On the way to the spectacular Sila National Park and nestled amongst sweeping hills in the Savuto Valley, lies the quaint village of Rogliano in Calabria, Southern Italy.
Not frequented by many foreign tourists, you are assured of a genuine and warm Calabrese experience on your visit.
Getting there
If you’re lucky, you may get to travel on a double-carriage train. This is a much newer train and is in use for festivals and fairs such as the St Joseph’s fair in Cosenza, as these events draw many people to the city from neighbouring villages and the region.

From Cosenza’s Central train station, the rickety old one-carriage graffiti-splattered train whisks you around the hills to Rogliano. Well, perhaps ‘whisk’ isn’t quite the right word and ‘chugs’ is better, as you travel on a diesel train.
The journey takes around half an hour, travelling through beautiful mountainous countryside and forests, whilst you steadily climb the surrounding deep valleys.
This little trip to the mountains is quite special and I never tire of the view. And, always reminisce as to what this area must have been like when my father and his family grew up here, shame I never asked many questions when he was alive.
You never seem to enquire about your parent’s heritage while growing up. All that history and experience is lost forever once relatives are gone.
The more time I spend in Calabria and meet wonderful southern Italians, the more I want to learn about this region.
Everywhere has its ups and downs, and I’m not saying this area is perfect, but it has been good to me so far and I’m enjoying living here.
I am very lucky to travel through the various seasons, which provide a natural ever-changing and colourful backdrop – one more beautiful than the last.
Tip: Trains from Cosenza run on 2 different timetables during the year. The changeover for summer is from July to September and typically, fewer trains are scheduled.
Rogliano
Rogliano is the village where my grandmother was born, so I feel that my roots belong here…similar to my father’s village (Parenti), which is about a short 25-kilometre crazy bus ride into the mountains from Rogliano.
In these small isolated villages during my grandmother and father’s times, I’m told that babies were delivered in their homes and not in hospitals. Typically, this was done by a neighbour with some experience and a stand-in midwife. Lighting was scarce. Life was very basic and rustic.
Today, however, Rogliano boasts around 6,000 residents and although quaint, is bustling with many restaurants, coffee shops, museums, shops, and the medieval Old Town.
Sights
Meandering the streets of Rogliano and stopping for an espresso or an Aperitivo is wonderfully relaxing. The people-watching is also great. I love Rogliano’s village feel and Old Town.
A little walk up the hill from the train station will have you strolling the Corso (main street) with many little authentic bakeries, delicatessens, bar and gelato stops.
Once you visit the Corso and especially if you stop and meet a few locals along the way, if and when you return, you will be remembered.
Even though my Italian is improving, I don’t really blend in with locals here or in Italy for that matter, especially in small villages.
Perhaps it’s because my grandmother was from this village and this spot resonates with me, but I can understand the locals speaking the dialect (mostly), which incidentally, is a little different to the Parenti dialect.
An open-air street art museum with life-size sculptures grace Rogliano’s Corso alleyways, which is worth taking in on your stroll, but more on that later.
The Old Town
Following a powerful earthquake, the original village was re-built to its current position, which dates back to medieval times (1300-1400). Still intact and not having suffered the wraths of historical wars, a visit to Rogliano’s Old Town is a must.
Climbing up and down the narrow cobbled alleyways will leave you wanting to stop for a snack and rest.
Open-air art
A leisurely stroll along the Corso’s narrow alleyways and it’s not long before you bump into twelve intriguing sculptures made from either wood, stone, or iron.
The sculptures were completed during six days and artists only had six hours to complete their piece as the work was ranked.
A few of the sculptures look as though they took more than six hours to complete.
Food in Rogliano
Spending loads of time in Rogliano goes hand-in-hand with sampling Rogliano’s culinary delights.
Although nothing beats our friend’s famous and scrumptious dishes made with loving hands and with true Italian food obsession. Including, picking fresh fruit and vegetables from the garden, wonderfully cooked and delivered straight onto the table.
Ristorante Pizzeria Bella Rogliano
A group of us went to this restaurant that makes the only ‘real’ Pinsa in the village and what an incredible experience devouring this delicious dish!
A Pinsa is a type of pizza that I haven’t tried before, never really heard of until I arrived here – echoes of heathen.
A Pinsa is made with three different types of flour and is proved for around 150 hours in the fridge.
You cannot believe how light and fluffy this type of pizza is – simply divine. I urge everyone to try a Pinsa.
