fiogf49gjkf0d NICOTERA
SITUATED IN A PANORAMIC POSITION, DOMINATING THE
GIOIA TAURO PLAIN, STANDS NICOTERA, AN IMPORTANT
FARMING AND FISHING TOWN IN THE PROVINCE OF VIBO
VALENTIA.
HISTORIANS AND ARCHAEOLOGISTS NOW AGREE THAT THE
TOWN WAS THE *EMPORION*, THE PORT OF THE MAGNA
GRAECIA COLONY OF MEDMA, A ROLE THAT IT STILL
PLAYED IN ROMAN TIMES.
ABANDONED BY ITS INHABITANTS IN THE NINTH CENTURY
AD, OWING TO SARACEN INCURSIONS, IT WAS LATER
REBUILT BY ROBERT THE GUISCARD, WHO FORTIFIED IT.
ALREADY A BISHOPRIC IN THE RECORDS OF ST. GREGORY
THE GREAT, UNTIL THE TWELFTH CENTURY NICOTERA
USED THE GREEK ORTHODOX RITE.
THE TOWN UNDERWENT A SERIES OF INVASIONS AND
DESTRUCTION AT THE HANDS OF THE ANGEVINS, THE
BARBARIANS AND THE TURKS.
THE HISTORIC CENTER IS ESPECIALLY CHARMING,
DATING BACK TO THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH
CENTURIES, AND CULMINATING IN THE CASTLE OF THE
RUFFO FAMILY, WHERE THE CIVIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL
MUSEUM IS HOUSED AT PRESENT.
THE UPPER PART OF THE TOWN DOMINATES THE MARINA,
WHERE FISHERMEN AND COUNTRYMEN LIVE.
COMFORTABLE ACCOMMODATIONS CAN BE FOUND THERE
THAT ALLOWS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE CRYSTAL
CLEAR SEA AND UNSPOILED NATURE.
NICOTERA WAS ALREADY FAMOUS IN ANCIENT TIMES FOR
ITS GRANITE, THAT WAS WORKED ON THE SPOT AND
EXPORTED.
THE HOTEL IS LOCATED 15 KM FROM TROPEA.
ON AN IMPOSING SANDSTONE CRAG, IN A MAGNIFICENT
POSITION BETWEEN THE GULFS OF SANT*EUFEMIA AND
GIOIA TAURO, STANDS TROPEA, ONE OF THE MOST
PICTURESQUE AND ARTISTICALLY INTERESTING CENTERS
IN THE PROVINCE OF VIBO VALENTIA.
TROPEA HAS VERY ANCIENT ORIGINS, INDEED, ITS AREA
HAS CONSPICUOUS TRACES OF PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENT
AND EVIDENCE OF GREEK AND ROMAN PRESENCE.
FROM THE EIGHTH CENTURY AD THE TOWN WAS A
BISHOPRIC, BUT WAS LATER CONQUERED BY THE ARABS
NORMANS AND ARAGONESE.
TROPEA IS A FLOURISHING SEAPORT, WITH A
COMMERCIAL CLASS AMONG THE MOST DYNAMIC AND
ENTERPRISING IN CALABRIA, THAT TRADES WITH ALL
THE MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES.
NOWADAYS TROPEA IS AN EXCLUSIVE SEASIDE RESORT
THAT ALSO BOASTS A MODERN TOURIST AND FISHING
HARBOR.
THE TOWN ALSO HAS ONE OF THE PRETTIEST AND BEST
PRESERVED HISTORIC CENTERS IN THE REGION.
FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THE TERRACE WHERE THE
OLDEST PART OF THE TOWN LIES, THE CLEAR AND
EXTRAORDINARILY BLUE SEA BREAKING ON SPLENDID
CLIFFS TRIMMED WITH WHITE BEACHES AND INDENTED
WITH COVES, CAN BE ADMIRED.
ALL AROUND ARE FERTILE UNDULATING HILLS COVERED
WITH EXTENSIVE CITRUS FRUIT AND OLIVE PLANTATIONS
AND VINEYARDS.
FINALLY, THE TOWN*S CRAFT PRODUCTION AND COOKERY
ARE ALSO NOTEWORTHY, THE LATTER IS, ABOVE ALL,
DISTINGUISHED FOR ITS SEAFOOD TRADITION.
CAPO VATICANO
NOT FAR FROM TROPEA, AT THE EXTREMITY OF THE
SPLENDID PROMONTORY THAT JUTS OUT TOWARDS THE
AEOLIAN ISLES INTO THE SOUTHERN TYRRHENIAN SEA
BETWEEN THE GULFS OF LAMEZIA AND GIOIA TAURO, IS
CAPO VATICANO, ONE OF THE MOST ENCHANTING PLACES
IN THE PROVINCE OF VIBO VALENTIA.
ONCE AN OBLIGATORY STOPPING POINT ON THE ROUTES
OF THE PHOENICIANS, GREEKS, CARTHAGINIANS,
ROMANS, BYZANTINES, ARABS AND NORMANS, TODAY IT
OFFERS THE MOST MODERN AND EFFICIENT
ACCOMMODATION AND BATHING FACILITIES, ALTHOUGH
STILL MAINTAINING ALL THE FASCINATION AND
EXTRAORDINARY CHARM OF AN UNSPOILED NATURE.
THE CAPE, THAT COMES WITHIN THE AREA OF THE
VILLAGE OF RICADI, BOASTS AN INCREDIBLY COLORED
AND TRANSPARENT SEA, AND COASTLINE OF RARE
BEAUTY.
THE WHITE SANDY SHORE OF THE BAYS OF RIACI AND
FORMICOLI EXTEND IMMEDIATELY AFTER TROPEA, BEHIND
WHICH THE SMALL OUTLYING WARD OF SANTA DOMENICA
DI RICADI EXTENDS ON A TUFACEOUS TERRACE, YET
FURTHER DOWN, TO THE SOUTH, ARE THE BEACHES OF
TORRE MARINO, TORRE RUFFA, TONO AND TONICELLO,
AND THEN, PLUNGING DOWN TO THE SEA, THE SPLENDID
CLIFFS OF PRAIA DI FUOCO, WITH A WEALTH OF
GROTTOES AND LOVELY CREEKS, OFTEN REACHABLE ONLY
BY BOAT.
HERE, WHERE THE STEEP ROCKY SPURS PLUNGE DOWN
FROM A HEIGHT OF OVER 100 M., RIGHT BEHIND THE
WARD OF SAN NICOL DI RICADI, STANDS THE
LIGHTHOUSE, WHOSE LIGHT IS VISIBLE FOR A DISTANCE
OF 23 MILES.
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