THE MOST IMPORTANT SIGHTS
OF CALABRIA
In the beautiful region at the toe of the Italian boot you will find numerous excavations, finds and cultures that tell of the more than 15,000 year old history of the region!
The Grotta del Romito and Tropea
IThe Greeks and Romans, the Normans and Staufer, the Angevins and the Spaniards are just some of the cultures whose testimonies can be found in Calabria today.
In the “Grotta del Romito” in the picturesque Lao valley in the north of the region, 13,000-year-old stone carvings of the “very first bull” were discovered. They are the oldest stone carvings in Italy and not only of great historical and artistic value, but they also prove the settlement of the region in the Paleolithic Age. During various excavations, various skeletons have been found in various museums, some in the National Museum of Reggio Calabria. The oldest skeleton comes from a young hunter who lived about 16,000 years ago!
The city of Tropea is also called the “Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea” and is a must on every trip to Calabria! The fascinating and well-preserved old town on the tuff rock invites you to take a relaxed stroll and offers splendid views of the sea. In the narrow alleys and small squares, old palaces, portals with family coats of arms and magnificent courtyards bear witness to the former wealth of the nobility. Neolithic clay vessels were found near the 12th-13th century cathedral and a necropolis with graves and jars from the 12th century B.C. was discovered near the present cemetery.
The famous bronze warriors of Riace and the village Gerace
In Reggio Calabria, the two bronze warriors of Riace fascinate visitors at the Archaeological Museum. The impressive statues are said to have been created by various masters in the 5th century B.C. and lay on the seabed for over two millennia! They were discovered by a hobby diver in the summer of 1972 and can now be seen in their full size of two metres after several years of restoration.
In the picturesque village of Gerace on the northern foothills of the Aspromonte you can visit the largest and probably most beautiful cathedral of Calabria. Gerace was rightly named one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. The columns and capitals from the temples of the old Lokroi were partly used for the construction of the magnificent Romanesque St. Mary’s Church. When exactly the cathedral was built is not known. The building was probably completed in the 12th century.
Locri Epizefiri and the water fortress “Le Castella”
The excavation site Locri Epizefiri, only a few kilometres away, documents the Greek settlement almost 10,000 years ago. The archaeological park stretches between the sea, olive groves and fields and tells of the former splendour of the city. The remains of the walls of the ionic temple of Marasà and the columned hall of the port are particularly noteworthy. The remains of the Greek theatre from the 6th century B.C., which must have had a wonderful acoustics with its diameter of 70m, are also worth seeing.
In medieval Le Castella, the imposing fortress is well worth a visit. It was built on a small island in front of the village and can only be reached on foot via a narrow headland. A walk through the fortress, over the former market square and over the drawbridge up to the three-storey watchtower offers interesting views.
Booking and further information
Explore the beautiful Southern Italian region on a group tour or a custom-made corporate event or incentive trip! We are looking forward to your no-obligation request via our contact form, e-mail or by telephone at +49 611 945879 42. We will be glad to adjust the duration, accommodations, and focus of the tour according to your requirements and wishes.
Kalabriens unentdeckte Schätze.
Albanische Kultur
Strandparadiese
Die kalabrische Bergwelt
Kalabrische Spezialitäten
Geografische Lage
Lakritze aus Rossano
Schönste Dörfer Kalabriens
Provinzen & Haupstädte
Landschaftsbild
Schönste Sehenswürdigkeiten
