Badolato

A nativity scene overlooking the sea

Badolato Borgo, now part of the prestigious circuit of I Borghi più Belli d'Italia (Italy's Most Beautiful Villages), looks like a real nativity scene suspended between sky and sea. Its winding alleys, panoramic belvederes and stone houses tell centuries of history and resilience. From the central Piazza Castello, where the Norman fortress ordered by Robert Guiscard once stood, the two souls of the town branch off: U Mancusu and U Destru, divided by the main street. The 1539 Bell Tower, which once signaled the arrival of Saracen ships, is also located here.

The Land of Churches

With as many as 14 churches between the old town and the marina, Badolato is also known as the Land of Churches. Among the most important ones are:

-The 17th-century Church of the Immaculate Conception, scenically positioned at the foot of the village, with a blue and gold dome overlooking the valley.

-The Matrix Church of the Most Holy Savior, the religious and historical heart of the community.

-The Church of St. Catherine, which became famous for the protest of the village women who prevented the transfer of its fresco for restoration.

-The Convent of St. Mary of the Angels, now home to one of the Mondo X recovery communities founded by Father Eligio, surrounded by greenery and spirituality.

Traditions, welcome and revival

After a long period of depopulation, culminating in the famous 1986 announcement that Badolato was a "town for sale," the village experienced a rebirth thanks to its welcome: in 1997 it hosted 350 Kurdish refugees, showing the world what true solidarity means. This spirit also inspired director Wim Wenders, who told the story in the short film Il Volo.

Today the village is chosen as a buen retiro by artists, foreign retirees and travelers who wish to rediscover an authentic Italy. Some buy and renovate abandoned houses, turning them into hospitable residences that breathe new life into the urban fabric.

Film tourism, art and memory

Badolato is also a natural film set and hosts small film-tourism festivals. Strolling through the village, in addition to the noble palaces and catoi (ancient warehouses), one discovers the fascinating Pietre Parlanti, small works embedded in the walls of houses, created by artist Gianni Verdiglione: short visual and written tales that pass on local myths and stories.

Events and spirituality

Badolatese Holy Week is one of the most heartfelt religious events in the region. Particularly striking is the Holy Saturday procession, which animates the streets of the village with hundreds of costumed figures, re-enacting the Passion of Christ in a setting of great visual and spiritual impact.

Badolato is not just a tourist destination: it is a life experience, a journey into memory and the future, where hospitality has become a founding value. A place where stone tells stories, silence fills the soul and time seems to slow down to let you look at the world from a more authentic perspective.