“Italy is only a geographical expression” has been bandied about for almost two centuries. The phrase has that smack of the in-the-know Italophile with an intellectual bent. One day, as I was looking for a park bench on a sunny afternoon in Crotone, Calabria, I was confronted with a Calabrian take on the idea, that of Leonida Rèpaci. His thoughts ... Read More The post Italy, A Geographical Expression? And Calabria? appeared first on Calabria: The Other Italy.| Calabria: The Other Italy
Calabria has many, many castles and watchtowers. The great number gives a bit of perspective into the value of the land and its need for protection, particularly along the extensive coastline. The largest castle is in Rocca Imperiale, both the furthest east and most northern town in the region. ROCCA IMPERIALE CASTLE ORIGINS While there is evidence of peoples in ... Read More The post Rocca Imperiale, The Biggest Castle in Calabria appeared first on Calabria: The Other Italy.| Calabria: The Other Italy
We eat a lot of Italian food in the United States and feel at home with foreign names of foods and dishes. Pizza and pasta are as common as hotdog or apple pie. We order spaghetti alla carbonara with confidence and scratch our heads at “noodles with bacon and eggs” on English-language tourist menus. But sometimes we get it wrong. ... Read More The post You Can’t Have One Cannoli… appeared first on Calabria: The Other Italy.| Calabria: The Other Italy
If you build it, they will come… Funny thing, or maybe not so funny, tourists continue to pile on the Cinque Terre and the Amalfi Coast. Gorgeous locations, to be sure, but Italy is bursting with beautiful spots. Basilicata, located in the instep of the Italian boot, is full of them, but the tourism industry pretty much focuses on Matera. ... Read More The post Skywalk Maratea appeared first on Calabria: The Other Italy.| Calabria: The Other Italy
Once upon a time, the hills and mountains of the Calabrian Serre were abuzz with an activity that today may be characterized as a form of industrial archeology, an out-of-doors cottage industry of carbon production. Woodsmen practiced the artisanal craft for millennia. In our times, the labor-intensive process is almost extinct. However, in Calabria, a handful of men still carry ... Read More The post Carbonai, The Last Charcoal Artisans in Calabria appeared first on Calabria: The Other Italy.| Calabria: The Other Italy
This month, I had the opportunity to speak with students at the Liceo Scientifico “Leonardo Da Vinci” in Reggio Calabria as part of the program for their 100-year anniversary celebrations. When teaching in Reggio, I had several students in my classes who attended this science-focused high school, which is recognized for excellence, boasting numerous students who have won national awards. ... Read More The post Grand Tour in Calabria, from Past to Present appeared first on Calabria: The Ot...| Calabria: The Other Italy
It seems like a lifetime, yet it’s been just ten years since I published Calabria: The Other Italy. My intention was to shine a light on an area that seemed to have been left in the dark – the tree that fell in the forest with no one around to hear it. I found that there was an audience out ... Read More The post Happy 10th Anniversary to Calabria: The Other Italy appeared first on Calabria: The Other Italy.| Calabria: The Other Italy
Beautiful to behold and delightful to eat, peperoni cruschi are Basilicata’s “red gold,” the pride of Lucanian cuisine. What’s so special about the peperone crusco? To start with, these crispy peppers are unique and irresistible. They’re a true Southern Italian regional specialty! WHAT IS A PEPERONE CRUSCO? First off, peperone is pepper in Italian, and if you choose peperoni for ... Read More The post Peperoni Cruschi, Crunchily Delicious! appeared first on Calabria: The Other Italy.| Calabria: The Other Italy
A monumental discovery of Etruscan bronzes hit international headlines in the fall of 2022: Ancient statues pulled from the mud in Tuscan spa town! The Bronzes of San Casciano dei Bagni were immediately compared to the Bronzes of Riace, found off the coast of Calabria 50 years earlier. ETRUSCAN, ROMAN AND GREEK BRONZES Italians hail the Bronzes of San Casciano ... Read More The post The Bronzes of San Casciano dei Bagni appeared first on Calabria: The Other Italy.| Calabria: The Other Italy
Incredible connections across the miles, blogging about Southern Italy, thoughts and reader comments on my 10th blogiversary.| Calabria: The Other Italy
An award-winning book that explores daily life, culture, history, the arts, food, society and tourism of beautiful Calabria Italy.| Calabria: The Other Italy
Santa Maria dell’Isola, the little church on the island attracts visitors to Tropea, a true sanctuary of beauty in Calabria, South Italy.| Calabria: The Other Italy