Ristorante Pizzeria La Lanterna
Newly opened on Vico Donnanni snc. with owners eager to please. Perched on a higher part of Rogliano, the views from the outside seating area stretch across the picturesque and undulating Camminella Valley.
Enter inside to be greeted with a very tasteful and fresh modern décor, which invites a cool atmosphere.
The Antipasto and Pizza are simply delicious and servings are plentiful. The usual beverages are available as is bottled and house wine. Eat your excellent pizza while enjoying great service in this noisy but fun ambience.
Slainte Irish Pub
Walk along Corso Umberto to discover this quiet pub in Rogliano – well it was quiet until our rowdy group rocked up.
Surrounded by exposed ancient stone walls and a low heavy-timbered ceiling, you feel as though you’re thrown back in an old English pub from the medieval period.
The blinding difference is the cost and strength of the drinks though – extremely cheap at €6 for 3 rums and one liqueur, accompanied by nibbles. All of this makes for a very pleasant experience, with lovely and friendly staff thrown in.
Bar Gelateria Misaggi
Stop along Via Antonia Guarasci, 18/20 for excellent coffee, pastries (€1.20+), service, and Aperitivo. This is a great breakfast stop for the obligatory café and Brioche, especially on a Sunday morning. At this time, local Roglianese flock and parade along the streets chatting the morning away, before speeding back home like a puff of wind for a leisurely Pranzo (lunch).
Pasticceria “Colosseo”
On Via A De Gaspei, 1/A-1/B, this lovely bar offers excellent coffee and wonderful baked-on-site pastries. Give this bar a go if you’re in the neighbourhood – it’s worth the stop.
Leaving Rogliano
It’s always sad leaving this lovely village, but I am also very lucky to be able to return anytime…
Visit Nilla’s Photography for more images. More posts on Italy at Image Earth Travel.
Thank you for your wonderful entries. My grandparents lived in Rogliano before emigrating to the US. I just got my Italian citizenship and I am starting to learn about Rogliano. I hope to visit sometime this year. Can you tell me if COVID has changed the town? I do not speak Italian, are the locals patient with English speaking tourists? I’d love to learn more about your move there. Where did you live before? Do you still have family in the town or nearby? It sounds like you spend time between Cosenza and Rogliano. How wonderful. Thanks again for your entries, I am so happy to learn about my roots.
With regards, Diana
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Hi Diana
Thank you for your lovely comment and emails.
Lucky you getting Italian Citizenship. Was it hard? It’s a hard slog if the Italian line has been broken, as in my case.
Born in Australia but to northern and southern Italian parents that emigrated to Australia (due to differing circumstances, met and married here) in the early 1950s, I decided to live in Cosenza for four years and yes, spent a lot of time in Rogliano. My grandmother was from Rogliano and moved to a smaller villager close by before moving to Parenti when she was married. So, in addition to good friends there, I have a lot of relatives in the gorgeous Sila.
I believe that COVID lockdowns changed everywhere in Italy, not just in Rogliano. I arrived back in Australia in 2020 and was supposed to be here for only 6 weeks but COVID hit and everything was cancelled due to closed borders and so, stranded here but hope to return very soon.
Yes, the locals are very patient with foreigners, especially throughout Calabria and southern Italy. They appreciate it when you make the effort and try just a few simple words. Locals also love that foreigners take the time to visit Calabria as this Italian region is always missed. Travellers visit the milk-run in the north down to Amalfi, then typically bypass the rest and travel straight down to Sicily. You won’t have a problem in Rogliano and the village also used to get a lot of exchange students from the US and Canada, but that dwindled with COVID.
If you’d like to learn more about your roots then I highly recommend visiting the State Archives in Cosenza’s Centro Storico as it holds a plethora of heritage information. Also if you’re lucky, you may get a look at how ancient books from around Italy are restored – fascinating! Also, Tony (if he still works there) is super helpful in tracking down your family history.
This Image Earth Travel site holds 83 articles on Italy but mostly on the south as this is where I spent most of my time. I’m not a Ghost Writer, instead, write everything from experience and take all the photos. (I do have 3 guest posts on this site, but that’s all.)
Let me know if you have more questions.
Best wishes and safe travels!
Nilla
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My Sicilia family came from Rogliano. would love to visit.
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Hi Dorothy
You should try and get there as it’s a lovely quiet village. Where in Sicily is your family from? I spent 9 days exploring beautiful Sicily, but it wasn’t enough.
How did you come across this post?
Thank you for leaving me a comment.
Cheers
Nilla
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My family is not from Sicily. My maiden name is Sicilia. The family comes from Rgliano in Calabria.
