Holiday apartment in Cittanova: Church Art, Nature and Local Traditions

Cittanova Between Hillside Setting and Cultural Diversity

Cittanova is situated on a gentle slope on the right bank of the Torrente Serra. This makes it a destination whose distinctive qualities can be explored through its landscapes, sacred art, natural history and local traditions. A holiday apartment in Cittanova can serve as a starting point for a variety of holiday interests: you can discover historic interiors, learn about flora and geology or explore culinary specialities.

Church Art, History and Living Tradition

The Chiesa Matrice di San Girolamo has three naves and a slightly projecting semicircular apse. The church was built by Maria Antonia Grimaldi Serra after the 1783 earthquake. Inside are 29 wooden Varetta statues dating from 1821 to 1893, created by Francesco and Vincenzo Biangardi. Every year on Good Friday, the Varette are carried in a procession. The Santa Tavola is another notable religious testimony: it is a large granite stone cut in half, bearing a Byzantine cross carved into it.

The Villa Comunale “Carlo Ruggiero” is recognised as a national monument of historical and natural-scientific interest and is regarded as a botanical garden of exceptional rarity. Another cultural focal point is the Biblioteca Comunale “Vincenzo De Cristo”, with more than 20,000 titles of significant interest from a bibliographic and documentary-history perspective. Cittanova is also known for its traditional preparation of stockfish.

Natural Landscapes and Discoveries at Piano dello Zomaro

A section of the Sentiero Calabria runs through the Piano dello Zomaro area. There, the landscape includes ancient peat bogs, lush beech forests and oligomineral springs. The Piano dello Zomaro is also home to archaeological remains. The combination of the trail section, woodland landscape, distinctive wetlands and history is particularly appealing to those who enjoy combining nature observation and cultural discoveries on holiday.

The permanent photo exhibition “Flora in Cammino” can be viewed at the Centro Visita Zomaro. The centre is dedicated to education, information and communicating knowledge about the park’s flora and its conservation. The Museo civico di storia naturale offers further opportunities to explore natural history. It includes departments of petrography and mineralogy, zoology, palaeontology and botany. The museum’s opening hours must be checked by telephone.

For your planning, the Chiesa Matrice can be considered independently of the Piano dello Zomaro. A day of sightseeing can focus on a single theme rather than combining several topics. Those allowing more time for details can visit the Villa Comunale or the Biblioteca Comunale separately. Traditional stockfish preparation represents a distinct culinary highlight in Cittanova itself.

More Destinations for Travel Planning

For further orientation, you can also consider: Galatro, Delianuova, Ardore Marina, Pozzi, Sant'alessio In Aspromonte, Pellaro, Condofuri Marina, Ferruzzano.

For the broader travel overview: Reggio Calabria.