we are leaving for italy lter this month. we plan to travel to seminara in Calabria. anyone ever travel to this part of italy and would like to share some words of wisdom. Since Seminara is very small, we are staying in Scilla about 14km south of seminara. we have made contacts with the church my mother was baptized in and they have replied that they have some information on her address. very excited about finding out about her town.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32745 posts
That's exciting.
Do you have a question?
Posted by
OP
24 posts
what can i expect in that area? have you been to Seminara?
Posted by
4 posts
Try www.southernitalytravel.com. Mirella is awesome with helping to discover roots!
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA
64 posts
Ooh I wish I had something to contribute, but I'll be watching this thread with interest. My family is from Calabria and while I've been to Italy, I was up in the northern part. Definitely want to go back and spend time in Calabria next time. That's really exciting that you've made contacts in her town!!
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Tropea is in southern Calabria, it's on a promontory with beaches snd great views.
Posted by
OP
24 posts
Thx for the replies.
Tropea is a little bit out of the for this segment of our trip, but I appreciate the suggestion.
We need to spend the time in seminara and palmi. Those were the general areas I was hoping to get some insight into.
Obviously, seminara is way off the beaten path and an extremely small commune. Just don't know what we will be getting into. It has been 96 years since my mom was there and the town has only shrunk in size.
Posted by
Arlington, TX
15 posts
tdetzi,
My family is also from Calabria, however, my roots are in the Cosenza Province in the small village of Terravecchia, a bit farther east than Seminara. Calabria is beautiful but very difficult to get around unless you have a car or hire a driver. At least, that was my experience. I was fortunate because I found a tour guide-driver, interpreter and genealogist all wrapped up in one person. Because of my tour guide I met my family and visited the house my grandfather was born in.
I am returning to Calabria for another visit in just a few months - Nov. I loved it there, as it felt like home. When I met my family/cousins it was love at first sight. We have remained "in touch" through email and Facebook and they have met other American cousins through Facebook. I couldn't have predicted how close we would all become after spending just a couple of days together.
I cannot forget to talk about the food. It was simple, fresh and so delicious - just like the food my grandmother used to cook for me when I was young.
I've seen photos of beautiful Scilla. Che bella! In fact, it's listed as one of the top 25 most beautiful small towns in Italy. Since it seems to be a popular place to visit you will probably have access to restaurants, shopping and other activities - more than Seminara has to offer. Who knows, maybe they'll have some decent transportation. Have you made transportation arrangements? Are you renting a car? Beware, put a Madonna statue on the dashboard if you're driving. Calabrians don't stop at stop signs. It's really a harrowing experience to drive in Italy.
I'm sorry I couldn't offer any valuable information to help you prepare for your trip but I wish you a visit as memorable as the one I experienced last year.
rosana
Posted by
13 posts
Rosana - where did you find you guide?