Amantea is a beautiful and interesting town and also a popular seaside resort. It is of extremely ancient origin: its name derives from the Latin Amantia, but the town probably existed much before Roman times.
Amantea was devastated by the Saracens and played an important role in the war between the Aragonese and the Angevins. It was loyal to the Bourbon dynasty and was the centre of the Calabrian uprising against the French, by whom it was sieged and captured through starvation in 1806.
Amantea is composed of one part on the plain along the coast, set among luxuriant citrus orchards and, another older part lying up on a hill at the entrance to the Catocastro gorge.
Situated on the heights of the hill are the ruins of the Castle, dating from the medieval period and restored first by Giovanna I, then by the Aragonese and, finally, by Charles V. The castle walls join up with those of the historical centre, which preserves steep streets, lanes and characteristic corners.
Again in the upper part of the town, one can find the ruins of the church of St. Francis of Assisi and the adjoining convent, both dating from the 13th-14th century.
In the lower part of the town one can visit the ruins of the ancient walls and the interesting church of St. Bernardine of Siena, dating from the 15th century, whose facade is decorated with majolica coated bowes and plates, nearly all of the 15th century and the only example of this type of decoration in southern Italy.
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Tel. +39 02.392.92.035
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