Part Two…
In the last post, you will remember we got off the train in what we thought was Catanzaro. However, we were in the middle of nowhere, with no public transport, no people and no taxis in sight. We sent a message to the owner of our accommodation, Salvatore, explaining what idiots we had been and he very kindly offered to collect us. Twenty minutes later, he arrived and drove us into the city.
Catanzaro Citta or Catanzaro City is perched high in the Aspromonte Mountains in Calabria, so it sprawls up the hillside to the main city centre at the top. Our accommodation was at the bottom of the main city area. It only supposedly takes 22 minutes, according to Google, to walk up into the centre. However when you are an unfit, 54-year-old smoker, it takes quite considerably longer.
Palazzo Samà
Our accommodation was superb! The Palazzo itself dates from the 1900’s and has undergone a fantastic renovation! Elegant and classy, it was everything we are not – it was stunning! Also Salvatore could not help us enough. If you want an amazing B&B, look no further. With 9.7/10 on Trip Advisor and a rating of outstanding, you will not be disappointed if you stay there! Look at their website for more information – https://www.palazzosama.it/. Rooms start at €47 for a double room with en-suite and an amazing breakfast which was served to us in our room.
Ristorante Porta Marina
The evening we arrived, we walked up into the city as we had reserved a table at a restaurant which specialised in seafood, which is our favourite type of food. The name of the restaurant was Ristorante Porta Marina: they don’t have a website but I found it using Google. They do however have a Facebook page. The photos posted on Facebook looked impressive and the dishes we were not disappointed. The meal was exceptional, as was the service. We paid €80 in total for a three-course meal, a bottle of local Ciro white wine, a bottle of water, coffees and local digestivi. It was excellent value for money and when we went to pay the bill, they plied us with even more alcohol from their stash of special digestivi as a thank you for booking our evening with them! We are definitely planning to return later this year!
After our meal. we walked up into the Centro Storico which is the historical centre of the city and all I can say is “Wow” – absolutely stunning! We can’t wait to go back and spend more time exploring.
To get to Catanzaro Citta, what we didn’t know was that when we arrived in Catanzaro Lido, you actually have to exit the train station. You then have to walk about 110 metres to another train station. There you get the funicular railway up into the City. We found this out as we were leaving. This funicular goes past Palazzo Samà and upwards into the Centro Storico. It would have saved walking uphill for an age in 38 degrees heat. We know for next time!
All in all, as Arnie says, We Will Be Back Catanzaro!!!
