fiogf49gjkf0d VIBO VALENTIA
VIBO VALENTIA STANDS IN A PANORAMIC POSITION 476
M ASL ON A GREEN HILL ON THE NORTHWESTERN SLOPES
OF THE PLATEAU OF MOUNT PORO.
VIBO VALENTIA STILL PRESERVES MUCH EVIDENCE OF
ITS ILLUSTRIOUS PAST.
VARIOUS APPRECIABLE GREEK AND ROMAN REMAINS, IN
PARTICULAR LONG STRETCHES OF THE MIGHTY HIPPONION
WALLS, THE SUPERB NORMAN-SWABIAN CASTLE, THAT
DOMINATES THE WHOLE TOWN, THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY
CHURCH OF THE ROSARY, THE BAROQUE CATHEDRAL TO
ST. LEOLUCA, THE VALENTIANUM, WITH ITS
FASCINATING CLOISTERS, THE GATES OF ANCIENT
MONTELEONE, AND, FINALLY, VARIOUS FINE NOBLEMEN*S
MANSIONS FROM THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH
CENTURIES.
THE TOWN, THAT IS AN ACTIVE AGRICULTURAL,
COMMERCIAL AND TOURIST CENTER, ALSO BOASTS A
REFINED AND FLOURISHING CRAFTS* SECTOR.
IN ADDITION, VARIOUS EVENTS SHOULD BE INDICATED,
ABOVE ALL DURING THE SUMMER, SUCH AS THE AGOSTO
VIBONESE, THE PALIO DI DIANA, THE CINEMA FESTIVAL
AND THE FEAST OF THE FILEJA.
THE COOKERY OF VIBO VALENTIA IS EXCELLENT.
THE HOTEL IS LOCATED ABOUT 9 KM FROM PIZZO
CALABRO.
PIZZO CALABRO
PIZZO CALABRO IS ONE OF THE MOST PICTURESQUE
VILLAGES ON THE COAST OF THE PROVINCE OF VIBO
VALENTIA, CLINGING TO THE SLOPES OF A FASCINATING
PROMONTORY THAT RISES PRECIPITOUSLY FROM THE
TYRRHENIAN SEA, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GULF
OF SANT*EUFEMIA.
NOWADAYS THE VILLAGE IS A FAMOUS TOURIST RESORT,
NOTED FOR ITS SPLENDID COASTLINE AND THE MILDNESS
OF ITS CLIMATE, PIZZO PRESERVES MUCH EVIDENCE OF
ITS PAST THE MURAT CASTLE, DECLARED A NATIONAL
MONUMENT, INTERESTING ARISTOCRATIC HOUSES AND
SEVERAL ANCIENT CHURCHES, AMONG WHICH THE
PIEDIGROTTA, DUG OUT OF THE TUFA ROCK, AND ST.
GEORGE THE MARTYR.
THE VILLAGE IS A FLORID SEASIDE COMMUNITY THAT
HAS DEVELOPED A FLOURISHING TUNA FISH CANNING
INDUSTRY.
IT IS ALSO WELL KNOWN FOR THE PRODUCTION OF THE
PRIZED MUSCAT GRAPE, KNOWN LOCALLY AS ZIBIBBO,
AND FOR ITS EXQUISITE ICE CREAM, PREPARED
ACCORDING TO TRADITIONAL METHODS.
POTTERY AND WOODEN BOAT BUILDING ARE TWO OTHER
ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED HERE, THE LATTER HAVING A
CENTURIES OLD BOATYARD TRADITION.
THE HOTEL IS LOCATED ABOUT 16 KM FROM TROPEA.
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
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