The Metropolitan Area of Reggio Calabria, set between the two coastal fronts of the lower Ionian Sea on side, and the Tyrrhenian Sea on the other, has 97 municipalities: villages of great interest for both their historical and architectural features, and the wonderful landscapes that characterise them. It is an area at the centre of the Mediterranean whose history, not surprisingly, is strongly influenced by the different cultures of the people who have passed through here. In the heart of the metropolitan area of Reggio Calabria, between the approximately 220 kilometres of coastline that extends from Rosarno to Punta Stilo (Monasterace), lies the imposing Aspromonte massif that almost seems to retain the three main sides: the eastern Ionian south characterised by low coasts, and the southwestern and northwestern Tyrrhenian Sea, characterised by high frontal coasts. The territory, which hosts about 30% of the regional population with just under 60,000 inhabitants, presents profound contrasts to the landscape: sea and mountains together, key factors of the territory around which history, culture, and traditions are intertwined. Particularly rich is the naturalistic context that boasts a great variety of ecosystems and typical Mediterranean landscapes. It is a heritage that boasts examples such as the Costa Viola, the Riviera dei gelsomini, the Valley of Torbido, and the Valley of the Stilaro. On the Tyrrhenian side, the Piana di Gioia Tauro, is known for its port that ranks among the first places in the Mediterranean and in Italy for traffic intensity. The Ionian side responds with Locride, a typically rural area where traditional crops flourish and the Grecanica area (or Bovesia), located in the heart of the Amendolea valley. It is place with ancient roots in which some towns (specifically Bova, Gallicianò, Roghudi, and Roccaforte del Greco) pass on and still protect the use and knowledge of the Greek language.
Siderno: not only the sea
In the heart of Locride, between Roccella and Locri, Siderno is one of the most popular seaside resorts in the Metropolitan Area of Reggio Calabria. However, it is not only a seaside destination; it is also a fascinating medieval village overlooking the sea at 192 metres high. Its centre is characte [...]
Sinopoli, the “Town of All Graces”
Scholars believe the early settlers of the town were the inhabitants of the ancient city of Taureana, fleeing from the Saracen invasion headed in the 10th century by Hassan-Ibn Alì, the emir of Palermo, who defeated and drove away the Byzantines, forcing the inhabitants of the coast to seek refuge i [...]
Staiti: the beauty of being small
Staiti is a small town with just 221 residents, located in the lower Jonio area of Reggio in the extreme southern border of the Aspromonte National Park. The village is perched on the side of Rocca Giambatore, a hill that opens up with a view of the wide valley of the Bruzzano stream. The first hist [...]
Stignano, the vertical village
Perched on a hill from which you can enjoy a spectacular view enriched by the brooms and the green shrubs of the Valle dello Stilaro and dell’Allaro and the ruins of ancient buildings that stood to protect the town, Stignano is the town that gave birth to Francesco Cozza, whose works embellish the c [...]
Stilo, an ancient Byzantine paradise
Immersed in the greenery of the Stilaro and Allaro valleys and protected by Mount Cozzolino, the village of Stilo still smells of jasmines that give the name to the underlying coast and that, not very long ago, patient hands gathered on summer evenings because the French made precious perfumes from [...]
Taurianova: the urban crossroads of ancient districts
The municipality of Taurianova was officially born in 1928 from the union of three small, pre-existing villages: Terranova Sappo Minulio, Radicena, Jatrinoli and the assignment of a series of villages and districts including San Martino, Amato, Pegara and Scroforio. According to historical tradition [...]