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Fiumefreddo Bruzio - Art Basking in Sunshine

I like hilltowns with jazz. Knowing that inclination, a friend in Pitigliano said, go to Fiumefreddo Bruzio, and on that, I bussed to Calabria, arriving after Florence, Rome, and Naples. This was years ago.

I remember walking up the walkway to Castello della Valle, following the rest. Art was by Salvatore Fiume, a Sicilian artist who took upon the restoration of the town single-handedly and created artwork for piazzas and walls. Bravo to him. One of southern Italy's many masters. To tell you the truth, I love it.

I consulted the tour guide:

“Fiumefreddo Bruzio is a work of art, carved from the stone it sits on.”

We’d come in through the Porta Soprana and ….

Wow.

More exquisite in than out. There was a cat walking these walls and courtyards. Hunting between these structures, up staircases, and down, along another flowered wall, and then gone.

A glimpse of the centro storico

I was silenced; there were others, also silenced by what they saw.

One of the first things I noticed – it's quiet in Fiumefreddo Bruzio.

Then to the grand dame we went. The Chiesa Madre. Such gravitas, and inside so quiet. This church and this town have so many stories woven through them. But it is a grounded place. Real stories of life lived at a slower pace. A place to find peace, to feel closer to God.

You know what it's like when travelling.

There's always something more to surprise you.

Back to the present…

Lodging

The Residenza d'Epoca Borgodifiume, on call 24. The restaurant faces you countryward. Try cycling. Or take a siesta on comfy beds before heading off for a passeggiata.

Residenza Matilde is for the made person. Fiumefreddo Bruzio is ideal for us elder folk, who like it quiet. The youth look fine, but the older crowd seems to be having more fun. We are more acclimatized and have the right amount of vermouth in our icy Americanos.

Every level is catered to here. If on a budget, having Fiumefreddo Bruzio on your list helps the money go a long way. If you aren’t on a budget, flaunt it—you'll get far more value for your money here than, say, in Venice or Rome. The point I’d make is the good life is had in Fiumefreddo Bruzio at a very reasonable price.

One of my favorite spots.

The Menu

As served to me and to my American and British friends, it is authentic. Here the menus haven't "modernized" to meet the tourists; you get the local version, unchanged through the ages. I love it that way. Here you are welcomed home with basil, tomatoes, and olives.

The cheeses! I can but sigh.

Filiciata is soft cheese curdled in ferns… yes, can you imagine? You’ll love what the waiter brings you. I talk a lot about the food on my blogs; you may know me as quite the food lover, but just now, rather than talk about the food, I must mention the party.

Plates are cleared, wine is held onto, and so starts the Tarantella Calabria. Or we sit, and the accordion comes out, dancers join hands, and the circling starts. It’s infectious.

Memorable Meal

Dish: Antipasti at Aru Castagnu: tomato, eggplant, potato, zucchini, salami, cheeses, spicy Calabrian style

Wine: Greco di Bianco

Restaurants to try: experiment; visit a few if you have the time. From Ristorante Valle Reale to Al Pozzo Antico, I've visited many. I loved them all.

Best reason to come: hands down the Tarantella music.

Here you come to a party town, a slow town, and above all, a quiet town.

How to Go

Fiumefreddo Bruzio is hard to find, accessed via a delightful mountain road by car. We tend to prefer Discover Cars when travelling for their great deals.

There is no train station in the historic hilltop town itself. The nearest stations are down on the coast:

• Fiumefreddo Bruzio Longobardi Station—about 8–9 km from the old town
• Paola—about 15 km away (bigger station with more trains)

👉 Travel time to the village:
• By car/taxi: about 15–20 minutes uphill from the coastal station
• Bus: limited service—check schedules carefully
• Walking: not realistic (steep mountain roads)

Quick tip—many visitors arrive by train to Paola and then take a taxi up to the village. The views on the way up are absolutely spectacular.

The main town in the area is Cosenza, from where buses do run directly to Fiumefreddo Bruzio.

Closest airport: Lamezia Terme International, 40 km away.

Map

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