Discover Zungri

Zungri offers cultural and historical points of interest, from its rock settlement to museums and sacred art, as well as the local history of Papaglionti Vecchio. When planning your stay, it is worth checking opening hours and separately noting which guided tours require reservations.

Visiting and getting your bearings

The Museo delle grotte di Zungri is open Monday to Sunday, from 09:00 to 18:00; guided tours are available by reservation. Check the opening hours before your visit and reserve a tour if you plan to take one.

The Museo della Civiltà Rupestre e Contadina is located at the entrance to the access avenue leading to the rock settlement. It displays household items, tools, clothing and textiles associated with rural life, fieldwork and the processing of grapes, olive oil, grain, broom, hemp, flax and wool. The collection also includes objects from religious life, sacred objects and evidence of popular devotion. Simple furnishings from the 19th and 20th centuries round out the collection. Here, evidence of work and domestic life sits alongside objects used in religious practice.

Rock settlement and archaeological traces

The Grotte degli Sbariati comprises dozens of rock-cut units: some are carved into the rock, while others are built. They were used as dwellings, shelters for domestic animals, for making wine and lime, and for storing grain. The oldest traces appear to date from the 8th to the 12th century. The Grotte di Zungri are set in a natural environment.

A visit to the Grotte degli Sbariati is not recommended for people with reduced mobility because of architectural barriers, steps, and uneven, steep terrain. Take these conditions into account when planning your visit.

The Grotta Trisulina is a buried Roman villa dating from the Augustan period. Four arches resting on five pillars divide it into two aisles, forming a cryptoporticus. While the Sbariati are distinguished by the different ways their rock-cut units were used in the past, the Grotta Trisulina is notable for the architectural layout of a Roman villa.

Sacred art and tradition

The church of Madonna della Neve houses a 145 × 108 cm panel painting of Madonna della Neve. It is attributed to a southern Italian painter who trained at Raphael’s school in the 16th century. The description of the work combines a precise measurement with an art-historical attribution.

The church of Maria SS.ma della Neve was elevated to the status of Diocesan Marian Shrine on 24 June 2006. The feast of Madonna della Neve is celebrated on 5 August and is preceded by a solemn novena. If you would like to plan your trip around this feast, you can use the date as a guide.

Papaglionti and getting there

Papaglionti Vecchio is an abandoned village and a hamlet of Zungri. After flood damage, it was relocated a few kilometres uphill in the 1980s. The history of the area also includes the relocation of a village following flood damage.

By road, take the A3 exit at S. Onofrio near Vibo Valentia, then follow the state road towards Tropea and continue along a provincial road. Check road conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Vibo Marina, Spilinga, Parghelia, Serra San Bruno, Cessaniti, San Cono, Sant'onofrio, Zambrone

Back to the regional travel overview: Vibo Valentia.