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Information by City R - Z
Reggio di Calabria
Reggio di Calabria (approx. 180,000 inhabitants) is the previous capital of Calabria, and today is the largest and oldest city in the Calabria region. Since it was founded by the Greeks in the 720 BC, Reggio di Calabria has always played a dominant role in southern Italy. Once thriving a city with important historical buildings from the Byzantine, medieval and baroque periods, Reggio Calabria was hit by a catastrophic earthquake that almost destroyed all architectural treasures in 1908.
Today, the city is modern and is known for its friendly, Mediterranean atmosphere. Visitors should visit, "the most beautiful mile in Italy" known as Lungomare Matteotti. With its palm trees, magnolias, cypress, pine, ficus and flowerbeds as well as the pastel-colored, magnificent Art Nouveau villa, by the Italian poet Gabriele d''Annunzio designated as "il pių bel chilometro d'Italia". Enjoy a splendid view of Sicily and in good visibility on the Etna. The largest religious building in Calabria is the Cathedral which has been destroyed several times by earthquakes. After the 1920 quake, it was rebuilt from its original form in the Romanesque style to new. In its vicinity are the domed roof of the church Optimat "Chiesa degli Ottimati". This church is situated opposite the mighty "Castello Aragonese", a rebuilt medieval castle once from the 15th Century. With the National Museum in the city has the most important collections in Italy. There are the two famous bronze statues of Riace, a legacy of theMagna Graecia. Downtown Reggio has the elegant Corso Garibaldi to stroll in and shop. Reggio di Calabria known by the cultivation of bergamot, and the production of delicious local specialties such as bergamot-ice, liqueur, pastry, etc.
Museum Archeologico Nazionale
Piazza De Nava 26
Tel: 0965 / 5812255/6
Open: Daily. 9:00-8:00; Sat 9:00-11:00
The museum houses the two famous "Bronzi di Riace" which were found 30 years ago on the coast of Riace. Furthermore, there are objects from the period of Greek colonization in Calabria to paintings from the Calabrian painter Mattia Preti.
Museum dello Strumento Musicale
Via Pineta Zerbi
Tel: 0965 / 893233
Open: Dailyl. 9:30-12:30
A private museum with 800 instruments from all over the world. The traditional Calabrian dance called "Tarantella Calabrese" should be paid special attention to.
Museum dell'Artigianato tessile della Seta, Costume e Moda Calabrese
Via Re Ruggero 9
Tel: 0965 / 336155
Open: Sat 8:30-12:30 and on request
History, Present, and manufacture of traditional costumes.
Rossano
The picturesque town of Rossano (34,000 inhabitants), is surrounded by extensive olive groves, and it lies on the steep slopes of a hill. Even the mountains of Sila and the beaches of the Ionian sea can be reached in a short time. Present mainly due to the work of Basilian monks its greatest flowering in the Byzantine period between the 8th and 9 Century
The beautiful cathedral of the Baroque period and the beautiful church of S. Marco were founded between the end of the 10th and the beginning of the 11th Century, invite you for a visit. Moreover Rosanno boasts an interesting museum diocese. Founded ancient monastery complex of Santa Maria del Pātire from which even the ruins of the monastery and the beautiful church with an apse obtain.
Sibari
Sibari is one of the richest and most famous colonies of Magna Graecia. Sibari was 730 to 720 BC found. It was in the middle of Coscile and Crati, so in a good strategic position for the former trade routes. It developed rapidly with 100,000 inhabitants, the largest of the polis Magna Graecia. 510 BC destroyed the neighboring Kroton as Sibari infamous addictive amusement. Only 444 BC, it came with the support of the Athenians for the reestablishment of the city Thourioi. From 193 BC. the town was the Roman colony of Copia, until the 6th Century Landversumpfung and Malaria brought from the final. The city has huge dimensions, which led to Sibari the second largest city of Magna Graecia was. The dominion spread, considering the historical sources of 25 cities, from. It went up to the Thyrrenean Lake, where the colonies of Posidonia Besides, Laos and Scidro found.
Sila
The fertile area of Catanzaro surprises travelers with all the possibilities of an "other Calabria". Starting from Catanzaro Lido, the road leads tourists through the Sila, until the arrival in Racise and Vilaggio Mancuso, where is very well known as a tourist hangout. They are in the green heart of Sila covered by dense forests and vast lakes, which in the deepest, southern part of Italy is a surprise. In the winter, the plateau in a white dream and the landscape finally shows Scandinavian traits. From spring to autumn you can explore beautiful hiking trails and longer distance trails for mountain biking or horseback riding.
A few miles from Albi, you can find the remains of the famous abbey, Santa Maria de Pesaca. They were encountered by Italian - Greek monks in the year 970. The church of Santa Maria de la Misericordia, founded by monks- which is the origin of the city is now ruins- are now memories.
Taverna is about 14 miles away from Catanzaro. In 1613, the famous baroque painter Mattia Preti was born here and died in 1699 in Malta at a place that has become a kind of open-air museum. His paintings are in the church, the monastery of San Domencio and in the Museo Civico.
Soverato
The bright sandy beach and crystal clear sea make Soverato (around 11,000 inhabitants) a popular seaside resort and meeting point for windsurfers. The mother church has a marble group of the Pietà and a bas-relief with the Ecce Home, and was created by Antonio Gagini in the 16th Century. From the same century is the watchtower on the coast, the tower "Carlo V." Similarly, the area around Soverato has interesting finds from prehistoric and classical times.
