Visit Gerocarne, the village of potters
2 minutes
The village of Gerocarne is nestled among the centuries-old forests of what was once the most inaccessible part of the Parco Regionale delle Serre, in the province of Vibo Valentia.
Once known in the news of the time as the hideout of the bandit Giuseppe Musolino, to whom a picturesque hiking route along the Sentiero del Brigante (Bandit’s Trail) is now dedicated, the village is today famous for Gerocarne pottery, handed down by generations of master potters, and for the lush Ariola di Gerocarne nursery.
Ready for a trip to the village of the potters?
The ceramics of Gerocarne
We are in the heart of the Serre Vibonesi (Parco Regionale delle Serre): here, amidst centuries-old beech forests and aromatic plants of all kinds, lies a small village dedicated to the historic craft of terracotta pottery. This is not just any old craft, because the famous Gerocarne ceramics are still made today in the same way as they were in the Middle Ages. Don’t believe us? Join us as we discover a centuries-old tradition, passed down through the generations within a long-established family of potters.
In this area, the traditional vessels used in the kitchen to cook soups, stews and typical Calabrian sauces, or to hold water and wine, are called ‘argàgni’, ‘pignàte’ or ‘gòzza’, depending on their use and shape. To find out more, we visit the Papillo family, the historic potters of Gerocarne, who are waiting for us in their home-workshop, which is heralded by pottery of all shapes and sizes. The Papillo family are proud of their method of working and firing the glazed terracotta, which is made from clay from the Serre area (known as ‘ crìta ’ in the local dialect).
This method has remained unchanged since ancient times and still uses a foot-powered potter’s wheel and a medieval-style firing chamber, following a process with zero environmental impact: first, the clay is moistened and kneaded; then, it is worked on the wheel, allowed to dry and finally fired in a large ‘igloo’ made from shards and processing waste. In the final stages, the vessels may be decorated with traditional symbols (often with an apotropaic function, to ward off the evil eye). Gerocarne ceramic vessels are perfect for slow-cooking many traditional Calabrian dishes, including the incomparable bean soups.
Ariola di Gerocarne: what to see in the surrounding area
What is there to see in and around Gerocarne? After bidding farewell to the master potters who create Gerocarne pottery, we take a stroll through the small historic centre, admiring the Church of Santa Maria de Latinis, which dates back to mediaeval times but was rebuilt after the 18th-century earthquake, like most of the buildings and other small churches scattered throughout the surrounding area.
A real gem not to be missed is the wonderful ‘Vivaio Ariola’, located a short distance away in the hamlet of Ariola di Gerocarne: an attraction that delights young and old alike and is worth visiting in any season of the year. It is one of the 9 Regional Forest Nurseries that play a crucial role in preserving local biodiversity, and its collection includes maples, holly trees, linden trees, chestnut trees, cypresses and even a specimen of ginkgo biloba, a true living fossil!
Another great attraction for lovers of nature and regional walking routes is the so-called Sentiero del Brigante (Bandit’s Trail), which allows visitors to discover the fascinating story of the bandit Giuseppe Musolino, one of Italy’s most famous. Setting off from Gerocarne, near the small fountain in the hamlet of Gagliolo, you enter the dense woodland of the Parco Regionale delle Serre and traverse a highly evocative natural landscape: from the plateau between Colaiello and Castania to the Bosco Morano, where it is easy to encounter families of charcoal burners still at work, until you reach the imposing Pietra delle Armi.
