Le Castella, history on the water

From the heart of this tiny sea village you’ll see the Aragonese castle in the distance, it’s connected to the coastline through a stretch of land and sand. Set in the heart of the marine protected area of “Capo Rizzuto”, the village of Le Castella is a well-known destination and it’s a landmark of the Ionian coastline of Calabria. You can enjoy a unique landscape from its sandy beaches and its cliffs, interspersed with light grey sand. In this part of the Ionian Sea the sky and the sea are marked by the shape of a fortress that was built in the 15th century, it was used as a shelter for the soldiers who were facing the invaders’ attacks. This part of the coastline is particularly beautiful mainly because of the position of its fortress which was chosen as the set of many famous movies. Le Castella is one of the best loved places along the coastline of Calabria since history and art come together and they match the landscapes, the nature, the colours and the tastes of this part of Southern Italy.

Rocks and coves

The fortress is framed inside this territory and it represents the Eastern edge of Calabria that connects the areas of Crotone, also known as Marchesato. Le Castella is featured by sandy beaches and by the rocks that shape the clear water around the Aragonese fortress, the pearl and the main attraction of this area. The seabed is inhabited by the groupers, the barracuda and some strange parrotfish. The water is also perfect for diving because of the amazing sceneries you can see underneath the sea like the swaying of the Posidonia Oceanica bushes, the sea anemones, the breams, the sea breams and the dreamfish. You can easily find the octopus in the rocks. In the area of Le Castella and in the Marine Reserve of the Island of Capo Rizzuto you can also find the dolphins and the loggerhead turtles. You can explore the seabed even if you don’t like diving thanks to the glass bottomed ferries that offer you the chance to live an amazing experience during the day and at night.

The Aragonese mood

The fortress was an ancient shelter for the soldiers, it deserves a visit because of its particular location and its historical and architectural value. The cylindrical tower dating back to the 14th century stands out in the middle of the castle, there’s a stone spiral staircase inside it that connects the three floors. During your visit you’ll be able to praise the different historical periods that feature this jewel of the sea from where you can enjoy wonderful views of the coast and an important environmental context surrounded by the Marine Reserve of Capo Rizzuto. The fortress’ silhouette reaches the nearby village as well as the other places in this area where you can taste the traditional dishes like the rice with the wild fennel, the rice with the borage and the goat’s cheese, the fish soup, the fried potatoes and peppers and the fried pumpkin pie.

Pasolini and Monicelli

Many scenes belonging to the most important Italian movies were shot in Le Castella and in its fortress. The “Armata Brancaleone” (The Incredible Army of Brancaleone) is an unforgettable movie released in 1966 directed by Mario Monicelli, starring Vittorio Gassman, Gian Maria Volontè and Catherine Spaak. It’s an adventure comedy that won three Silver Ribbons (nastri d’Argento) and it’s one of the masterpieces by this Roman director. The movie was greatly appreciated for its scenography and its costumes designed by Piero Gherardi and also for the soundtrack written by Carlo Rustichelli. Another historical movie that was partially shot in Le Castella is “Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo” (The Gospel according to St. Matthew), directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini in 1964. It’s an historical religious movie based on the life of Jesus as it’s described in Matthew’s Gospel. Among the protagonists there are Enrique Irazoqui who plays Christ, Margherita Caruso who plays Mary in her youth and Susanna Pasolini who plays Mary in her old age.

Old castles

few kilometres far from the blue Ionian Sea there are the hills of the hinterland mainly the ones belonging to the Marchesato, an area of Calabria that borders the province of Crotone. The nice village of Caccuri is a really interesting place, it’s set at 650 metres of altitude, perched on the top of a cliff which is overlooked by an old castle. Caccuri is featured by a nice historical centre, steep slopes, narrow streets and little squares that were used as the set of a movie by Mario Camerini called “Il brigante Musolino” (Outlaw Girl) starring the great Silvana Mangano. Another jewel of the area of Marchesato is the village of Santa Severina that was entered in the list of “the most beautiful villages of Italy”. It’s featured by a beautiful castle dating back to the Norman domination. Among the other architectural emergencies there are the Byzantine Baptistery which is featured by a circular shape and some frescos dating back to the 10th or the 12th centuries as well as the Cathedral dating back to the 13th century. Cirò, considered the regional capital of wine, also deserves a visit. It’s a well-kept medieval village near the Sila mountains where you can get lost along the narrow streets, the staircases and the amazing views.