calabria

Pietro in the world

Catanzaro Cosenza Crotone Reggio Calabria Vibo Valentia

This region, where I can go from the sea to the mountains in just a few kilometers, has won me over. About eight hundred kilometers of coastline divided between two seas, the Ionian and the Tyrrhenian. The inland mountains, with hundreds of small villages each more interesting than the last, so far little explored by me. A whole world to discover called Aspromonte, Pollino, Sila. Above all, welcoming people proud of their land and its traditions. The two trips I have taken so far have let me experience kilometers of semi-deserted beaches all to myself, and castles unknown to most where for a day you can feel like a knight of the Holy Roman Empire. The Calabrian cuisine deserves a chapter of its own, with its typical products. My favorite dishes are: Laganelle e Ciciri, Baccalà alla Cosentina, all the vegetables from eggplants to peppers, from Tropea onions to the various types of chili peppers. The citrus fruits of Calabria are unbeatable: from bergamot to mandarin, from citron to lemon. Finally, for wines, a ruby red: Savuto.

Province of Cosenza

Area: 6649.96 km² Population: 711,739 Municipalities: 155

Rocca Imperiale: Swabian Castle

travel stories...

Rocca Imperiale

the coast between the rocks of Isca and the beaches of Coreca

A few kilometers after entering Calabria, I leave the busy Ionian highway and find myself at a crossroads: on one side Rocca Imperiale Marina with its beautiful beaches overlooking the Ionian Sea, on the other the historic center. This time I opt for the latter, and it's the right choice. First along a road dotted with citrus groves, then up the hairpin bends leading to the Swabian Castle. This fortress is perfectly preserved. Once inside the courtyard, I am struck by the mighty towers; on the drawbridge they are filming a telenovela with the actress dressed in chiffon, perhaps a wedding scene. The director, having set down the drone used for filming, takes a few decent photos of me that I can publish. Inside, the castle is bare, except for the image of a warrior, some busts, and a photo on a chest. I climb up to the crenellated towers where my eyes command the inland all the way down to the sea. Descending toward the medieval village, I am struck by some ceramic paintings hanging on the house walls, one of which has the lyrics of the song "Emozioni" written by Mogol and sung by Lucio Battisti. Further down through the alleys to the splendid Mother Church. Just enough time to buy some lemons, the symbolic product of Rocca Imperiale, and then of this scorching August day only a sweet memory remains.

Amantea

Entering Amantea from the north, my gaze fell on some rocks emerging a short distance from the coast. These are the Scogli di Isca, a WWF protected marine oasis and a paradise for snorkeling enthusiasts. From there onwards begins the city's seafront, characterized by many beach resorts, some of which are managed by large hotels like the one where I was staying; here during the day there was always entertainment and one evening the entertainers organized an event by lighting up the path from the hotel to the beach. At that point, the coast is mostly sand mixed with gravel and the sea is a pale blue. Heading south, the coast alternates between wide, semi-deserted beaches and small coves among the rocks. Continuing along the Tyrrhenian highway, you finally reach Coreca; here the beach is mostly free; it is not very large but very beautiful; the gravel gives way to pebbles as you enter the sea, the water is transparent, and every time I stayed in the water as long as possible.

This coastal town was the setting for a relaxing seaside holiday. That didn't stop me from visiting some interesting places: first of all the Church of San Bernardino da Siena, which can be reached by a long and evocative staircase, then I continued into the old part through steep alleys up to the ancient Church of San Francesco and from there I saw the ruins of the Castle. From up there the view of the Tyrrhenian Sea is spectacular and you can see all the way to Stromboli. By then it was midday, and going down the narrow streets I came across an inn. It was a house where the kind owner had set up some tables on the first floor; there she served me tasty appetizers, with homemade pickled vegetables, and a fried dish with the catch of the day. Last but not least, for digestion, I took a walk in the Parco della Grotta, a site carved into the rock full of Mediterranean plants just a stone's throw from the sea.