About Calabria
Territory: Situated in the extreme south western region of Italy, the beautiful coastline is washed by both the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas.Climate: the weather in Calabria is widely regarded as the best in the entire region. This part of the Ionian Coast is warmer and drier than the east coast, with long hot summers and seemingly endless days of sunshine and clear blue skies. The climate is typically southern Mediterranean along the coast with regional variations in the mountainous interior. Temperatures are the warmest of the mainland region with long hot summers stretching from April to the end of October. During the winter the weather is more changeable with daytime temperatures of around 17c along the coast and cooler, wetter weather inland.
For more detailed information please visit http://www.eurometeo.com/english/climate/city_LICR/meteo_Reggio%20Calabria
Principal Cities: The regional capital is Catanzaro. Regio Calabria is the seat of the Regional Council and Cosenza, Crotone and Vibo Valentia are the major cities.
History: Calabria is ancient - the Romans were relatively late arrivals. Bruttians are the oldest known inhabitants who lived in Calabria around 1000BC. Greek invaders arrived around 800BC - the mathematician Pythagoras was a native of Crotone. After the sacking of Rome, the Visigoths arrived in the 5th century and King Alaric plus his vast treasure, is believed to be buried in the river near Cosenza. The Visigoths were followed by the Goths, Byzantines, Saracens and Normans - some of the invaders settled in the area, others simply raided and moved on. In the early middle ages, Calabria became part of Sicily. The mix of nations was further complicated by the arrival of Albanians around the year 1400 and 1500 brought a wave of people from Piedmonte who were fleeing the Inquisition.
more information visit http://www.italiantourism.com/calabria.html
Art: The region has a rich heritage of remains dating back to the Roman and Byzantium ages. Catanzaro's Provincial Museum houses outstanding relics, from the Neolithic period to the Greek-Roman Age, and a remarkable collection of coins.
In Reggio Calabria, the National Museum holds one of the most important archaeological collection in Italy: Paleolithic, Byzantine and Arab art, relics of the Bronze and Iron Ages, tomb outfits, pictorial tables and the world famous Bronzes of Riace, the two great bronze
statues of warriors of the fifth century. B.C.
More recent archaeological excavations have brought to light other ancient settlements in Sibari, Crotone, Locri and Crotone
The other main towns in the area are Scalea, Praia a Mare, Diamante, Belvedere Marittimo, Cetraro, Paola and Amantea. The coastline has miles of sparkling blue water and a stunning backdrop of mountain ranges which form the national parks in this part of Calabria (Pollino and Sila). The entire area has very little industry and the air is clean and pollution free with the west coast advantage of the fantastic sunsets over the sea.
To find out more information and video footage of the local area go to Calabria Central
