Parco Nazionale dell'Aspromonte

The Aspromonte National Park is a protected natural area located within the province of Reggio Calabria, takes its name from the Aspromonte Massif and includes 37 municipalities. It was established in 1989 as the sixth national park in Italy. The Aspromonte is a mountainous part of the Southern Alps, a complex geological oldest than the Apennines (Paleozoic). The topography is quite rugged, with a central relief, the Montalto, of 1956 m, from which branches off more ridges interspersed with deep valleys. The Tyrrhenian coast is affected by a fault system; the ionic gradients from uniforms to the coast. The hydrography is characterized by short rivers at torrential regime. Along the coast is setting the typical Mediterranean flora: xerofile, citrus, olive trees, alders and blacks poplars, willows, oleanders and tamarisk. Among the mammals found in the Park are reported wolves, wild boar, martens, badgers, foxes and weasels, otters, dormice and the black squirrel. Very rich is the birdlife with many species of birds of prey. The Park includes a number of villages, as Bova (Norman castle, Medieval old town, Hellenistic traditions), Gerace (cathedral, medieval village), Mammola (Shrine of St. Nicodemus, MUSABA, tasting stalk) and St. George Morgeto (Greek ruins, Medieval castle, the Monastery of St. Dominic), which boast an ancient history and deserve an especially visit for their artistic and architectural value, and panoramic views. Numerous "Visitor Centers" offering visitors tourist routes and activities throughout the year.