There is a place in Zungri where time has stopped running to make room for the slow pace of nature. Here, in the heart of the Stone City, a community guards the most precious secret of rural Calabria: the cult of handmade bread. Don't expect a sterile cooking lesson; get ready for a total immersion led by the charismatic Signora Franca. Her language is pure Calabrian, but her gestures and warmth are universal: she will make herself understood by every soul that wants to listen.

The day begins at 9:30 AM, transforming you into true farmers of the past: you will wear “maccaturi e faddali” (handkerchief and apron) and plunge your hands into the “madhja”, working a sourdough starter that has been breathing for over 95 years. Between kneading sessions, the air will be filled with “cunti” (ancient tales) and the beat of the tarantella, which will draw you into liberating dances.

While the bread rises, you can lose yourself in the Rock Caves of Zungri or the painted portals of the village. The culmination of the experience is the Banchetto dei Sapori alla Contadina: a generous feast, set up in an ancient 'o pagghiaru, where you will taste only what the land offers. The finale is pure magic: the scent of the wood-fired oven that announces the “pitta avanti fornu”, the warm bread that tastes of home, history and love.

One important thing: the experience is held in Calabrian (not in Italian!). And don't worry if you don't speak either language: Mrs. Franca manages to make everyone understand!