The Red Onion of Tropea 

The Red Onion of Tropea has become famous all over the world and has become part of the foundation of the many culinary delicacies of Italy. It is protected by the IGP trademark and is cultivated in various and homogeneous Calabrian ecosystems along the Tyrrhenian coast, from the province of Cosenza to that of Vibo Valentia.

A bit of curiosity

This product has a particular palatability and a renowned sweetness due to the high content of glucose and fructose. It has been favored for diffusion, imposing itself on the international market as a real delicacy, while providing inescapable proof of how the cellular memory can recognize ancient  products  that come from the Earth as being universally tasty. 

In fact, the Red Onion of Tropea, unlike other fruits and vegetables imported over the centuries from other continents, is one of Calabria's finest primary products that could be really defined as primary, and is accepted as being the "first". It arrived on the southern coasts of the Mediterranean from the fertile crescent - the current Mesopotamia - where - about ten thousand years ago - agriculture was born thus allowing man to pass from a nomadic state to stable conditions.

Its beneficial effects

Like most of the fruits that come from the Calabrian lands, the Red Onion of Tropea is chock full of healthy substances, which are immediately visible from the bright color of the plant. This color, as well as the bitter taste, are in fact immediate evidence of the beneficial substances. They are rich in vitamin C and E, selenium, iodine, zinc, iron and magnesium, therefore they are considered  a true elixir for a long life. 

The Red Onion of Tropea has such a special taste that it is immediately recognizable. It  detaches itself from the acrid and often unpleasant taste of the other more common varieties. Its delicacy evokes Mediterranean aromas; furthermore, in the millenary history of nutrition, the Red Onion of Tropea has been included in many dishes which fully constitute the fulcrum of the Mediterranean Diet. 

The Red Onions of Tropea are also beautiful and frequently displayed on balconies, intertwined with each other. You can see this beautiful red that precedes the blue of the sea between Pizzo and Tropea. 

Tropea's Red Onion on the table

The jam made from this gem is excellent. It is the irreplaceable ingredient of colorful and very tasty summer salads, it really adds flavor to delicious omelettes, and is also a precious condiment found in various sauces and ragù.

We could also write about the many other gastronomical uses of this famous red tuber - of the numeros anonymous recipes that are enriched by this delicacy and then become succulent dishes. It is suffice ito say that the Red Onion of Tropea is also excellent as a simple companion, especially if accompanied by a piece of toasted bread with a drop of extra virgin olive oil from Calabria.
 
One region, 3 national parks! From the Pollino Massif to the Aspromonte National Park which passes through the Sila, Calabria is a seamless "national park", where you can breathe the best air in Europe. The Southern Apennines boast geology and biogenetics as an UNESCO World Heritage!

Adventure holiday: Serra Dolcedorme, Giants of both the Sila and milk boilers
Thanks to the presence of three national parks on its own territory as well as countless regional nature reserves and protected areas, Calabria can be defined as a widespread and continuous "national park", albeit in its variations and uniqueness.

Let's start off with the Pollino Massif which is covered by the native foliage of the Pino Loricato considered to be a real "living fossil".  It is possible to go trekking along the breathtaking paths that reach the summit of the Serra Dolcedorme and in the many nature reserves located within the National Park. The green holidays in Calabria's "national park" continue to the heart of the Sila, formerly a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, where the best air in Europe is certified and where one can hear the proud echoes and the howling that comes from the Sila Wolf. In the presence of the famous Giants of the Sila, specifically at  the Fallistro Nature Reserve, it is necessary to point your nose upwards to fully enjoy a colonnade of Pini Larici which is worthy of a cathedral.

Finally, we reach the extreme offshoot of the southern Apennines: her majesty of Aspromonte! From the white and rugged peaks of the Aspromonte National Park, the view embraces a 360-degree panorama - which targets Etna, the Aeolian Islands and the two Calabrian coasts until they become lost at sea. They are unique and aspiring  in their genre to the UNESCO brand. Therefore, the aspromontani geosites enchant enthusiasts with various forms that seem to be shaped by a sculptor's hand - such as the famous Caldaie del Latte and the Rocca del Drago.

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