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Ah right, got you.
How did you come across my post? I have over 80 posts I’ve published on Italy – most in Calabria.
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What a lovely little place. The Corso looks fab, would love to wander along there. You’re photo are brilliant as always Nilla! x
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Thank you Gill and yes, Rogliano is a lovely village!
I’m lucky to have friends and relatives there to visit and enjoy an authentic southern Italian experience. 😉 xx
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That’s amazing Nilla how you feel you found your roots in Italy. A wonderful way to immerse into the local life🙂
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It really is and really appreciate the wonderful relatives and friends made in Calabria. I did go there with the intent of obtaining citizenship as wanted to live there 6 months of the year and in Oz for the other 6 months, but sadly, it was much too difficult. 😦
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I remember the times you were looking for the visa. That is very sad, you couldn’t finalize the paperwork, but maybe you can return one day and try again!
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Hi
No, I can’t as I’d have to live there for 3 consecutive years before applying, then it takes up to 4 years for the citizenship process to complete. Unless Italy changes its laws, I won’t be going through that bureaucratic pain again. But, thank you for your positive vibes. 🙂
Cheers
Nilla
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Wow, that’s a lot!!
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Yeah, funny as Italians believe it’s harder to become an Australian citizen but they’re totally wrong.
You only have to live in Australia for 4 years out of 5 before you can apply and I believe it only takes months to get citizenship, not years. Also, the rules are black and white whereas in Italy they’re 50 shades of grey. It also depends on who is facing you in which office and how they’re feeling on the day of your appointment. 😉
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I know there were pretty tough conditions to immigrate to Australia about 20 yrs ago, as while we were applying to move to Canada, some close friends moved to Australia. But getting the citizenship shouldn’t take more than few months, if you proved already you pay taxes and live there. But with EU might be different, as people tend to move from a country to another much easier, thus it is hard for them to decide which one lives where LOL
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Ah right, maybe it was harder 20 years ago.
It’s hard when your heritage is from a country but isn’t recognised as your parent/s became citizens of another country before your birth as happened in my case.
Sadly, Italy didn’t allow dual citizenship until 1992. I heard it only granted 12 months (not widely advertised) to its people that lost citizenship to another country to re-apply for Italian citizenship. I know that if my parents had known about this, they would have re-applied.
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Nice, love the door knocker, but that’s a lot of graffiti for a little train. Perhaps it makes the 6,000, which by Italian standards isn’t that small, feel as though they’re bordering on cosmopolitan…
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Hi Karen
Hope all is well with you.
Actually, this is another graffitti’d train I caught on a regular basis in my Parenti article, which after reaching Rogliano by train, a bus whisked you for around 25-minutes to Parenti.
Stay safe
Nilla
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Spectacular views on your train ride … I wish we had more trains here in SA. And what a great stroll through a village like Rogliano. That pizza looks delicious – the food in these ancient villages must be exceptional (especially since you have not tasted it anywhere else).
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This little train trip is gorgeous as it snakes around the hills while climbing higher into the Sila National Park.
The pizza in Italy is sensational as is the coffee, bread, pasta, gelato…I could go on and on… 😉
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Nilla great story and photos thanks!! I am English and I have lived many years in Roma and now in the Amalfi area, I love Italy and the south is amazing!!! Ciao Simon
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Ciao Simon
Thank you for the great feedback and your story! Sounds like you’re in a beautiful part of Italy, but then again, much of Italy is beautiful. 😉
I’ll check your site out…
Cheers
Nilla
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Amazing photos. You make it sound so beautiful Nila, I can’t wait to visit quaint Rogliano.
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Hi Debbie
Thanks for the great feedback – made my week!
I can’t wait to return. When are you thinking of visiting?
Cheers
Nilla
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How lovely to be able to go back to your roots and in such a fascinating place. I was actually born at home..in London in 1948. The house is still there..block of houses I should say. It’s gone up-market! I have never been back since we left in 1956. I became “rootless”. Like you, I never asked enough questions!
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Sounds like a great story to document!
I published another post where my sister came over and we found the old stone house that my father and his brothers were born in – still standing and quite emotional. This was just outside of Parenti in a little area named Timpone. Scroll a third of the way down this post and you’ll see the house. It’s quite sad as my father always longed to return before he died but never had the opportunity – his heart always remained in Calabria.
Can’t wait to return!
Cheers
Nilla
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An interesting city to visit and good food of course 😉
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Spent a lot of time in this small village – missing the experience and of course, the food!
Thank you for your comment. 🙂
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