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| Fiumefreddo Bruzio |
The regional train travels from Paola to Amantea in a short
fifteen minute journey with only one stop at San Lucido Marina, but there are
two towns I feel worthy of a mention and a visit which are on this short
stretch of coast but again only accessible by car.
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| Looking south from Fiumefreddo Castle |
First of all the
medieval town of Fiumefreddo Bruzio which I have to admit that this small town puts
to shame my home town of Scalea. Here it’s ruined castle and the centro storico
medieval urban street layout has been well preserved and is a shining example
of what a town’s commune can do when having pride in its past. The whole town with
its sea facing piazza is surrounded by ancient walls and offers breath-taking
views up and down this stretch of the coast.
Admission to the castle is free and with its entrance bridge
leading to the fortified gateway, watch tower and battlements it offers the
same excellent views as those of the town, while its grounds are so highly
maintained you may often find local families picnicking there during the summer
weekends.
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| Fiumefreddo Castle |
Walking through this small town one can see that the townsfolk
of the past were once very wealthy, large stone carved doorways on large grand
buildings are throughout the town while the main door of the church is of great
height and beauty and of the renaissance era. Finally you’ll reach the sea facing
piazza (Largo Torretta) I earlier mentioned. The restaurant on the piazza
serves daytime coffee and evening dinner in the piazza and I’m sure either
would be a memorable experience on a Calabria Italian holiday.
The next town down the coast and still only accessible by
car or bus from Amantea is Belmonte Calabro this beautiful town like
Fiumefreddo Bruzio also benefits from its elevated view close to the Tyrrhenian
Sea. The summer evening we were last there was with a sunset I’ll never forget,
as from the piazza built upon the cliffs edge we sat on the walls and watched
the sun sink behind the Aeolian Islands, the group of eight Sicilian islands
that include the smouldering volcanic Stromboli.
The town as its northern neighbour is again very well
maintained. Ancient cobbled alleyways lead you through the town west to its sea
views or South to the views over the mountains and into the Sila National Park.
Each building you pass shows the town’s ancient history from its beginnings in
1270 under the rule of Charles I of Anjou to its resistance to the French in
1807. Yet the one dominant structure you may not know of or even told about is
the lighthouse type column structure you’ll pass as you wind up the mountain
road to the town, this is the monument to Michele Bianchi.
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| Belmonte Calabro. |
Belmonte Calabro is the birth place of Michele Bianchi one
of the founding fathers of the Italian Fascist movement. I feel I must point
out at this time that Bianchi died in 1930 long before Germany adopted fascism
and turned it into the Nazism that we all abhor. However this monument does
bear the images of all the founding fathers including Mussolini and as such it
has the feel of a monument to the movement as opposed to one of the person.
On to Amantea.
Unjustly suffered some years back from reports which
I believe where never proven of Mafia activity polluting the land and river.
Sadly this was also of the time that the Calabrese Mafia were selling
fictitious off plan holiday homes and Amantea was used for one of these scams.
It’s obvious to say that Amantea did not need this bad publicity as it is a wonderful
vibrant and charming town.
Again like many towns we’ve visited Amantea’s railway
station is close to the beach so depending on which exit you take from the
station you either arrive on the beach or in the main modern part of town.
A very popular holiday resort with long golden sands and so many lido
bars to choose from in the summer.
When approaching the
town either by car or train you will see the ruins of its castle and those of
the 13/14th century church of Saint Francis of Assisi high on the hill
overlooking the town.
From the station it’s a short walk to the town and for those
who love to shop this is probably the first town when coming down this coast
that has a good array of shops and boutiques worthy of a relaxing peruse. In
many of the previous towns the shops seem scattered but here in the modern grid
system streets they are all contained and next to each other.
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| Amantea park. |
At the far end of town you can turn left and find your way
to the park with its grotto’s and high menacing boulder-like cliffs, or start
the descent up ‘donkey steps’ to the centro storico.
The centro storico is built on a very steep hill and as you
walk its streets and alleyways you’ll soon realise this as there seems to be no
respite from the climb, however the effort is well worth it as you’ll find
yourself walking through history and creativity for the people have taken great
advantage of the doors of many of the houses turning them into canvases for
their art.
Once at the top if you’re lucky or willing to ask you’ll
find the narrow gated path to the ruins of the Saint Francis church and again
another short and steep climb brings you to these grounds from where you’ll be
treated to those usual spectacular views up of the coast that you achieve from climbing
to these high vantage points, good boots and a lot of breath will eventually
take you to the castle.
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| Ruins of the Saint Francis church |
Amantea is the halfway point along the West coast of
Calabria, a good time to take a break and head North to Campania and my
favourite Italian city for my next writings.
