Travelled: 70 kilometres from Scilla to Gerace, both in Italy.
Visited: Gerace in Calabria.
Stayed: Gerace Parcheggio Sosta, seems free with electricity and water. N38.26581, E16.22081
Although the sosta was jammed packed with Italians in motorhomes it was a very quiet night. The sosta attendant certainly gave me a wide berth after last evenings discussion. The view along the Costa Viola is just as beautiful in the morning light. We considered getting the scooter off and going into Scilla for a swim, but we decide to pack up and move on.
We have our coffee and fruit watching people trying to extricate their motorhomes from the sosta and depart wherever. Eventually after 4-5 have left the time is right and we can swing around, so we take the opportunity to escape.
Camper chaos Italian style.
Our goal for today is Gerace, on our list of 100 beautiful Italian villages and rates a column in the Lonely Planet as well.
We make our way through Scilla and continue north
Nice to be on the road again.
The picture tells the story.
Penthouse for sale ?
The SS111 across the mountains from Taurianova to Gerace is a tree lined boulevard for some 20 klms. Not always this pretty but cool and green all the same.
Gerace, Calabria, Italy
Finally in Gerace. We drive down to the sosta, about 1.5 klms from the old town centro, but mostly uphill, so itโs not handy. Thatโs Gerace on the hill behind the Hymer. The sosta is huge, electricity and water for 20 motorhomes and parking for another 20. But itโs just us for now.
Looking up at Gerace from the sosta. It seems the Italians love to throw some concrete around. Mind you, with the geological risk of earthquake, itโs not a surprise.
I roll the scooter off the rack and we ride up the hill to the top car-park. The view amazing ! There is actually a guy in uniform directing and charging to park. However scooters are free, I can see his disappointment.
Just across from the car-park the ruins of the citadel look worth an investigation but the gate is locked and the usual no entry sign warns us away.
Walking down the hill, we find the Geraceโs Meridian Gate, circa 1624. The wall of the cathedral on the right.
The Cathedral of Gerace, the largest in Calabria. It dates back to 1024, but there are more surprises as we enter this lower doorway. At this level you walk straight into the crypt.
The cathedral was built over an existing Byzentine church. That church is now the cathedral crypt. Looking into the original 7th century altar.
We notice the cathedral has a spare parts department.
The cathedral altar is simple, consistent with the rest of the adornments.
Attached to the cathedral there is a small museum in what was, the diocese suite of rooms. You can get the general theme from this photo.
Enough of that, we wander through the maze of narrow laneways. There is a pleasant breeze and the shadows are long.
Shorty after we reach the other side of Gerace and take in the wonderful scenery on offer.
We start the walk back up to the scooter, but find a little bar on our way. In Italy, the best thing about having a drink at this time of the day is your beer and wine comes with nibbles. So we relax and watch the world walk by.
Date: 17-18th September 2018 Travelled: 134 kilometres from Ferrara, in Emilia-Romagna to Venice in Veneto, Italy. Visited: Venice. Stayed: Venice, Sosta San […]
