Ricadi

On a high plain between the Gulf of Sant'Eufemia and the Gulf of Gioia Tauro, the territory of Ricadi spreads across the upland down to the sea around Capo Vaticano. The town has just 4,900 residents and takes in a few outlying hamlets, including Capo Vaticano, San Niccolo, Santa Domenica and a few others.

The territory takes in some of the most beautiful beaches - the cliff-backed beach at Formicoli, Capo Vaticano, the sandy bay at Santa Maria, the splendid bay of Riaci. Inland, there are terraces for cultivation on the hills, stratas of fossils from the Miocene age, and patchworks of grains interspersed with olive groves.

There was a prehistoric presence here, the artifacts uncovered are displayed in the Archeology Museum in Reggio Calabria. The area was settled by a Greek colony, then had invaders and inhabitants from Carthage, Roman Empire, Byzantine, Arab, and Normans. There is a string of defensive towers along the coast, and some castles and towers on land that were part of the defense network for centuries. It was part of the comune of Tropea until 1799. Now it is an independent town, with several frazioni hamlets as part of its administrative territory.

Be sure to follow some of the itineraries (percorsi) of the Museo Civico, a "diffused" museum with unique themed walks to attractions, focused on archeology, paleontology, ethnographic, maritime, and more.

The Torre Marrano, ruins of one of those defensive towers, and nearby the remains of a Roman theater are worth seeing. Explore the nearby towns and villages, get striking views of the sea and the hills, take a boat ride, dive into the clear, blue water, enjoy authentic cuisine, and relax! That is Calabria style!

Mac9, CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons