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Around and about in Calabria.
Calabria is the deep south of Italy on the big toe of the "boot" just where it is about to kick Sicily across the Mediterranean. This is an area which has been ruled by many different cultures over the centuries with Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Spanish, French and the Bourbons all having ruled here at different times. In more recent history, Calabria was a very harsh and poor area of Italy in which to live. It had a reputation of being a dangerous place to visit due to the wild and mountainous land and the bandits who hid in the mountains and would ambush the unwary traveller. In the latter part of the last century however, thanks to better roads, more contact with the rest of Italy and enormous state funding, Calabria is now a much more prosperous and peaceful place to live and work. Many new industries have sprung up and tourism is expanding, especially along the coast. The Calabrian people are now able to show their natural sense of hospitality, friendliness and generosity to the many visitors who now come to Calabria in both summer and winter.
In the recent past many Calabrese, unable to find work locally, emigrated to America, Canada, Australia and the U.K. Nowadays many of them and their descendants are returning to Calabria to search for their roots or renew family contacts and some are rebuilding their old family homes and staying for good. Although Calabria is still relatively unknown to the British holidaymaker, many visitors come here from Canada, the U.S.A., Europe and of course other parts of Italy. They are drawn to the area by the miles of beautiful sandy beaches along the coasts of both the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas and the splendour of the mountainous interior with its lakes and forests. The many different rulers of the past have left a lot of ancient archaeological sites to visit and the area is rich in castles, fortified towers and old churches. Many of the local towns and villages date back many centuries and are positioned on top of steep hills and surrounded by medieval town walls.
Caccuri from La Roccia
Along the Tyrrhenian coastline there are many popular seaside resorts including Praia a Mare in the north and Tropea, a resort very popular with Italian holidaymakers. South of Tropea is a stretch of coastline known as the Costa Viola, or Violet Coast, as this is the colour of the sea and sky in the early evening. The east coast of Calabria is characterised by the mountains, which, in places, plunge almost vertically into the clear emerald sea. Many of the beaches are in secluded inlets in the cliffs and there are grottos and islands along the coast, which can be visited by boat. At Villa San Giovanni, the Straits of Messina are only 3 kilometres wide and from here it is possible to take a ferry to visit Sicily. Continuing down the coast the next place of note is Reggio di Calabria. Reggio along with Messina and many other cities along this stretch of coast was completely destroyed in an earthquake in 1908 and has been completely rebuilt. Although the town is mostly modern the cathedral was reconstructed in1928 and contains the marble column, which according to legend was set alight by St Paul to convince the local population that they should convert to Christianity. Also the Chapel of the Holy Eucharist, richly decorated with inlaid marble is in the cathedral. The National Museum of Reggio Calabria houses many artefacts from prehistoric times and from the Greek period as well as items from Calabrias more recent history. These include two bronze statues from the 5th century, which were discovered by a diver in 1972 in the sea in front of Riace Marina.
Castle at San. Severina
As the coast begins to turn northwards to the Ionian sea the coastline becomes flatter with long stretches of white sandy beaches which with the beautiful clear blue sea are ideal for bathing, snorkelling and diving and many other water sports. Or, for the less energetic, just simply lying on the sand and soaking up the sun. Along this coast lies Locri, founded in the 7th century B.C. by the Greeks and where many ruins of temples and the amphitheatre still remain today. Locri is also a busy seaside resort. A short distance inland from Locri is Gerace with a very well preserved and interesting historical centre. The Cathedral, which was built in 1045 on the site of a much earlier church, is large and majestic and was built using columns from the temples of ancient Locri and other buildings. Back along the coast there are many more towns and villages with historical centres, interesting churches and many ancient remains of the Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods as well as small tourist developments along the beaches. Catanzaro, the main city of the province is now an important commercial centre and at Marina Catanzaro there is a well-developed seaside resort. Le Castella is another pleasant seaside village with an Aragonese castle on a small island connected to the mainland by an isthmus. It is also very popular for diving and other water sports. A little further along the coast is Capo Colonna named after the only remaining column of the Temple of Hera, which now stands alone on the promontory surrounded by the remains of other Greek buildings. A tower once used for defence, which is a typical feature of this coastline, now houses a museum containing pottery, columns and jars which have been found in the surrounding sea. The city of Crotone is the next place of interest along the Ionian coast. Crotone has an international airport at S. Anna although there are no direct flights to or from the U.K. at present there are flights from other European, and of course, Italian airports. Crotone has a daily street market and an attractive and busy shopping centre with plenty of good shops. There is also a pleasant seafront promenade and many restaurants and bars for refreshment. Continuing along the Ionian coast we come to the well-known wine area of Ciro`. The old town if Ciro` lies in the hills and is characterised by narrow medieval streets with a castle and the ruins of the old town walls. The surrounding hills are covered with vineyards and there are numerous "cantina's" to visit and taste the excellent Ciro` wine. On the coast Ciro` Marina is a flourishing seaside resort and working fishing harbour. Further along this coast are many other towns, which all have an old town perched on higher ground inland and a newer Lido or Marina built on the coast now that there is no longer any need to fear invaders from the sea.
