COME DISCOVER THE WONDERFUL SEA ON THE IONIAN COAST IN BRANCALEONE

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Rent Apartment

Elegant apartment of 100 square meters in villa, near the beach and town center with all services, with a veranda and shower in the garden. 200 meters from the sea and in the city center. There are two double bedrooms, one bathroom and an large kitchen. It is equipped with refrigerator-freezer, tv satellite, oven, fireplace, hairdryer, mosquito nets, gas stove, parking. Optional: towels and bed linen, gas, air conditioning, bike, barbecue, washing machine and cleaning.

for information, Liliana         

Rent Apartment

Apartment new, 65 sqm, with separate entrance in beautiful villa. Apartment in ground floor, large kitchen and living room, double room with possibility of extra bed, bathroom (shower). The apartment has an outdoor shower, it is in a quiet central street and near the sea. It is equipped with fridge-freezer, mosquito nets, hair dryer, microwave, fan, parking. Optional: towels and bed linen, gas, bike, barbecue and cleaning.

for information, Liliana         

Arrive in Brancaleone
Car: From the North Take the A3 Salerno-Reggio Calabria exit road Rosarno GC (Ionian-Tyrrhenian), SS Jonica 106 / E90 direction to RC Brancaleone, from South SS106 / E90 Taranto until Brancaleone.
Train station: 500 m. of Brancaleone
Plane: 60 km Airport Reggio Calabria Airport, Lamezia Terme 150 km. Bus: Frederick Company (tickets purchased on the bus) leaving the parking lot to coincide with the arrival of the aircraft, Brancaleone bus station and vice versa. ATAM bus line 125 from the parking lot at the railway station of Reggio Calabria, Reggio Calabria, take the train - stop Brancaleone Catanzaro Lido station (Tickets available at the airport bar)

Useful Numbers
Town of Brancaleone: Via Regina Margherita, tel. 0964 933008
Doctor: via the Unknown Soldier, tel. 0964 933422
ASL ER n 9: Locri Hospital, Contrada Verga, 27 tel. 118 / 800 294553
Presidio Hospital: Melito di Porto Salvo Corso Garibaldi, tel. 0965 783394 / 0965 781262 / 0965 781581
Pharmacies: Brancatisano Francesca Corso Umberto I, 56 tel. 0964 933 825. Infantino Concetta via Race, tel. 0964 933171
Post Office: Post Office Italian spa, Via Regina Margherita, 32 Tel. 0964 933260
Banks: Monte dei Paschi di Siena: Via Nazionale ABI: 01030 CAB: 81320, Carime: Via Zelante ABI: 03067 CAB: 81320
Police: tel. 0964 933001 Traffic Police: tel. 0964 934087 Police: tel. 0964 933006

Walking through the streets of Brancaleone, one can not be attracted by its essence: the blue sea, the scent of jasmine that nowhere like in this small town flower with tenacity and perseverance, the fishermen, as the image of a painting impressionistic ensure tourists the chance of a good meal of fresh fish in the few family-run trattoria. And you can not think of the writings of Cesare Pavese, quell'intellettuale earnest, melancholy, ironic, sometimes cynical, perhaps that still has such a hold on young people. Brancaleone remembers him with a bronze statue and the preservation intact of the apartment where he lived in exile.
Cesare Pavese was confined to the mid-thirties in Brancaleone Calabria (1935 - 1936). Grecanica training ground for geographical and historical depth. A small strip of Calabria where the ethnicity of grecanici is still quite evident. And the language (the so-called model ethno - linguistic) is set to forms of cultural tradition recorded a quite marked. Here Pavese consumed his days confined to the Piedmont and the writer was all greek. Even women with their dance steps were the fountain head in the jar. In a letter to his sister Maria, Pavese said fragments all over the place by defining context as a Greek setting. The sea, the red earth, people, language, customs. And all this is clear in his novel that the days spent in Brancaleone said. We refer to "prison", to which the director Mario Sheets dedicated to the Tv movie The greek world (or the world greek - archaic) is a reference to Pavese, whose roots are still indelible matrices for this that artistic processes are concerned, is a cultural vision of together. I think a basic version of the notice of motion in which culture is the centrality of tradition but in a diversity of experiences era. The Hellenistic culture is the bearer of models that have references not only in terms dialectological but also historical. Well, Cesare Pavese grecanici lived among them and became interested in amazement. So Pavese stresses in a letter to his sister on December 27, 1927: "The people of these countries is a stretch and a courtesy that have only one explanation: there once was a Greek civilization. Even women who see me lying in a field as a corpse, DCON 'Este u' confinatu ', they do so with such frequency that I imagine Greece to be ready-Ibico and are happy. " A beautiful image that has ancient references. Hence the deep love of Pavese for Greece, which is found in books that interest or passion but is completely lived on the site. The place is a point of contact and thus establishes a strong geographical link. It read: "The colors of the Greek campaign. Yellow or red rocks, and fichindiani verdechiaro of agave, pink oleanders and geraniums, beam everywhere, in fields and along the strike and bald hills Brunoli. Even the bagpipe - the nefarious means Christmas - repeats the voice of organ and harp that accompanied their leisure time in Paris .... " Another image that has clear ethnic matrices. Hellenism in the countries grecanici of Calabria, countries and culture that are enclosed in Brancaleone, Pavese found in the testimony of a filter that is human and cultural. His is a life lived in the geography of a community recovering humus that shows a system of values ranging from language and tradition.

by Pierfranco Bruni

Brancaleone is developed along the Ionian coast beaches and easy access, and the various types of bottom: sand, divided by cliffs above the water or occupied by Posidonia oceanica protected plant endemic to the Mediterranean index of good waves water where the installation of a large variety of wildlife.

