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Cities and Towns in Calabria
Calabria is the southern most region of Italy, the toe of the Italian "boot" – a rugged peninsula where grapevines, fig and olive trees cling to the arid mountainsides, and where the sea crashes against the cliffs and beaches of a long and intricate coastline faces east, south and west all at once.
Of the 10 million or so English-speaking travellers who visit Italy every year, not many make it this far south. However, Calabria is attracting the attention of the "Inglese" and is in the process of being discovered by more and more people who soon find themselves in an astonishingly beautiful part of the world.
To Homer, the Greek author of The Odyssey and The Illiad, Calabria was a far-off magical and dangerous place, where heroes rose to spectacular challenges and overcame Olympian odds. Ulysses and his crew sailed through the monstrous pass of Scilla and Charybis, which in reality was the narrow, turbulent strait between the Calabrian mainland and the Island of Sicily.
The Greeks were not the first here. When they arrived they encountered settlements of pre-historic tribes such as the Sabines, whom they called the Enotrians, or "lovers of wine". In this word, etymologists find the origin of the country's name, "Italia", as well as the root of the Italian people's love of life.
Praia a Mare, Calabria Italy - Photo by Jesse Andrews
Over the centuries, successive empires invaded Calabria and asserted their domination. The Byzantines, the Romans, and the Normans duing their quests to and from the Crusades in far-off Jerusalem. Even Hannibal and his army came through, on the backs of elephants after sacking Rome. The Nazis hunkered down in Calabria in World War II befor being driven out by the massed forces of the Allies, who pushed them north, and eventually back into Germany itself.
Thousands of years ago, the local people, no fools, removed themselves from the vulnerable coastal areas and onto the mountain tops, where they built improbable towns and villages along canyons and mountain peaks; thus making conquest difficult, and sometimes impossible. There they scratched out a living on small farms, growing figs, olive and lemon trees, while tending to small herds of goat and sheep. They mined the streams and rivers for gold. They carved roads and trails which are still in use even today.
For millenia, the people here have made pottery, spun wool, knitted plain garments. They've milked their goats, made bread, rolled pasta, fermented wine and distilled limoncello, a sweet lemon aperitif. They have gone about their business, shop-keeping, worshipping in their numerous churches and duomos, and observed holy days and feast days around the year with pious gusto.
Diamante, Calabria, Southern Italy - Photo by Jesse Andrews
And they still do all this today; a self-sufficient, self-reliant, practical, stubborn, no-nonsense people whom other Italians say are "testa dura" - hard headed.
In ancient times, there were periods when Calabria could boast wealth and importance, but by the end of the 16th century, Calabria fell into decline, its people are some of the poorest in all Italy. Their poverty propelled the mass immigration of the late 19th and early 20th century, when millions of Calabrese came down from the mountains and clamoured onto ships that took them to "new worlds", particularly to the USA and Canada.
But now...Calabria is reclaiming its past glory and pride, tired of being the forgotten and neglected part of Italy it grew accustomed to being during the last 500 years or so and are ready to transform itself into a premier destination. Why not; it's got everything going for it.
When you come to the "new" Calabria, a place that has been inhabited for over 3,000 years, you will be dumbfounded by its scenery - whether you stay up in the mountains, or find your way along the winding coastal highways to it's seaside towns and beaches. You will find resorts, hotels, inns, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds, lidos and tourist parks of every quality catering to people with small, medium or large budgets.
And once you've arrived and settled in you will have the opportunity to savour the hearty, tasty, Calabrese cuisine all made from local produce, meats, fish and fruit.
It's true that the Calabrese are not quite ready for masses of English-speaking tourists. Indeed, you won't find too many people who converse confidently in English. Nor will you find many signs printed in English or be able to buy English books, newspapers or magazines. But, so what?
Visit Calabria now - before the crowds arrive. You will get by with relative ease if you are patient and respectful, and all your needs will be met while you enjoy the vacation of a lifetime!
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Borgo Di Fiuzzi Praia a Mare
Borgo di Fiuzzi is a brand new seaside resort located on Italy's Cedri Riviera in the beautiful town of Praia a Mare. It is located directly in front of Dino island which is famous for it's amazing Blue Cave Grottoes. Both the town of Praia a Mare and the Borgo di Fiuzzi spa and resort make for a truly memorable stay in Southern Italy.
