Gerace - the jewel of the medieval Greek Calabria

Calabria brags 15 villages that made the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy” list. That’s outstanding! Nevertheless, you probably haven’t even heard of most of them. That’s why Gerace deserves an article for multiple reasons we are about to discover.

Where is Gerace?

Although Gerace is not a coastal town, its views beg to disagree because it is less than 10 km from the shores of the Ionian Sea. Located in the Reggio Calabria province on the Ionian coastal side of the region, this area is not as well known as the more popular (and often overcrowded) area of Tropea. It also happens within the Aspromonte National Park that spans central Calabria.

Gerace gallery

Note: The first 3 photos were taken from the Turismo Reggio Calabria website, and the last one was taken by PolonioVideo.

An ancient town

Grace, from the Greek Γεράκι (Falco, the place where the hawk’s nest), was founded in the 10th century by the survivors of ancient Locri Epizefiri, who fled because of Saracen raids. Considered a Byzantine stronghold of the metropolitan area of Reggio Calabria, Gerace has a perfectly preserved medieval structure. That’s why in the historic center, you can still admire the remains of the ancient fortress, which protected its inhabitants from external invasions. Gerace’s views and scenery make it a popular destination for tourists. Porta del Sole, one of the ancient city gates of the town, is the most popular, with a unique view of the valley below and the Ionian Sea.

A village full of events and delights

You’ll notice the fine stone craftsmanship on many of the churches and buildings, which is part of the ancient tradition of Gerace. Many shops still craft terracotta from the local tuff and beautiful ceramics of the southern Italian Maiolica tradition.
Festivals and customs are profoundly religious and occur during Easter, in July (Festa del Sacro Cuore and Madonna del Carmine), and in August for the Patron Saints Festival. Gerace is also famous for its street art festival, Borgo Incantato, which draws 10,000 visitors every July.

Like much of Calabria, Gerace’s cuisine is composed of intense flavors deeply connected to local agriculture. Pasta is still tirata, or hand-pulled, and topped with sauces ranging from goat meat to eggplant. Vegetable dishes are a distinct part of the tradition and include eggplant, peppers, chicory, and asparagus and are often served stuffed.

As you can see, this is not a place to be watching your weight! Flavors and aromas, especially in desserts, are noticeably different from central and northern Italy and often include cinnamon, figs, cloves, almonds, walnuts, honey, and even chickpeas. Some of the “must-tastes” are le nocatule (doughnuts), le zeppole (also fried), and la pignolata (again, fried balls of dough).

Gerace’s magnificent architecture

The ancient craftsmen built the squares skillfully because each had a particular function. In addition to the remains of an ancient civilization, you can admire many noble residences overlooking the courts and the main streets. Furthermore, many of them have majestic portals engraving the families’ coats of arms and oversized balconies to make them look even more elegant. Together with many other buildings belonging to the middle class, they constitute an interesting detail in the city’s urban development.
Such squares are:

Piazza del Tocco, which represents the Curia Civilis, or the old seat of the local Parliament that included nobles, bourgeois, and masters;
And Piazza Tribuna, which anticipates the entrance to Curia Episcopalis, is the bishop’s seat and the Mother of all the Churches of the Dioceses.

It used to be known as the “City of 100 Churches”. And rightly so because, before the 1700s, there were 128 of them. But nowadays, only 17 remain after the devastating earthquake of 1783. The most representative is undoubtedly the Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption and considered the most representative monument of Byzantine-Norman-Architecture.

Hot to get there

Gerace is fairly well-connected via Reggio Calabria (closest major airport and train station), and from there, the regional train will connect to Locri (only 10 km from Gerace). Private auto is handy for getting around the surrounding area in total freedom, and Gerace is located off the A3 Salerno-Reggio Calabria motorway.

Nearest airports are Lamezia Terme airport and Reggio Calabria airport.

Gerace – the jewel of the medieval Greek Calabria: final thoughts

Hopefully, you’ll be able to dedicate your entire holiday to Gerace and the immediate area because there is a fantastic amount of things to see. So, now it is your turn. What do you think about it? Please write down a comment; we’ll be happy to read your opinions.