I'm back from a fun week away in Disneyworld, Florida, with my daughter and son-in-law and granddaughter, followed by a week of recovering from the flu! Even though I had gotten a flu shot this autumn, and as much as I used hand sanitizer and antiseptic wipes to clean everything while I was away, I still succumbed to the virus. Thankfully, I realized immediately that I had the flu and went to my doctor who prescribed Tamiflu medication, which decreased its severity. Also, thankfully, no one else came down with it.
Now I'm back to reminiscing about my husband and my trip to Italy last summer, and the beautiful and historical town of Gerace in Calabria, Italy, that sits 1,640 feet (500 meters) high cliff, and six miles, (10 kilometers) from the Ionian Sea coastal town of Locri. It has been called one of the prettiest villages in Italy.
(All photos and photo collages in this post will enlarge if clicked on)
We drove up the winding roads towards the city along with my husband's cousin, her husband and children, and grandchildren to spend a few hours in the late afternoon, early evening. We visited Gerace years ago, on a visit to Italy with our children, and we were looking forward to seeing it again. During our first visit, we toured its churches--it has quite a few remarkable ones worth seeing, but this visit was going to be more about enjoying its scenery and to have a gelato break.
The panoramic views from all angles of Gerace's high precipices are stunning! Miles of olive and citrus groves and the mountainous terrains of Calabria stretch out towards the horizon from one side, while the other side...
...displays a distant view of the Ionian Sea and the ancient city of Locri. Everywhere is the odor of wild fennel, jasmine, and bergamot. In fact, 90% of the world's supply of pure citrus bergamot comes from the Reggio Calabria province of Calabria.
One of the most remarkable sights to see in Gerace is the ruins of a 10th century, Norman Castle. Gerace was originally developed by inhabitants from Locri in the 9-10 century when they were defeated by the Saracens, Over the following centuries, it fell under the control of many different groups such as the Byzantines, the Normans (including Robert Guiscard in the 11th century) and the Angevin.
Please click on to enlarge
This Italian/English placard describes the history of the castle and its construction and layout.
We walked around the town center, over the cobblestone streets, and through winding alleys.
Gerace is a popular tourist destination and we passed many open-air restaurants ...
..and enotecas.
There was much beauty to see.
A poem in Italian about Gerace's ancient beauty, and wild capers that we saw growing along the walls of the city.
We watched the lights of the city come on at dusk and enjoyed some delicious gelato together in the town piazza before we returned home. It was another memorable visit to Gerace. It is definitely one of Calabria's gems!
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