fiogf49gjkf0d ISOLA CAPO RIZZUTO
THE ISOLA DI CAPO RIZZUTO IS A FAMOUS TOURIST
RESORT ON THE IONIAN COAST IN THE PROVINCE OF
CROTONE THAT STANDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
PROMONTORY OF THE SAME NAME ON A HILL THAT SLOPES
GENTLY DOWN TO THE SEA.
THE VILLAGE, NOT FAR FROM THE SEA IN ANCIENT
TIMES, WAS FOUNDED BY THE IAPIGI AROUND 1200 BC
AND BECAME IMPORTANT ONLY IN BYZANTINE TIMES.
THE VILLAGE, IMPORTANT FOR THE DIFFUSION OF THE
CATHOLIC RELIGION IN SOUTHERN ITALY, IN THE
MIDDLE AGES WAS THE FEUD OF VARIOUS NOBLE
FAMILIES.
THE MIGHTY DEFENSIVE SYSTEM DATES BACK TO THIS
PERIOD, INCLUDING THE CASTLE OF THE RICCA FAMILY,
THE IMPOSING WALLS, MANY COASTAL WATCHTOWERS AND
THE HOLY BUILDINGS SUCH AS ST. MARK*S CHURCH,
STANDING IN THE OLD PART OF THE VILLAGE.
THE OBJECT OF TURKISH AND SARACEN INVASIONS, BUT
ALSO OF SPANISH AND ARAGONESE ATTACKS, ISOLA DI
CAPO RIZZUTO WAS A BISHOPRIC UNTIL 1818.
NOWADAYS IT IS AN IMPORTANT FARMING CENTER, NOTED
FOR ITS EARLY PRODUCE, VEGETABLES AND OLIVE OIL.
MOREOVER, SINCE 1970, THANKS TO MODERN
ACCOMMODATION AND THE APPRECIATION OF ITS NATURAL
BEAUTY, ISOLA DI CAPO RIZZUTO, *AND LE CASTELLA,
ITS WARD*, HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST NOTED AND
VISITED SEASIDE RESORTS IN THE WHOLE REGION.
THE HOTEL IS ABOUT 19 KM FROM CROTONE.
CROTONE, CAPITAL OF THE PROVINCE SET UP IN 1992,
IS AN IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL AND
INDUSTRIAL CENTER OF CALABRIA.
LYING ON A SPLENDID PROMONTORY ON ONE OF THE MOST
BEAUTIFUL STRETCHES OF THE IONIAN COAST, IT IS
THE HEIR OF KROTON, ONE OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS
COLONIES OF THE MAGNA GRAECIA, FOUNDED AROUND 710
BC.
KROTON WAS FAMOUS IN ANCIENT TIMES FOR ITS
HEALTHY CLIMATE, THE FERTILITY OF ITS LAND AND
THE SKILL OF ITS ATHLETES, WINNERS OF MANY
OLYMPIC GAMES.
FAMOUS FOR HAVING GIVEN HOME TO THE PHILOSOPHER
PYTHAGORAS AND THE MEDICAL SCHOOL OF ALCMEONE AND
DEMOCEDE, KROTON MANAGED TO EXPUNGE ITS RIVAL
SIBARI, THUS ACHIEVING HEGEMONY OF THE MAGNA
GRAECIA.
THE OLD TOWN IS VERY CHARMING WITH ITS NARROW
LANES, MAGNIFICENT HOLY BUILDINGS AND ITS FINE
ARISTOCRATIC HOMES, THAT TESTIFY TO A PAST SOAKED
IN HISTORY.
IN PARTICULAR, THE CATHEDRAL AND THE CHURCH OF
ST. CLARE WITH ITS CONVENT ANNEXE, BUILT IN THE
SIXTEENTH CENTURY, SHOULD BE MENTIONED.
CROTONE IS AN IMPORTANT BATHING RESORT, EQUIPPED
WITH MODERN AND EFFICIENT BUILDINGS, AS WELL AS
BEING THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL PORT ON THE
CALABRIAN IONIAN COAST.
ITS COOKERY IS VERY TASTY, TYPIFIED BY SPICY
FLAVORS AND THE USE OF EXQUISITE LOCAL PRODUCTS
EXCELLENT PRESSED PORK MEATS AND CHEESES, GRAPES
AND WINE, FAMOUS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
THE HOTEL IS ABOUT 39 KM FROM SANTA SEVERINA.
ON A HIGH TUFACEOUS OUTCROP, DOMINATING THE RIVER
NETO VALLEY, STANDS SANTA SEVERINA, AN IMPORTANT
INLAND FARMING CENTER IN THE PROVINCE OF CROTONE.
THE TOWN, ONCE THE ANCIENT SIBERENE, BOASTS VERY
REMOTE ORIGINS.
SANTA SEVERINA WAS A RELIGIOUS CENTER AND AN
IMPORTANT GREEK ORTHODOX SEE, BUT WAS CONQUERED
BY THE NORMANS LED BY ROGER THE GUISCARD IN 1073
AND PASSED SUCCESSIVELY UNDER THE RULE OF THE
SWABIANS, ANGEVINS AND ARAGONESE.
THE FEUD OF VARIOUS NOBLE FAMILIES UNTIL 1806,
THE YEAR IN WHICH FEUDALISM WAS ABOLISHED BY
NAPOLEONIC DECREE, SANTA SEVERINA STILL PRESERVES
EVIDENCE OF ITS RICH HISTORIC PAST.
THE CHARMING HISTORIC CENTER, WITH ITS UNUSUAL
URBAN PLAN, IS MAGNIFICENTLY PRESERVED.
THE INTERESTING BAPTISTERY IS WORTHY OF NOTE AS
THE ONLY ITALIAN BYZANTINE BUILDING ON A ROUND
PLAN, THE LOVELY SMALL BYZANTINE-NORMAN CHURCH OF
ST. PHILOMENA, AND THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY CHURCH
OUR LADY OF SORROWS.
A REAL SYMBOL OF THE IMPOSING ARTISTIC HERITAGE
OF SANTA SEVERINA, HOWEVER, IS THE MAGNIFICENT
NORMAN CASTLE, ADMIRABLE RECENTLY RESTORED
EXAMPLE OF MILITARY ARCHITECTURE.
THE HOTEL IS ABOUT 52 KM FROM CIR .
ON A HILL AT 360 M ASL, SURROUNDED BY EXTENSIVE
VINEYARDS, STANDS CIR , AN IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL
AND TOURIST CENTER IN THE PROVINCE OF CROTONE.
IT WAS AN IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS CENTER FOR THE
PRESENCE ALONG THE COAST OF THE FAMOUS TEMPLE TO
APOLLO ALEO, THE COLONY, AFTER A PERIOD OF GREAT
SPLENDOR, PROGRESSIVELY DECLINED IN THE ROMAN
PERIOD.
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