Gerace is a town positioned precariously on a plateau at 500m above the Ionian coast, with spectacular views out to sea from its unique vantage point, within the province of Reggio di Calabria. Often nicknamed the ‘Florence of the South’, the town is rich in history, with an abundance of churches and beautiful architecture as well as a Norman castle.
Explore this piece of history without the hordes of tourists. You will not queue to enter attractions, you will not have to elbow your way through crowds of foreigners and you will not pay 20 euros for a coffee in the main square. Instead, we personally enjoyed a trip to the town on a sunny April day and encountered only a handful of people wandering the historic streets. We enjoyed a few hours of serenity, literally tripping over history as archaeologists excavated remains of a grave less than half a metre below a cobbled side street.
Wander the streets of the old town and explore historical buildings (those of significance highlighted with signs including a brief history). The ‘Piazza delle tre Chiese’is an unique spot, with churches from the forming three sides of the square within this medieval town which once housed 128 churches. Gerace’s cathedral is definitely worth visiting, as one of the most important historical buildings of the whole region and the largest historical building in Calabria. Rows of arches rest on columns which separate the cathedral into three aisles, and the design resonates with simplicity and purity. The columns are all different, coming from a variety of temples and other buildings in the area of the Greek and Roman periods. The cathedral was built in 1045 and is formed from the plan of a cross, and the structure dominates the main sloping piazza.
Ruins of a Norman castle can be found at the top of the slope of the town- a lot of it was destroyed in the earthquake of 1783. From here, the town seems to finish abruptly, giving way to a sharp drop over the cliff with views out to the mountains beyond. The vista is perhaps even more spectacular from the lower edge of the town, where an open walkway and viewpoint is the perfect setting for a ‘passeggiata’ with views out to the ocean.
There are a small selection of restaurants and cafes within the old town, serving traditional local food. Enjoy a variety of cheeses, jams, homemade salamis and hams, bruschetta, ‘nduja, tuna stuffed peppers, baked aubergine with smoked cheese and more. The pasticceria and gelateria ‘Bar del Tocco’ has a wonderful selection of cakes, ice creams and pastries if you have a sweet tooth, in the piazza which is in the heart of the town.
