Reggio Calabria

One of the most important póleis of Magna Graecia, Reggio Calabria owes much of its prestige to the Pythagorean school that was born in the city and in particular to its tyrant Anassilao, who made it a leading political-economic center. Allied with Athens in the Peloponnesian war and later with the Romans, the city suffered the Byzantine, Norman, Angevin and Aragonese domination.

Destroyed by the earthquakes of 1783 and 1908, by the bombing of the Second World War and torn apart by the riots of 1970, Reggio Calabria had the strength to stand up and be reborn. Especially since the 90s, the city has radically changed its face also thanks to the mayor Italo Falcomatà, initiator of the "spring of Reggio "(the promenade is dedicated to him, characterized by lush vegetation).

The city, so rich in history (the Magna Graecia museum houses the famous Riace Bronzes ), is one of the most enchanting tourist resorts in the South: a few kilometers from the city, in fact, is the Aspromonte national park , the mountain massif where the hero of two worlds was injured and captured. If you move north of Reggio Calabria, however, you will be literally enraptured by the beauty of the coast purple.

To make your stay unforgettable will also be food from Calabria, which you can enjoy in the many restaurants in the city: macaroni al ferretto (or fileja), swordfish, pork fritters, mammolese-style meatballs, stuffed aubergines and a wide variety of cheeses. As is well known, Calabrians often use the renowned Tropea onion and chilli pepper to prepare their delicacies.

Among the spiciest and most appreciated excellences there is certainly the 'nduja, a sausage symbol of this region. Finally, among the desserts, the pignolata, the mostaccioli and the nacatole (all washed down with Bergamino, a liqueur produced with bergamot peels) deserve a mention.