National Center for the recovery of Caretta caretta. It lies at the heart of the town of Brancaleone Tartanet one of five centers for the care and recovery of sea turtles in Italy

Brancaleone superiore (280 m), old town dating to the sixth-seventh century, perched atop a cliff, show the ruins of his castle, housing and the recently restored church dedicated to Our Lady of the Annunciation. In the highest there are the caves, to which we owe the ancient name of Sperlonga (Latin spelunca = cave), which were once inhabited by monks of the Basilian order, who lived in cave-churches, are still visible. The economic and cultural activity of the Basilian monks and leaders from which they fled from the East, contributed to enrich the cultural elements of local culture from the greek world and Eastern Europe which I blend with the heritage grecanico resulting in monasteries and churches artistic and historical interest. A higher Brancaleone in 1300 was a fortified castle built for defense against the incursions of the Saracens. An original medieval castle, not far from both the archaeological and Magna Graecia and the Roman era. Accessible only from one side was probably built by Ruffo. Access to the castle was located on the north side and be in the form of a bridge in place adjacent to Musitano family home overlooking the main square: Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, for this reason, it was also called "Piazza del Ponte" . Here, there is an underground cave that was the old prison of the Castle. In 1489 this castle is added to that list by Alfonso D'Aragona thought of having to expand and reorganize to strengthen the defenses of the kingdom. In the fourteenth century was Brancaleone Ruffo family feud, and then passed to the family of Aragon De Ayerbe, in order to be sold to the family of Stayte, which was named in honor of each other near center, just Staines, who was the hamlet of Brancaleone. From 1674 until 1806 (when it was abolished the feudal system) was ruled by the family Pitcher of Roccella. Near the old church survives a rock church, built in the tufa, with a central column that represents the tree of life. Near the entrance, stands an altar with a cross, before which is in accordance with a peacock, adoring, typical of Eastern Europe and specifically the symbolism of the Armenian culture. In the western belt of rocky desert edges, the village, it opened a cave above the entrance is another cross graffiti-inspired Armenian. At Brancaleone other caves, there are also distant from the town. One of the most interesting is always located to the north at the bottom of the rock formation near the landing plans Campolo. This cave has three crosses graphite, of which a different style. Brancaleone Superiore was slightly damaged by the catastrophic earthquake of 1783 and that of 1908, more than anything else to decree the decline of the twentieth century was the abandonment of the country inaccessible hilly and not suitable for expanding a dynamic and fast.

The Church of Tridetti, 5 km from Brancaleone, is the first time of the Normans, but built upon a pattern greek, because intended for a greek cult, which was performed by the Basilian. The combination with the bow pointed to the center, which it is in the presbytery of Santa Maria di Tridetti is clear evidence of the merger of the two ways Byzantine and Norman

Capo Bruzzano, expansive beach and pristine, set in a beautiful reef, characterized by a wide beach dotted with colorful flowers and intense fragrance of the cliff and rock formations curiously carved, over the centuries, tide and wind" . With this motivation the rocky coast of Cape Bruzzano, which extends into the territory of the town of White, 8 km from Brancaleone, received (on 21-22 July 2005) the premium Legambiente as one of the eleven most beautiful beaches in Italy

The archaeological site of Locri, 35 km from Brancaleone, is a few miles from where is the modern Locri. It is not, however, the place where the first Greek colonists landed. They, in fact, landed head first in the adjacent bay Zefirio (ancient name of the promontory, now called chief Bruzzano, arising, as Strabo tells us, by its characteristic of protecting the bay from Zephyr, the west wind), then moved after few years, to the north, giving rise to the founding of the city proper on the hill Epopis

The charming town of Gerace (30 km from Brancaleone) is part of the club "The Most Beautiful Villages Of Italy.

The Bronze Statues are a pair of bronze statues of Greek origin or Magna Graecia, dating from the fifth century BC and received in excellent condition. They are the National Museum of Magna Grecia in Reggio Calabria where over the years have become a symbol of the museum and the city itself.

