In 410 AD, Alaric I — King of the Visigoths, who had just sacked Rome — died in Cosenza. According to Jordanes (6th-century historian), Alaric was buried in the bed of the Busento river (which was temporarily diverted) with the treasures he had looted from Rome, and the slaves who performed the burial were killed to keep the location secret. The treasure has never been found. It may still be under the Busento, beneath modern Cosenza. The old town (centro storico), on the hill above the river confluence, is an atmospheric medieval labyrinth climbing to the Castello Normanno-Svevo — narrow lanes, decaying palazzi, churches at every turn, and the reputation as "the Athens of Calabria" earned by the Accademia Cosentina (1511, one of the first academies in Italy) and the philosopher Bernardino Telesio (1509-1588, who influenced Galileo). Calabria →
Plan my Calabria trip →The old town (centro storico): Cross the Ponte Alarico (or the Calatrava bridge — a modern pedestrian bridge) to the old town on the hill. Climb through Via Padolisi to Corso Telesio — the main street passing the Duomo (12th century, UNESCO — a Byzantine icon of the Madonna, Frederick II's donation cross), churches (San Domenico, San Francesco d'Assisi), and decaying palazzi with carved portals. Castello Normanno-Svevo: At the summit — Norman foundation, rebuilt by Frederick II. Panoramic terrace. Free. Museo all'Aperto Bilotti (MAB): An open-air sculpture museum along Corso Mazzini (the modern main street) — works by De Chirico, Dalí, Consagra, and contemporary artists. Free. Calatrava Bridge (2018): Santiago Calatrava's 104m pedestrian bridge — a white steel harp connecting old and new Cosenza. The Busento confluence: Where the Busento meets the Crati — somewhere beneath this junction lies Alaric's tomb. Nobody has found it in 1,616 years.
Getting there: Cosenza station (Paola-Cosenza line — from Paola, on the Tyrrhenian coast line, 30min). By car: 1.5h from Lamezia airport. Stay: €40-75/night. Eat: L'Arco Vecchio (old town — €20-30, Calabrese mountain cuisine), Gran Caffè Renzelli (since 1803 — pastries, coffee). Combine with: Altomonte (45min — Simone Martini), Sila National Park (30min — highland forests, lakes), Morano Calabro (1h), Calabria Tyrrhenian coast (Paola, Amantea — 30min).