Transhumance Routes in the Perspective of Tourist Use: Case Studies in Calabria, Italy

The study examines the phenomenon of transhumance in Calabria, through two case studies. Unlike the other regions, the Calabrian transhumance is characterized by the majority use of sheep breeds, for the brevity of the tracks and for the difficulty of the same. Furthermore, although the phenomenon has historical roots, the passage of animals on “carrere” has always assumed a precarious character and has not left significant structures in the areas concerned. The study examines two transhumance routes in areas very close to the city of Reggio Calabria, in the south of Italy. That deals with routes historically used by shepherds to bring the flocks to higher altitudes and rich in water and pastures in the hot summer months. Results demonstrates that part of the first route has been absorbed by driveways, so its recovery, even for tourism purposes, seems difficult to propose. The second route, placed in environments that are not heavily populated and the environmental context is less compromised with more space to a hypothesis of recovery and enhancement, also with a view to widespread hospitality, a reception touristic model that in certain aspromontane areas has recorded great interest in recent years.