Lake Cecita

Lake Cecita

Highlight • Lake

Lake Cecita

Cycling

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Gravel riding

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Road cycling

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Location: Spezzano Della Sila, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy

Tips

June 22, 2025

Cycling

If you are driving or hiking in Calabria and it suddenly becomes quieter, colder, and the signal gets weaker - it is a sign that you are close to the Mucone Valley. You will not find here promenades with ice cream shops or selfie sticks. Instead: a river, forests, a lake, and sometimes wild animals.

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Tomás Bryl

June 22, 2025

Cycling

Geography is clear: the Mucone Valley lies in the Sila Grande massif, at an altitude of around 1,100 to 1,500 m above sea level. It is crossed by the Mucone River, which not only carved out the valley but also inspired man to dam its waters, creating today the impressive Lago di Cecita, the largest artificial reservoir in Calabria. It has a surface area of around 12 km² and its presence has changed the local microclimate, fauna and landscape. Some say for the better. Others say simply “differently”.

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Tomás Bryl

June 22, 2025

Cycling

The Mucone Valley, surrounded by the forests of the Sila Grande, was for centuries a key part of the so-called transumanza, the seasonal migration of shepherds and their flocks between the warm valleys of Calabria and the cool mountain pastures. In summer, shepherds would travel to the mountains, where the Sila plateau had lower temperatures and higher humidity, providing fresh, lush grass, ideal for grazing. In winter, they would descend to the lower areas by the Ionian Sea, where the milder climate and warmer conditions allowed them to survive the cold winter months.

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