Gerace Calabria
A charming Medieval town situated between the Park of Aspromonte and Calabria's Ionic coast
Gerace is a medieval town situated between the Ionic coast and the National Park of Aspromonte, on a high plain from where it dominates the whole of the Locride Valley. Just a few kilometers divide Gerace from some of Calabaria's most beautiful beaches. From the Belvedere delle Bombarde, a breathtaking view can be enjoyed over the countryside and as far as the sea.
Legend has it that Gerace was founded by the Saracens guided to the spot by a sparrow hawk, in Greek, ierax, from which the town's name derives. Gerace, an important stronghold in the Byzantine period, was significantly transformed by the Normans, traces of whose domination can still be found in the monuments, palazzi, and churches of the town.
The cathedral, consecrated in 1045, and the 13th century Church of San Francesco are two of the sites more than worthy of visit, as is the Borgo Vecchio, with its potter's workshops and ancient dwellings dug directly out of the tufa.
Suggested hotels Gerace and surroundings
Calabria 4 stars
La Casa di Gianna Gerace
In the ancient Calabrian village of Gerace, La Casa di Gianna offers visitors to this as yet almost undiscovered part of Southern Italy beautiful accommodation in a building which was once home to...
La Casa nel Borgo Gerace
In the medieval hillside village of Gerace, in the heart of Calabria's National Park of Aspromonte, La Casa nel Borgo offers visitors charming accommodation in one of the oldest parts of the town....
Palazzo Sant'Anna Gerace
Dominating the old Calabrian borgo of Gerace, an age old village located within the National Park of Aspromonte, the ten room Palazzo Sant'Anna hotel is situated in what was once a medieval...