Catanzaro Hotels - Calabria

A short distance away from the Sila Piccola and from the Ionic coast rests Catanzaro, the name of which apparently derives from those of two Greek soldiers Katà and Zaro. Catanzaro reached the height of its splendour when it became an important center for the working of silk and velvet.

To visit one finds Catanzaro Cathedral with a beautiful painting of the Madonna and Child, the Norman Tower, Villa Trieste and the Provincial Museum in Villa Comunale, housing a number of prehistoric remains and collections of antique coins. The viewpoint "Belvedere" which can be found at the end of Corso Mazzini is truly enchanting with its spectacular vista sweeping across the Fiumarella Valley and the Gulf of Squillace.

Typical dishes of Catanzaro include the famous "u murseddu", a bread filled with a meat sauce or frattaglie, tomato, and peperoncino; the "crocette" are perhaps the most well known of the local pastries.