Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Curiosities”
Bold colors and patterns, opulent fabrics, elegant craftsmanship, glamor and gold, Versace is iconic, a distinctly Italian luxury brand. Creator Gianni Versace chose the head of Medusa as his emblem, hearkening back to antiquity and his roots in Reggio Calabria, a city steeped in legend and history, one of the first Greek colonies of Southern Italy.
Once upon a time, the hills and mountains of the Calabrian Serre were abuzz with an activity that today may be characterized as a form of industrial archeology, an out-of-doors cottage industry of carbon production. Woodsmen practiced the artisanal craft for millennia. In our times, the labor-intensive process is almost extinct. However, in Calabria, a handful of men still carry …
Beautiful to behold and delightful to eat, peperoni cruschi are Basilicata’s “red gold,” the pride of Lucanian cuisine. What’s so special about the peperone crusco? To start with, these crispy peppers are unique and irresistible. They’re a true Southern Italian regional specialty!
How often do we hear about Italy’s abandoned villages? Inhabitants moved away for work, to larger cities, to the north or abroad. In a frazione of Fiumara, a group of townsfolk decided that they didn’t want to move away from their “neighborhood” in the foothills of the Aspromonte Mountains overlooking the Strait of Messina in the Province of Reggio Calabria. …
Fiumefreddo Bruzio boasts a panorama that stretches from Sicily’s Aeolian Islands along Calabria’s Tyrrhenian coastline in the Province of Cosenza all the way to the mountains of the Cilento in Campania. The medieval old town was established for its strategic position, and today’s visitors can choose from numerous cliffside terraces from which to enjoy the beautiful Southern Italian views.
Red, sweet and crispy – just a few characteristics of the Tropea onion, the famous Cipolla rossa di Tropea. What makes it so special? You might need to take a trip to Calabria to get the full sensory picture, but to whet your appetite, read on.
Visitors to Matera in recent years can’t help but have noticed the oversized Dalí sculptures strategically placed throughout the historic center. The contrast between the artist’s provocative surrealism and the old-world setting, extraordinary in itself, cries out for attention in a very contemporary way. Look at me! Take a selfie! Who would have expected to see Salvador Dalí in Matera?
Where will Tucci go next? His Searching for Italy has managed to create a buzz with the mystery, revealed just prior to the new season. Although it’s a country with a richness that could take a lifetime to explore, I wasn’t surprised that this fall the show would kick off with Stanley Tucci in Calabria.
The word “brigand” – brigante in Italian – is heard quite a bit with reference to Southern Italy, and I have noticed a certain confusion, particularly amongst English speakers, as to its significance. It’s an important term in understanding the Italian South and the history of Italy, so I thought I’d contribute my two cents to the question, “What is …
While at rest, the exotic figures attract a bold curiosity from even the smallest children. On the move, however, the large, otherworldly puppets not only send the wee ones fleeing for safety, but the towering effigies along with their accompanying ruckus have actually been known to frighten a former king and his entire military entourage into retreat.