Beautiful View

Bellavista: the terrace that conquered Europe

Along via De Seta, in the heart of the historic center of Catanzaro, one of the most spectacular views of the Mediterranean opens up.

Bellavista is not just an evocative name, but a promise kept: from this suggestive natural balcony, the gaze freely spans the Fiumarella valley to embrace the entire Gulf of Squillace, in a glance that on clear days extends from Castella to Punta Stilo.

The Grand Tour and the discovery of Catanzaro

At the end of the 18th century, when the Grand Tour represented the completion of the education of European aristocracy, Bellavista became a must-see stop for British travelers discovering Southern Italy.

These refined explorers, armed with notebooks and watercolors, were literally captivated by the majesty of the Catanzaro panorama, so much so that they included this natural terrace among the must-see wonders of their Italian itinerary.

Catanzaro's strategic position, perched on its three hills and overlooking two seas, offered 18th-century travelers a unique visual experience: from its 320 meters above sea level, the city dominated a territory ranging from the Sila mountains to the crystalline waters of the Ionian Sea, creating a natural picture of rare beauty that had no equal in the European panorama.

Testimonies of the great travelers

George Gissing, the English writer who in 1897 made his famous trip to Calabria described in "By the Ionian Sea," was deeply impressed by the view from Catanzaro.

In his pages, Gissing captures the emotion of those who, arriving on the Bellavista terrace, suddenly find themselves facing a spectacle that exceeds all expectations: "The panorama that opens up before the eyes is of a breathtaking beauty, a succession of hills and valleys that fade towards the sea in a symphony of colors that change with the light of the day."

François Lenormant, French archaeologist and traveler, in his explorations of Magna Graecia dedicated memorable pages to the view of Catanzaro, describing it as "a privileged balcony on the history and nature of the Mediterranean." His observations, published in "À travers l'Apulie et la Lucanie," helped spread the fame of the Catanzaro panoramas throughout Europe.

"The queen of panoramas"

It was thanks to the testimonies of these illustrious travelers...