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Lake Ampollino |
Winter Mountains! |
Moving inland the scenery changes dramatically as the roads climb into the thickly forested mountains. This part of Calabria was declared a national park in 1968 and includes the Sila Grande and the Sila Piccolla. The park gives protection to many species of trees including chestnut, larches, beeches and pine. It is also home to the last of the Sila's wolves, wild boar and many other animals. Eagles, buzzards and other birds of prey soar above the landscape that varies from rocky peaks and wooded hillsides to lakes and meadows in the valleys. This variety of habitats means the park is a haven for wild birds and also birdwatchers. The average height of the plateau is between 1200 and 1300 metres with Mount Botte Donato being the highest point at 1928 metres. The major lakes are Lago Arvo, Lago Ampollino and Lago Cecita. The villages here are more reminiscent of Switzerland than Italy with their alpine chalet type buildings and lodges. During the winter the Sila becomes a skiing resort and has all the facilities you would expect for a winter holiday. Camigliatello has shops, bars and restaurants and a cable car to transport skiers to Mount Curico. There is also a narrow gauge steam railway, which runs regular excursions through spectacular scenery to Cosenza, a university town on the eastern side of the Sila. Close to Camigliatello are the famous woods of the Bosco di Fallistro where you can see the Giganti della Sila trees, which are over 500 years old 130ft high and 6ft across. These are part of the last remains of the ancient forests, which covered this part of Italy before the Romans cut them all to build their ships. Replanting means that the park is once again thickly forested and green. Access to the park is unrestricted but all visitors must respect the environment. There are picnic areas and signed walks at points of interest.
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Promenade at Crotone |
The scenery! |
As the land slopes down towards the sea and Crotone, along the SS107 there are several more places of interest. San Giovanni in Fiore has a 12th century abbey which is still in use but is open to the public. The surrounding medieval streets are part of a conservation area and make a pleasant walk. Here there are bars and shops selling local handicrafts and produce. A short distance away the village of Caccuri is worth a visit for its castle, historical centre and geleteria. In the evening during the summer it has a pleasant holiday atmosphere with the villagers and visitors taking a stroll or sitting outside the bars with a drink or an ice cream. Heading down towards the coast again, the ancient town of San. Severina dominates the valley of the River Neto from its lofty position atop a steep hill. The Norman castle gives splendid views across the valley and towards the coast on three sides. During recent restoration the remains of much earlier buildings and a necropolis were uncovered and are on display to the visiting public. The castle is in very good condition with many rooms having frescoes by Francesco Giordano on the walls and ceilings and replica costumes from different periods of the castles occupation on display. There are also many of the finds discovered during the restoration work on display in the rooms where they were found or used. The castle regularly holds art exhibitions and is used at weekends for weddings and must give the couples a truly magical day to remember. San. Severna also has a Norman church, which has older origins and includes a Byzantine baptistery. The church buildings also house the Archbishops Museum containing relics found during excavations. San Severna is one of the loveliest old towns in Italy and is visited by many tourists from around the world. There are many other towns and villages nestling in the mountains and valleys of this region, to numerous to mention them all but all worth a visit in their own right. Any drive along the mountain roads will lead you to a small village, sometimes abandoned, but always charming. In some of the smaller and more remote places life has changed very little and it is still possible to see the older people in their traditional dress sitting on their doorsteps making baskets, or embroidery and other handicrafts. These are usually on sale in the local shops and make excellent souvenirs of a visit to this very different part of Italy.