Dreams of Italy typically conjure up images of old hilltop towns with cobbled streets and charming piazzas. You imagine a place where the older generation sit outside their houses, playing cards and watching the world go by. Family meals are homemade and locally grown, and the smell of cooking drifts from balconies where washing hangs in the breeze. These tiny villages do exist, awash with history and functioning now as they have for hundreds of years. Many towns just like this lie hidden in Calabria, untouched by the mass tourism of other regions. Wander the tiny streets and enjoy these remaining pieces of the ‘real’ Italy.
As we continue to explore more of this region, I am constantly amazed at the beauty of the new places we visit, wondering how on earth they remain ‘undiscovered’ and unknown to the average tourist. Set at 820m high on a rocky hilltop at the foot of the Aspromonte mountains, Bova’s positioning offers unparalleled vistas around 360 degrees, towards the mountainous national park and over the Strait of Messina to Etna, as well as out to the Ionian Sea.
The town (sometimes referred to as Bova Superiore) is at the heart of Calabria’s remnants of Magna Grecia, evident in culinary traditions as well as the Greek-Calabrian dialect and the Greek names on street signs. The main piazza is very attractive, and do take your time to wander the tiny streets of the old town. Journey further up the protruding hill, and you will find the remains of a Norman fortress. It’s possible to climb all the way to the top, marked by a large white cross, where you will be treated to the spectacular 360 degree panorama.
Take the time to explore some more of the Aspromonte park whilst you’re in the area. The road that leads from Bova into the Aspromonte is one of Italy’s most spectacular. Wind slowly into the mountains and appreciate the beautiful views. If you’re feeling adventurous, the abandoned ‘ghost town’ of Roghudi Vecchio is a little further into the mountains.
