Family Tour: Monuments, Churches and Art

This just kicked off tour is designed to guide families through ancient monuments, magnificent churches and picturesque alleyways, on a journey through art and taste in Calabria.

Day 1 – Gerace, where the journey begins

Upon arriving to the Riviera dei Gelsomini, after settling in the hotel, we will go to Gerace, the Enchanted Village, a splendid medieval village, and listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. Highlights of this place are: the Castle of the Baglio, the Norman Cathedral standing out for its beauty and majesty, the Piazza delle tre Chiese (Square of the Three Churches), the Bombarde (with a splendid view of the entire Riviera dei Gelsomini), and its characteristic alleyways. The visit ends with a tasting of the famous granita of Gerace.

Day 2 – Reggio Calabria, the Riace Bronzes and Scilla

The tour continues in Reggio Calabria, the ancient Greek colony Rhegion, and the southernmost ‘tip’ of Italy. With its waterfront promenade and splendid view of the Strait of Messina, you will enjoy a full immersion into magnificent ancient archaeology by visiting the National Archaeological Museum, home to the Riace Bronzes, and some of the most significant specimens of classical Greek art. In the afternoon, transfer to Scilla, also listed as one of the most beautiful Villages in Italy, with its charming Chianalea district.

Day 3 – Stilo and Ancient Kaulon

Between Monasterace Marina and Punta Stilo there are the remains of Ancient Kaulon, a Magna Graecia polis among the first to mint silver coins. Unmissable and worth admiring highlights here are: traces of the urban road network; the remains of some houses; some fragments of the floor mosaics that enriched its luxury dwellings, such as the House of the Dragon, which takes its name from the polychrome mosaic depicting a sea dragon (3^rd century B.C.).

A visit to the Archaeological Museum is a must, completing and integrating what you have already seen in the Archaeological Park of the ancient city. The finds on display here come from excavation campaigns carried out on the site of the ancient Achaean colony of Kaulon. Next comes Stilo, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. It is known throughout the world for its famous Cattolica, a true architectural gem of Byzantine art, and one of the most fascinating examples of symbiosis between art and culture. This unique monument, is one of the most beautiful in Calabria.

Day 4 – The Murals of Sant’Agata del Bianco and the Roman Villa in Casignana

Getting to the end of the tour, you will visit Sant’Agata del Bianco, a very small village in the province of Reggio Calabria. Here you can enjoy splendid views that tell wonderful stories through the bright colours and evocative images of Murals and Porte Pinte. These murals were created not only as a decoration, but also to tell the history of this village and rediscover its identity for future generations.

The trip will end with a visit to the Villa Romana di Casignana, a large rural villa brought to light in 1963, with thermal baths and residential buildings. It is one of the most important compounds from the Roman time in southern Italy, with the largest group of mosaics known to date in Calabria. The villa was built during the first century A.D. in an area already settled in Greek times, enjoying its glory days in the 4^th century A.D. Among the wonderful mosaic floors, you will admire a tondo depicting the Indian Triumph of Dionysus.