A small village nestled in the woods of the Savuto valley. A fraction of the Municipality of Marzi, in the province of Cosenza, represents the last fortress of the Orsi in Calabria. This enchanted village is still today a box of emotions. A treasure chest steeped in tradition and above all legend. According to some reconstructions, bears roamed freely in Calabria until 1700. And the woods surrounding Orsara are the protagonists of this authentic story. Houses built in stone, an oven located in the village of fairy tales, a fountain with a strong symbolic value, and the colors of life.
Orsara: "Ara of the Bear"
In this earthly paradise, time passes slowly, few inhabitants. Chestnut groves, oak woods, hidden caves, this mixture amplifies the extra gear of the place. Ara dell'Orso, this is the term strongly emphasized in Orsara.
The smell of bread
Walking through the narrow streets of Orsara, with a pinch of imagination, the scent of bread floats in the air. The suggestive wood-burning oven, built to prepare this product in the harsh winters, traces a well-defined path in the history of traditions. Stone reigns supreme. It shapes the beauty of the characteristic houses of the Calabrian village. The chestnut tradition is a cornerstone of the place. Around the village, there are dozens of monumental trees still present today.
The bread of the poor
In the heart of Orsara, the chestnut harvest has strongly determined the life of the mountain populations. The famous "caselle", stone structures used for the conservation and processing of chestnuts. And the oven? Exactly, remember well. The oven in the main square was a bulwark of hope. Bread for the poor was made from chestnut flour. This essential food to be able to survive in the harsh winters is present in all Calabrian gastronomy.
The caves in the woods
A series of caves are scattered in the woods around the village of Orsara. Ravines that capture the traveler's attention. The bears presumably found refuge in these natural inlets. The presence of many wild hives consolidates this historical reconstruction: also because this mammal loved to eat honey.
