perfect for young and old: from MABOS – Museo d'Arte del Bosco della Sila to the "Monaco" Visitor Centre. Winter in Sila Grande is no less impressive! There are many fun alternatives to skiing: from visits to geological and archaeological sites, to the "Nave della Sila" Emigration Narrative Museum, passing through the Cupone Visitor Centre and an unforgettable ride aboard the Historic Sila Train, the original steam locomotive that crosses the park.

Does winter in the Sila mean relaxation, wellbeing and good food to you? All that remains is to rely on the professionalism of the hotels, accommodation facilities and wellness centres that offer the pleasure of lake-view whirlpool pools, set amid the forests of the Sila, where you can unwind while sipping a steaming herbal infusion. The high-altitude huts and refuges are a warm nest in which to find refreshment and typical Sila products: Sila Potato PGI prepared in a thousand ways, Caciocavallo Silano PDO and Pecorino Crotonese PDO melted on a griddle or over pasta dishes, with mushrooms, soups and platters featuring Sila cured meats.