Calabria: Le Castella is a small town located on the Ionian coast of Calabria, 10 km from of Isola di Capo Rizzuto in the province of Crotone, Calabria . Official name is Punta Delle Castella. Calabrian people likes to call it as Casteddi.
Town is known for it’s ancient Aragonese fortress and cliffs with Greek-Roman archaeological remains which are still visible.
There are many folktales about this region. Some experts believes that described in Legendary Greek author Homer’s “Odyssey “, here used to be an mythical archipelago. Le Castella used to face the Island of Ogygia, where the nymph “Calypso” the daughter of Titan “Atlas” used to live.
It is said that Hannibal the great, Carthaginian commander of the Second Punic War (218–202 BC), have sought refuge between the cliffs of Le Castella to hide from pursuing Roman armies. He built a watch tower and an encampment where the current fortress is .
After Hannibal left, Romans brought three thousands settlers for strategic reasons and called the place Castra. Name of the village changed many times over the centuries.
How to reach : There are many ways one can reach Le Castella. Flight to Crotone then by car about 30 Km or flight to lamezia Terme then by Car about 80 Km.
