Crotone

Crotone is a city in Calabria, southern Italy. It is bordered to the north by the region of Basilicata, to the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, and to the east by the Ionian Sea.

The castle of Charles V dominates the Acropolis and features a drawbridge.

The old town of Crotone is situated on a hill, where the ancient acropolis once stood, surrounded by walls built in the mid-16th century. The new walls are in polygonal form, consist of five bastions and two ramparts on the sides of the castle. The archaeological excavations have demonstrated the vastness of the ancient city, which stretched over hundreds of hectares.

The structure of the Cathedral has its origins in the 9th century, but complete construction took place in the 16th century. The façade is of Neoclassical style with three naves. Inside you will find the chapel of the Epiphany of the 19th century, richly decorated with stuccoes and paintings, a painting on wood in the Byzantine style depicting a black Madonna of Capocolonna.

The Capo Colonna Archaeological Park to the south of Crotone, has an Antiquarium, which exhibits finds dating back to the Iron Age and the Bronze Age, as well as pieces of underwater archaeology found in the stretch of sea off Crotone and the promontory of Capo Colonna. At the entrance of the park there is an Archaeological Museum, which displays finds found in the adjacent excavation area.

Crotone’s coastline offers a variety of options from large and small headlands and bays to wide sandy beaches and sea cliffs.

The shopping area is concentrated along Via Vittorio Veneto, which begins at the city's main square. There are numerous shops selling the clothes, footwear and leather goods as well as jewellery shops offering both international brands and items made by local craftsmen.

Note: the shops observe the siesta from about 1pm to 5pm.

Crotone souvenirs include gold and silver creations inspired by the Magna Graecian and Byzantine traditions, Cirò wine, olive oil preserves, miniature stone reproductions of the Hera Lacinia temple, chocolate covered dried figs or pure liquorice chips.

Recommended dishes to try include homemade pasta topped with seafood, traditional Calabrian salami and cold cuts with red chili peppers, the famous pecorino cheese from Crotone, made with sheep's milk, and of course pizza. Sample typical Crotone street "arancini" (rice balls fried in oil, containing melted mozzarella cheese and pieces of sausage) or "calzoni" (half-moon shaped, fried with tomato sauce and mozzarella).

The most popular docking point is the Banchina di riva, from which visitors can admire the massive walls of the castle of Carlo V. From here, the city centre is just a few hundred metres away and can easily be reached on foot.

The Port of Crotone offers transfers to and from the port and both boat and car hire is available.