For information
Parghelia and Tropea
What see
- Parghelia
- Tropea
- Aeolian Islands
- Reggio Calabria
- Caves of Zungri
- Charterhouse of Serra San Bruno
- Murat Castle
- Piedigrotta church
Parghelia
Parghelia is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Vibo Valentia in the Italian region Calabria, located about 60 kilometres (37 mi) southwest of Catanzaro and about 15 kilometres (9 mi) west of Vibo Valentia.
As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,383 and an area of 8.0 square kilometres (3.1 sq mi).
The municipality of Parghelia contains the frazione (subdivision) Fìtili.
Parghelia borders the following municipalities: Drapia, Tropea, Zaccanopoli, Zambrone. Parghelia is one of the cities that belongs to the Coast of the Gods.
Tropea
Tropea is a municipality in the province of Vibo Valentia, in Calabria, southern Italy.
Tropea is a seaside resort with sandy beaches, located on the Gulf of Saint Euphemia, part of the Tyrrhenian Sea, on Italy’s west coast.
A legend suggests that the town was founded by Hercules when returning from his labours at the Pillars of Hercules (the modern-day Strait of Gibraltar). Graves of Magna Graecian origin have been found near Tropea.
Along Tropea’s coast, Sextus Pompey defeated Octavius. The Romans built a commercial port in Formicoli, approximately 3 km south of Tropea.
Aeolian Islands
The Aeolian Islands , sometimes referred to as the Lipari Islands or Lipari group after their largest island, are a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily, named after the demigod of the winds Aeolus.
The islands’ inhabitants are known as Aeolians (Italian: Eoliani). The islands had a permanent population of 14,224 at the 2011 census; the latest official estimate is 15,419 as of 1 January 2019.
The Aeolian Islands are a popular tourist destination in the summer and attract up to 600,000 visitors annually.
There are eight significant islands: Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi, Panarea and Basilluzzo, and a set of minor islands and rocks between Panarea and Basilluzzo.
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria, commonly known as Reggio Calabria (About this soundlisten) or simply Reggio in Southern Italy, is the largest city and the most populated comune of Calabria. It is the capital of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria and the seat of the Regional Council of Calabria.
Reggio is located on the “toe” of the Italian Peninsula and is separated from the island of Sicily by the Strait of Messina. It is situated on the slopes of the Aspromonte, a long, craggy mountain range that runs up through the centre of the region.
The third economic centre of mainland Southern Italy, the city proper has a population of more than 200,000 inhabitants spread over 236 square kilometres (91 sq mi), while the fast-growing urban area numbers 260,000 inhabitants. About 560,000 people live in the metropolitan area, recognised in 2015 by Italian Republic as a metropolitan city.
Caves of Zungri
An enchanted location, worth visiting for a whole day, to get plunged in a unique atmosphere. A thousand years long journey, back in time, in one of the most fascinating and peculiar places of Calabria.
The Museum of Rock and Peasant Civilization is a microcosm, a link to an ancient world that no longer exists, but it is still capable of telling incredible stories.
The itinerary to the Rupestrian Settlement starts with the visit to the the Museum and wind through a path leading to the archaeological site. This route proceeds “backwards in time”, since the first buildings are also the most recent ones, getting to the oldest part of the settlement going down the path, up to the areas not yet accessible to the public that hide many other secrets.
Charterhouse of Serra San Bruno
Serra San Bruno in the Province of Vibo Valentia in the Italian region Calabria, located about 40 kilometres (25 mi) southwest of Catanzaro and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southeast of Vibo Valentia.
As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,966 and an area of 39.6 square kilometres (15.3 sq mi).
Close by is the famous Carthusian monastery, Serra San Bruno Charterhouse (Certosa di Santo Stefano di Serra San Bruno), around which the town grew up. The town is named after Saint Bruno of Cologne, who founded the Carthusian Order in 1053 and the Grande Chartreuse, mother house of the Carthusians, near Grenoble, in France. He built the charterhouse of Serra San Bruno in 1095, and died here in 1101.
Murat Castle in Pizzo Calabro
Pizzo, also called Pizzo Calabro, is a seaport and comune in the province of Vibo Valentia (Calabria, southern Italy), situated on a steep cliff overlooking the Gulf of Saint Euphemia.
Fishing is one of the main activities, including that of tuna and coral.
The former King of Naples Joachim Murat, who was the brother-in-law of Napoleon, was imprisoned for several days in the town’s Aragonese castle and then sentenced to death. He was executed by firing squad on October 13, 1815, in the main hall of the castle and was possibly buried in the church of San Giorgio. Paradoxically, the castle is now called Castello Murat. Inside the castle is the Provincial Museum Murat.
Piedigrotta church
A beautiful and interesting site with an interesting history, part legend part true. The sculptures in a cave, were started by a local in the 1800’s. I walked from the centre of Pizzo, I wouldn’t re…
The church is small on the inside but definitely worth checking out. Amazing stone carvings. There is a nice little beach right of the church also. Great way to spend an afternoon.
Worth the trek out of Pizzo to visit the caves in the grotto Fascinating to see these statues Tip from me take the tuk tuk from main square to the church and back.