fiogf49gjkf0d 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
ACCOMMODATIONS 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.
FURTHER ON, WHERE THE SLOPES INCLINE MORE GENTLY,
THERE ARE THE ENCHANTING GROTTICELLE AND SANTA
MARIA BAYS, WITH THEIR TYPICAL FISHING VILLAGE.
FINALLY, THE SEABED IS VERY BEAUTIFUL, WHERE THE
PLAY OF CURRENTS THAT MINGLE IN THE OPEN SEA,
COMING FROM THE TWO GULFS, PROTECTS AND FEEDS A
FISH AND BOTANICAL HERITAGE AMONG THE RICHEST AND
MOST ASSORTED IN ITALY.
THE HOTEL UMBERTO IS LOCATED ABOUT 3 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.
THE TOWN, CONSIDERED THE REAL CAPITAL OF THE CAPO
VATICANO AREA, OFFERS THE ELEVENTH CENTURY NORMAN
CATHEDRAL, THE CHURCHES OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
AND SANTA MARIA DELLA NEVE, AS WELL AS THE HIGHLY
FASCINATING CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA DELL*ISOLA,
THAT STANDS AT THE FOOT OF THE TOWN, ON A SMALL
FINGER OF LAND PROJECTING INTO THE SEA.
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.
TROPEA, IN FACT, IS ALSO AN ACTIVE FARMING
CENTER, FAMOUS FOR THE EXCELLENT QUALITY OF ITS
FOOD PRODUCE, AMONG WHICH ARE OUTSTANDING ARE THE
GIANT LETTUCE AND RED ONION, EXPORTED THROUGHOUT
THE WORLD.
FINALLY, THE TOWN*S CRAFT PRODUCTION AND COOKERY
ARE ALSO NOTEWORTHY.
THE LATTER IS, ABOVE ALL, DISTINGUISHED FOR ITS
SEAFOOD TRADITION.
THE HOTEL UMBERTO IS LOCATED ABOUT 27 KM FROM
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.
THE CITY, A SUBCOLONY OF LOCRI EPIZEFIRI, WAS
FOUNDED DURING THE COURSE OF THE SECOND HALF OF
THE SEVENTH CENTURY BC, AT THE PLACE WHERE THE
NATIVE SETTLEMENT OF VIEPO STOOD.
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