What to do in Clabria

Parco dei Principi Hotel is located in a privileged position, nestled along the famous Jasmine coast, the land of ancient Roman settlements and Magna Grecia; it is the ideal place for a holiday dedicated to culture and relaxation.

---

The town of Roccella Jonica, where the Parco dei Principi Hotel stands, is located on the coastal area in the extreme south of the Calabria region, bathed by the Ionian Sea known as the Riviera dei Gelsomini, along 90 km of coastline, with beaches with fine golden sand certified by the Blue Flag award, one of the richest and wildest coastal areas in Italy with many itineraries still little known and far from mass tourism, largely unexplored.

Thanks to an ideal position, the cultural attractions and the most important tourist resorts of Calabria can be reached in a very short time.

Half day excursions:

• Locri – was a great center of Greek civilization; you can visit the archaeological excavations of Locri Epizephiri; the Greco-Roman Theater and the Temple of Marasà; the Aniquarium and the Casino Macri, where numerous archaeological finds are kept
• Gerace – a small medieval village, defined as one of the 100 churches. To visit the 11th century Cathedral with three naves divided by 20 ancient columns; the castle; the Porta del Sole and the Terrazza delle Bombarde, from which it is possible to admire the splendid panorama of the Riviera dei Gelsomini.
• Stilo – the village included in the circuit of the most beautiful villages in Italy, where you can see the Cathedral (Matrix Church) built on a Paleo-Byzantine church; the Norman Castle and the Dolphin Fountain, an Arab work that bears witness to the alliance between the Byzantines and the Arabs. The most famous building in this village is the Cattolica, a small, typically Byzantine bonbonnière.
• Gioiosa Jonica – lively hill town, was born around 1600; to visit the Aragonese castle; churches: Matrice dell’Addolorata, Santa Caterina, San Rocco, S. Maria delle Grazie. Of great importance is the Roman Villa of Naniglio (1st-5th century AD), where splendid mosaics have been found. A walk to the weekly market full of typical local products is recommended.
• Roccella Jonica – is a very lively and interesting tourist center on the Ionian coast due to its geographical position. The village is perched with its paved alleys and beautiful stately homes; to visit the Carafa castle and the church of San Nicola di Bari.
• Casignana – a true jewel of architecture of enormous historical-artistic interest preserved in Palazzi di Casignana, where the remains of the wonderful Roman Villa were found, with its perfectly preserved mosaics from the 2nd century AD. C. The complex is equipped with typically domestic areas, such as a caldarium, thermal baths and various living areas.
• Bivongi – the Calabrian village famous throughout the world for the longevity of their inhabitants and for its Bivongi DOC red wine. The historic center is an authentic wedding favor, paved in porphyry and developed on alleys, stairways and unevenness connected to each other by typical lateral stone stairways of medieval memory. The Greek-Orthodox Monastery of San Giovanni Theristis is worth a visit, in the splendid natural scenery the Marmarico Falls stand out, which with their drop of no less than 120 meters are the highest in the southern Apennines and have won the recognition of Italian Wonder.

Full day excursions:

• Le Castella/Capo Rizzuto – The Aragonese Castle of Le Castella is one of the most beautiful and famous in Southern Italy; recommended the glass bottom boat ride to admire the Marine Park.
• Tropea – one of the most evocative places in Calabria; to visit the Norman Cathedral; historic center and the magnificent Benedictine Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell’Isola. The Sanctuary stands on a rock right in front of the town and overlooks its clear sea and the Cathedral is certainly one of the unmissable places in Tropea to visit. Tropea is famous for its red onions, the blue fish festival and the nduja.
• Isole Eolie – Mini cruise to the Aeolian Islands – Unesco Heritage. Mini-cruises depart from Tropea and the surrounding areas to the splendid Aeolian Islands (Vulcano, Lipari, Stromboli)
• Pizzo – a village renowned for its tasty gastronomy, in particular for the famous artisan ice cream “Tartufo”, but also for its historical-artistic beauties and its crystal clear sea. To visit Aragonese Castle; the characteristic church of Piedigrozza dug entirely into the rock.
• Reggio Calabria – famous for its seafront, defined as “the most beautiful kilometer in Italy”; to visit the National Archaeological Museum, where the Riace Bronzes are kept; the Aragonese Castle; National Museum of Bergamot; the Pinacoteca Civica contains works of art (paintings and sculptures) created between the 15th and 21st centuries.
• Taormina – defined as “the pearl of the Mediterranean”, famous for its natural landscape; to visit the Piazza Duomo; Cathedral; and the famous Greek Theater, second in size and one of the best preserved in Italy.

Contattaci