Trekking to the rock village of Falanga with Nemo Association

We leave from the Piazza di Serrara and proceed through the sentieri CAI 501 in a wild and fascinating landscape on the west side of the island (Forio), until you reach the Frassitelli forest, a terrace of dense acacia trees. In the forest, locust trees shade moss-covered rocks, lichens, and wild fennel.

Ihe undergrowth is the realm of the wild rabbit which has played and plays a key role in local culinary tradition.

Continuing along the trail, one enters the Falanga forest. Here, reality meets fantasy: The dense and majestic chestnut forest hides a stone village whose origins date back to the Middle Ages, when the inhabitants of this side of the island began digging temporary shelters, cellars, in the giant green tufa boulders of Epomeo to stay close to the cultivated fields-but also to escape the raids of corsairs.

In addition to the interior spaces, the stone here has also been skillfully engraved on the exterior. In fact, the village is characterized by the presence of other artifacts such as vats for wine production (the “palmenti”) and systems for channeling and collecting rainwater, all of which are completely carved into the tuff boulders scattered across this plateau.

We then come across another work of engineering: the snow pits, large circular holes with dry stone wall walls (the “parracine”), used to accumulate and store ice for the summer and coastal areas.

Coming out of the woods, as if by magic here appears a small village and a church: we are in Santa Maria al Monte, upper part of Forio, the starting point of the small mountain road that, through a long but comfortable descent, closes this intense journey between history and nature.