Casaletto and belvedere of San Nicola Arcella

The Casaletto is the oldest core of San Nicola Arcella: “the houses of the court”, built in the 19th century by prince Lanza Branciforte’s tenants together with the local fishermen. It runs along Corso Biagio Lomaco, between alleys and small squares (Piazza Alessandro Siciliano, Piazza Altieri, Piazzetta Gloria) and 19th-century gentry houses brought back to light in the 1990s. On the walls, murals tell the village’s story: its founding, its landscapes, scenes of rural life. At its centre stands the mother church of San Nicola da Tolentino, the saint who gives the town its name and is celebrated on 10 September.

A few steps away, the belvedere is the balcony of the Riviera dei Cedri: from here the eye takes in three regions, Calabria, Basilicata and Campania, with the island of Dino, the palace of the Lanza di Trabia princes and the harbour beach in the foreground. In summer it hosts screenings, concerts and food festivals.