Reggio Calabria (60 km from Brancaleone) in addition to museums, ancient buildings, bronze Statues, has a unique view of the World, where the Strait of only 3 km of sea separating it from Messina and Mount Etna in the background is visible. Gabriele D'Annunzio called the waterfront ... The most beautiful kilometer in Italy

Cattolica of Stilo (80 km from Brancaleone) is a jewel of the Byzantine Empire, the ninth century, the whole country is in a typical example of Serre Calabresi of woods (fir and beech)

Pentedattilo (Pentedàktylos) is characterized by five strange pinnacles that form a giant hand of sandstone above the village (320 m). Clinging to the slopes of a reddish rock with amazing visual effect, is a maze of narrow streets, roofs, arches and stone houses. (37 km from Brancaleone)

Other sites to visit picturesque villages in the mountains of Aspromonte, very close to Brancaleone, are Palizzi sup., Pietrapennata, Staiti e Roccaforte del greco

Il Santuario di Polsi della Madonna della Montagna rises 865 meters high, in the heart of the Aspromonte, at the wrists of St. Luke, also known as the "Mother of the Divine Shepherd." The origin of this church is uncertain but is inspired by the discovery of a mysterious finding a small Iron Cross, whose central rod there are two arms of the spirals and irregular singular, not found in any other type of cross. It would be excavated from the bull and the Cross by Pastor found wandering the mountains in the year 1144, searching for lost cattle, the time when the Virgin Mother appeared and pointed to the place where the church would arise. Corrado Alvaro, a leading Calabrian writer born in San Luca, concluded his monograph "Calabria" [Florence, 1931] with the description of the party at the Shrine of wrists: the party more lively in Calabria, which is celebrated for three days, all ' beginning of September. Alvaro writes: "Everyone does what he can to bring honor to the Queen of the festival: the rich people can lead, escaped from an evil being, a candle as big as the person who had the grace, or a pair of oxen, or sheep, or a load of cheese, wine, oil, wheat, and there are many ways to the Virgin disobbligarsi delicate, as they call women. One, bare chest and legs, she wears a bell thorns which covers from head to foot, long and hard as thorns grow in our thorny country, and that every step they bite someone standing in the middle. Femminella A is a stretch of road on his knees, and so the girls do the street dancing , and dancing day and night for the hour that made the vote, until they find themselves thrown into the ground or leaning against the wall, move your feet again. You can see the thousand faces of Calabria. The women say about the most flattering words to Madonna, because he is moved. [...] On the table covered with a linen cloth, the women threw the earrings and bracelets and the men returned from a successful migration from a hundred cards and more: it is a mountain of gold and money for the first time anyone looks with covetous eyes. The Virgin watches over all, and the treasures of the past years the cover as a shining embroidery [...]. On the third day of September, the procession is done and you pull out the statue laptop [...] between the firing of guns which are not known to thunderous silence, you hear nothing but the beating of thousands of thousands of fists on his chest, a roar of humanity that man lives among the most sgannato trembling like ahead of most harmony top of the human mind.

The Aspromonte, a step away from the sky, overlooking the sea. Wild, sometimes uncharted, Aspromonte fascinating for its contradictions: a cantankerous nature that hides unexpected wonders. The Aspromonte National Park is a true "reserve" a place of relaxation for visitors, a green oasis for animals: the thick scrub pine, beech and chestnut is the ideal habitat for many species in endangered. Gambarie is the headquarters of the Park, a place where you can spend a cool summer and a pleasant winter, nature, sports and entertainment. Gambarie is in the top two Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas, silent guardian of sacred places and enchanted forests, mysterious caves and steep falls of pure water. Three joints in the area Aie, cross a long path through the woods: a stop to the "fountain" is a must to enjoy the light-water that comes from the purest mountain springs. Funny kiosks of local products, made by hand from local farmers, he pitted along the route to the town center. It is a picture of special effect: with the traditional costumes and the classic "handkerchiefs" in the head, sell girlie, proud, ricotta, cheese, cold cuts, sausages el'odorosissimo oregano. The square is surrounded by Gambarie hotels and restaurants are open all year round. The chair can easily reach the top, which offers a magnificent sight: the mountains you can see the sea and Mount Etna. The highest peak is that of Montalto, who touches the 1956 meters, where there is a compass and a monument erected to the Redeemer in 1901. Hiking and trekking, skiing and riding: hard to get bored. In summer you can go to a nearby pond to fish for trout in winter the town becomes a favorite destination for skiers. But the charm of these places is not tied exclusively to Naura: the story has left an important mark: a few kilometers from Santa Eufemia d'Aspromonte is the "Cippo Garibaldi, where the hero was wounded during a confrontation with the Piedmont. Even today there is a giant pine tree which leaned Garibaldi after the injury. In the same place, in a small museum, are preserved objects and pictures dating back to Garibaldi. From Gambarie you can reach the symbolic place of religion and folklore of Reggio Calabria: the Sanctuary of Mary of wrist, where you can enjoy the mystical atmosphere that led to the Greek monk to take refuge in these mountains. The nearest the wrist and San Luca, the country that gave birth to one of the greatest writers in Calabria: Corrado Alvaro. The ability to reveal lyrically humble and painful reality of his land made him one of the most popular authors in Calabria in the world.

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