Nestled in the Aspromonte National Park and overlooking the Ionian Sea along the Jasmine Coast, we have the municipality of Gerace, a jewel of the province of Reggio Calabria perched on a suggestive rocky cliff. Tradition tells us that the town was founded by refugees from nearby Locri, guided in the Middle Ages by the propitiatory flight of a falcon (hierax in Greek). We thus enter an urban layout divided into several nuclei – historic center, Piana, Borghetto and Borgo Maggiore – passing the ancient Porta della Varvara.
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
The extraordinary overlap of styles between the Byzantine, Arab and Norman presence has earned the locality the historical title of “city of a hundred churches”. Among the main monuments we come across, the co-cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta stands out, consecrated in 1045: with its 1,680 square meters it is the largest sacred temple in the region, enriched by the diocesan museum and founded on an 8th century crypt. The monumental beauty of the buildings and landscapes makes the village a true European heritage.
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
Street artists, viewpoints and the mosaics of Casignana
Walking along Via Roma we reach the Belvedere Bombarde, an ancient artillery lookout point, and then cross the sixteenth-century Porta del Sole to Piazza del Tocco, on which the monumental Palazzo Grimaldi-Serra stands. Our religious itinerary touches the Church of San Francesco d’Assisi, commissioned in 1250 by King Charles II, the Church of Santa Maria del Mastro (dating back to 1084), the Church of San Martino and the Greek Orthodox church of San Giovannello.
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
Going up towards the Baglio and the ruins of the 11th century Norman castle, at the end of July we can experience the atmosphere of the Il Borgo Incantato street artists festival, where the caves dug into the rock host tastings of pasta with mbuttunate aubergines, goat sauce and the famous Greco di Gerace wine.
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
The legacy of a village that enchants the traveler
Walking through the alleys of Gerace means taking a real leap back in time, where every stone and every noble portal tell of centuries of cultural encounters and peasant traditions that have remained intact. From the breathtaking views of the plain to the warm summer evenings animated by street artists, this corner of Calabria can offer the traveler an authentic and profound experience. Allowing yourself to be won over by the slow rhythm of its squares and the majesty of its cathedral is the best way to discover the truest and most generous soul of Locris.
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
