Strait Wellness Gran Fondo at Altafiumara

Altafiumara Resort & Spa · Villa San Giovanni, Costa Viola, Calabria

8 November 2026

On Sunday 8 November 2026 the Altafiumara Resort & Spa, on the Calabrian shore of the Strait of Messina at Villa San Giovanni, hosts the Gran Fondo dello Stretto Wellness, a day that brings together three outdoor activities: cycling, with the Gran Fondo dello Stretto on scenic roads; pilates, with workshops and hands-on sessions on balance and mobility; and nature walks in the Strait landscape. The event is listed on the Calabria Region's Calabria Straordinaria portal. The route, start times, fees and how to register have not been published yet, so check the details with the organisers before you travel.

A day in three parts: cycling, pilates and walks

The Gran Fondo dello Stretto Wellness takes place on Sunday 8 November 2026 at Altafiumara, in the municipality of Villa San Giovanni. The listing published by the Calabria Region on its Calabria Straordinaria portal describes it as a day devoted to exercise, wellbeing and getting to know the Strait of Messina through outdoor sport.

The programme combines three experiences. The first is cycling, with the Gran Fondo dello Stretto, aimed at riders who enjoy scenic routes. The second is pilates, offered as workshops and hands-on sessions focused on balance, mobility and physical wellbeing. The third is a series of nature walks, designed to give a close-up view of the landscape and features of the coast overlooking the Strait.

What is known and what is missing

For now the only public source on the event is the regional listing, also picked up by the URPinRETE portal. The Gran Fondo route, distances, climbing, start time and the schedule of the pilates sessions and walks have not been released.

The poster published on the regional portal is credited to the page of ASI Calabria, the regional committee of ASI, an Italian sports promotion body: it is the most direct contact for the rules and how to register. If you plan to ride, ask early about membership and the medical certificate, which Italian gran fondo events normally require.

Altafiumara, a Bourbon fort above the Strait

Altafiumara stands on a sheer cliff above the Strait, near Cannitello, a district of Villa San Giovanni. The complex grew out of the Forte di Santa Trada, an eighteenth-century Bourbon battery that, together with the fort at Torre Cavallo, guarded the crossing between Calabria and Sicily. Damaged in the 1783 earthquake, it was rebuilt in 1811 on the orders of Joachim Murat.

In 1860 the fort saw fighting between Bourbon troops and Garibaldi's men, who had landed at the mouth of the Santa Trada stream. Once its military role ended the building fell into ruin; bought by a private company and restored, it became the hotel that hosts the day, the Altafiumara Resort & Spa.

Getting to Altafiumara

The address given in the regional listing is Via Petrello, Villa San Giovanni. By car, take the A2 motorway to the Villa San Giovanni exit, then the SS18 coast road north towards Cannitello and Santa Trada. From Sicily, ferries from Messina dock at the port of Villa San Giovanni, a few kilometres from the resort.

By train, the nearest station is Villa San Giovanni on the Tyrrhenian line, served by regional and long-distance trains; from there you need a taxi or a car. The sources do not mention dedicated parking or shuttle buses: if you are bringing a bike, ask the organisers where to leave your car.

Registration and practical information

Participation fees, registration procedures and deadlines have not been published yet, and it is not stated whether the pilates sessions and walks are open to people who are not taking part in the bike ride. The best approach is to contact the ASI regional committee through its official channels before planning your trip, and to check this page again closer to the date.

In early November the days are shorter and temperatures lower than in summer, so layered clothing makes sense for both cycling and walking. If you want to stay for the weekend, the portal lists holiday rentals and local businesses in Villa San Giovanni.

Villa San Giovanni and the Costa Viola

Villa San Giovanni is Calabria's main gateway to Sicily: ferries leave its port for Messina, on the other side of the Strait. Cannitello, the district where Altafiumara stands, looks across to the Sicilian coast at Capo Peloro.

Heading north on the SS18 you enter the Costa Viola: Scilla, with Castello Ruffo and the fishing quarter of Chianalea, is a few kilometres away, and further on are Bagnara Calabra and Palmi. To the south, in Reggio Calabria, the National Archaeological Museum is home to the Riace Bronzes. For other events in the province around the same dates, see the events calendar.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 Strait Wellness Gran Fondo?

On Sunday 8 November 2026 at Altafiumara (Villa San Giovanni). Times for the individual activities have not been published yet.

Where is Altafiumara?

The Altafiumara Resort & Spa is on Via Petrello in Villa San Giovanni, near Cannitello, on a cliff overlooking the Strait of Messina.

What activities are planned?

Three: cycling with the Gran Fondo dello Stretto, pilates workshops and hands-on sessions, and nature walks around the Strait.

How much does it cost to take part?

Fees and registration details are not public yet. Ask the organisers before the event.

Who is organising the day?

The regional listing does not say. The poster is credited to the ASI Calabria page, the most direct contact for information.

Can I join only the pilates or the walks?

The sources do not say. Ask the organisers when you enquire about registration.

How do I get to Altafiumara?

By car, take the A2 to the Villa San Giovanni exit and then the SS18 towards Cannitello. By train, get off at Villa San Giovanni; from Sicily, take a ferry from Messina.

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