Things to Do and See in Vibo Valentia

Vibo Valentia, the capital of the province of the same name, is located on a fertile plateau north of the Tropea promontory, just 6 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea, which the village of Vibo Valentia Marina overlooks. The historic center is characterized by the layout of a medieval village, with monumental buildings constructed of yellow tuff and paved with large blocks of lava stone. The main monuments are the bell tower of San Michele and the Norman Castle. Today the home of the State Archaeological Museum, it houses one of the most precious artifacts from the Hellenic past: the Laminetta Aurea, the oldest and most complete Orphic text ever discovered in either Italy or Greece. The Cathedral, dedicated to the patron saint St. Leoluca, is the city’s most important place of worship. Elsewhere in the province, we recommend Pizzo Calabro, a small medieval town perched high above the sea, home to the legendary little church of Piedigrotta, carved entirely out of tuff. The seaside resorts that attract the most tourists are Tropea, one of the region’s most iconic destinations, which boasts significant historical remains from the Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, and Aragonese, and Briatico, an ancient settlement that, according to tradition, was founded by the Greeks of Locri and is rich in medieval ruins.