Stilo
On the slopes of Mount Consolino and in a beautiful panoramic position in sight of the Ionian Sea, the Greek Stilo was built in the Byzantine times as an important center of Basilianer. At the spur of the rock is the remains of a Norman castle dating from the 11th Century, that was rebuilt in the Renaissance period. Besides the church of S. Francesco, an excellent example of the Calabrian Baroque, and from the 12th - 14 Coming century cathedral dell'Addolorata, Stilo, the town is one of the oldest and best-preserved Byzantine church in the region to the Cattolica, a jewel of Byzantine art. In the 10th Century in the upper part of Stilo built the church reproduced on a smaller scale, the typical installation of the Byzantine religious buildings of the Middle East.
La Cattolica Church
Open: Sept - April: 7:00-7:00, May - Aug: 8:00-8:00
A thousand of years ago Cattolica was built and is considered to be the most beautiful building of Calabria and is now a cultural landmark in Calabria.
S. Giovanni in Fiore
The village (approx. 19,000 inhabitants) is located roughly at 3,280 feet altitude on the plateau of Sila. It is an important trade, craft and tourist center and famous for the Abbey Florense and was founded in the end of the 12th BC. by Gioacchino da Fiore.
Abbazia Florense
Via Monastero
Open:Daily 8:00-12:00 and 2:30-7:00; by 11 o'clock Mass
It has very interesting architecture, including the Gothic portal, the apse area, the bones of the founder, Gioacchino da Fiore in the crypt.
Museum Demologico
Via Monastero
Open: Mon-Sat 8:30-6:30; Mid June-mid-Sept also open on Sun 9:30-12:30 and 3:30-6:30
This anthropological museum provides an interesting insight into the (recent) life-worlds of the Sila plateau.
Tropea
Tropea is a charming city with a history spanning over several centuries. By the 19th Century it was a rich commercial center, but the arrival of the French marked the long decay of Tropea, until recently it could be undone with the launch of the tourism in Tropea. Tropea is probably the most famous destination of Calabria and is presented with a very rich artistic and architectural treasures, such as with old churches, including Santa Maria dell'Isola.
To protect and oppose the invasion of the Saracens, Tropea was built in the 13th Century in its current location enthroned on a rock overlooking the sea. During the centuries, periodic earthquakes caused severe damage in the city, so the residents re-constructed the city after each quake, as the 19th Century archaeological excavations prove.
After the terrible earthquake of 1783, the government of Naples sent engineer Ermenegildo Sintes to Tropea for testing. He developed simpler means of escape which is urgently needed during earthquakes. Also, he chose the height of some towers to reduce them to a safer level. In spite of this "opening" of the city, it is still possible a few of the original narrow passageways.
There are many charming restaurants and hotels, cafes and shops in Tropea, where you can eat fresh. At many points on the outskirts, the streets are open to a wonderful views of the sea.
There is a large amount of tourists in the summer in Tropea, which at the beautiful white sand beaches is framed by a rock slope. Also, the coastal towns in the vicinity of Capo Vaticano can be discovered, such as Santa Maria, where a magnificent view of the promontory, as well as on the beautiful beaches has. On a clear day it is possible to see Sicily and the Aeolian Islands or the Liparo. There is a small group of dry islands, like the island of Stromboli, which has one of the few active volcanoes in Europe.
Although the summer in this area has swarms of tourists, it is still possible to escape the crowd and find a small intimate bay where you can watch the sunset or just enjoy the sight of the turquoise sea. Inside the country, the area shows a different aspect, not yet overwhelmed by the mass tourism, the small mountain towns like Coccorino appear before 17th century. The houses of these villages often have wooden terraces, where the inhabitants of your fichi d'India (prickly pears) in the sun for drying basket. Most of their equipment, they still own such as the bread is still made at home and in the traditional pyramid-type oven.
Attraction:
Church of Santa Maria dell'Isola
Open: Daily 9:30-12:30 and 2:00-8:00
Admission: Free
The church, has been again and again (most recently in 1908) destroyed by earthquakes, but there is always a new and changing shape being built as it stands on a sandstone cliff on the Isola Bella.
Vibo Valentia
The provincial town of Vibo Valentia (approx. 35,000 inhabitants) is situated on a high terrace with beautiful panoramic view over the Golfo di Sant'Eufemia. It is a typical Italian, vibrant city with many old, small alleyways leading to a shopping streets. Outside the city center lies the castle of the Hohenstaufen, which is from the 12th Century. From there on you can enjoy a beautiful view of olive groves of the hinterland, the mountains of Serra San Bruno and in clear weather until Etna. The sacred buildings of Vibo Valentia are originally from the 14th to 17th Century, but due to the earthquakse in 18th to 19th Century various stylistic elements were used to rebuild them. In the interior of the churches are flourishing baroque paintings. Of particular interest is the Archaeological Museum in the Palazzo Gagliardi.
Museo Archeologico Statale Vito Capialbi
Castello Normanno-Svevo
Open: Daily 9-6:30; also from Aug-Sept Sat 9:00 pm -10:30 clock
Outstanding Greek grave goods and an Olympic Games prize trophy.
Immigration Museum
Presso Valentianum, Piazza San Leoluca
Founded in 1995 in Vibo Valentia, this museum contains testimonies of immigrants before 1870. Here you can see old letters and learn about the story of the big immigrantion movement.
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