Route 1 - Ionian Calabria

17/9/2018

The cruise which takes place along the coast of Calabria is thematically dedicated to the discovery of some of the most important colonies of Magna Graecia. Following the same route that more than 2500 years ago followed the ancient settlers who came from Greece, it will be possible to visit Crotone, Caulonia, Locri, Reggio Calabria and also a series of other sites of historical and cultural interest. The cruise wants to be a tribute to the intimate and complex relationship that the Magna Graecia civilization had from the beginning with the sea and from which it drew strength and prosperity.

Reggio Calabria

The city hosts the National Museum of Magna Graecia, housing an archaeological collection from sites in Magna Graecia. In this structure there are exposed various objects from excavation campaigns in the ancient city-states of Calabria, Basilicata and Sicily, including the Riace Bronzes, one of the symbols of Magna Graecia. They are extremely important for studies of the 8th century BC, but also have several objects from the prehistoric and protohistoric periods, which preceded it and the following ancient Roman and Byzantine eras. Reggio Calabria is a city of art and science, jealous of the inheritance of its glorious past but outstretched towards a future of development and progress.

The National Archaeological Museum preserves magnificent and ancient memories of the prehistoric, Greek and Roman eras, and the vigorous Riace warriors seem to defend such a great richness. Museum hosts also a section dedicated to underwater archaeology, which has opened their first display area with information panels explaining and detailing the ancient maritime routes along the Calabrian coast.
A collection of anchors in lead and of vases, from various locations and dates, demonstrates the navigational patterns in this area for the whole of the Greek and Roman period. A glass display case exhibits relics recovered from a naval wreck (dating from the end of the 5th century BC) located in 1969 near the port of Villa San Giovanni: the objects found are articles of everyday use (fishing equipment and crockery) along with globe vases, which may have contained ink (probably for commercial exchange). In the adjacent case relics found at Riace Marina (1972 – 1973) are displayed, from the sea bed where the “Bronzi” were recovered: 28 lead rings belonging to the sails of an ancient ship, a fragment of keel which has been identified as being from Roman or Byzantine period, the handle of the shield held by “Bronzo A”, and the lead tethers which held the statue’s feet to its base. Today new finds in Calabria are no longer displayed and conserved in a single museum, but exhibited where they have been found, since the quantity of new discoveries has allowed smaller local museums to be set up for them (at Crotone, Locri, Roccelletta di Borgia, Sibari, Vibo Valentia and Lamezia Terme). These are taken together as the Museo Reggino.

Attractions

The city of Reggio Calabria is located at the tip of the "Stivale", on the slopes of the Aspromonte Park, on the eastern shore of the Strait of Messina, from which it enjoys a spectacular view of Sicily, Mount Etna and the Aeolian Islands. Traditionally it is called Città della Fata Morgana because here the rare optical-mythological phenomenon of the Fata Morgana manifests itself, during which the Sicilian coast seems to be only a few meters away making it possible to distinguish houses, cars and people very well.

To see also the Lungomare Falcomatà: defined by Gabriele D'Annunzio "the most beautiful kilometer of Italy", the Corso Garibaldi, an animated street full of shops; the Duomo, with the baroque chapel of S.S. Sacrament; the Aragonese Castle.

There are many interesting villages and tourist resorts in the province: starting from the area of the Strait, in addition to the aforementioned city of Reggio Calabria, we point out Cannitello, a holiday resort at the point nearest to Sicily, further south, in the hills, is located the Byzantine Castle of S. Niceto near Motta San Giovanni. The Aspromonte covers a large area of the territory of the entire province, and arrives, with its highest peak represented by Montalto, at an altitude of 1956 m. The most famous tourist resort is Gambarie (1300 m), equipped for winter sports and therefore equipped with slopes, ski facilities, chair lift, and various accommodation facilities.
The particular uniqueness of the place is worth mentioning: it is the only ski resort in all of Europe where you can ski watching the sea, given the position overlooking the Strait of Messina. At the innermost part of the Aspromonte is the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Polsi, a destination for pilgrimages in the summer. The eastern area of the Massif is home to the Aspromonte National Park.

The Costa Viola is a splendid 25 km long coastal arch that faces first on the Strait, then on the Aeolian Islands. Scilla, from the beautiful castle, is included in the circuit "The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy", offers the charm of the Chianalea fishing district, with houses directly on the sea; other places worthy of note are Bagnara, Melìa, Solano, places of breathtaking views from the mountain that falls to the sea.
In the Gioia Tauro plain, the current Gioia Tauro, once Metauros, includes an interesting archaeological area and an archaic necropolis in the Pietra district. Noteworthy are the centers of Palmi, which houses the Ethnographic Museum and the Antiquarium, famous for the beaches of Tonnara and Marinella, set in the high and jagged coastline dominated by Mount St. Elias, "defined the balcony on the Strait"; Seminara, known for the traditional craftsmanship of ceramics; Rosarno, the ancient Medma, with the museum and the archaeological area; Galatro, from the picturesque old town arranged in steps and the thermal plant; San Giorgio Morgeto with its medieval historic center; Oppido Mamertina with the archaeological area and the historical center. Moving to the ionic belt of the province, further south is the Grecanica area. To be visited absolutely is Pentedattilo, a ghost town clinging to a giant cliff with the shape of five fingers reaching out to the sky; Bova Marina with the archaeological area; in the hinterland there are all the centers of the Grecanici ethnic-linguistic community: Bova, Roghudi, Chorio, Roccaforte del Greco and Gallicianò.

The Grecian area is located on the south side of the Aspromonte, the territory is characterized by the rivers, including the Amendolea, which looks like a huge silver ribbon of pebbles bordered by citrus and broom plants, a very frequent destination for trekking in the summer.
Towards the North-East is Palizzi, with its characteristic castle and white gullies, and the best-known resorts of the Gelsomini Riviera: Brancaleone, Bianco, famous for its "Greek" dessert wine production; and other seaside resorts.