Visiting Fiumefreddo

It felt like springtime had returned to Calabria this weekend, even though we are in the middle of autumn with winter waiting at the door. Bel fidanzato, my ever growing stomach and I were playing host/tour guide to bel fidanzato's cousin. He is from Texas and was only visiting for the weekend. With the weather on our side we headed off to the coast to visit the beautiful medieval town of Fiumefreddo Bruzio.



The village is part of the club 'Borghi piu belli d'italia' (the most beautiful small villages of Italy) and it rightly has such a title. There is a run down castle which was apparently built in 1201 and it was closed since it seems work is being done to restore it.

The village is small, with a population of approximately 3,100 people (which is massive compared to the 800 odd inhabitants of Malito!) The village is well preserved, and it is apparent that the locals pride themselves on their home. The small, cobbled streets lead to a spectacular piazza which has views over the emerald green Tyrrhenian sea. There are not any grand sites or monuments to see, other then a few well maintained, charming churches, the castle and old town gates but the reason that I like this village is that it is a small, stunning, but simple medieval town.
If you decide to pay the village a visit then head up to the top of the hilltop which is where the old village lies. Like most Calabrian seaside towns, these days there is the new town of Fiumefreddo down on the coast and this beautiful little village all the way up the top.