Diamante in Calabria, that's why to spend a holiday or a weekend in this seaside town, what to see and what to do, but above all because it is known for its chilli and is called the city of murals, read here.
Get to Diamond, in the province of Cosenza, by land, if you do not use the car, it may at first glance not be a very easy undertaking. This is because there is no train, or even bus, that connects the city of departure with the Calabrian city in a single route, in the sense of taking only one train and arriving directly at the destination. In this case the trains to take - for those like me who leave from another southern city such as Bari - are at least three or four.
Regarding my experience, to get to Diamante more easily I preferred to take thebus towards Naples (in my case that of the Marino bus lines) and then from Naples I took a regional train to arrive in the province of Cosenza, with all the annexes and (un) connected of the case. But you know, you can't expect too much in the South.
Having said that, is it worth discovering this rough diamond from Tyrrhenian Calabria? Surely! The city is surrounded by landscapes that stand out for the alternation between sea and mountains, but also for much more.
Il sea Diamantese, to begin with, is rather clear and with iridescent reflections, between green and blue, bordered by beaches of fine sand or even pebbles. From the beaches it is possible to join some interesting excursions to do by boat (there are several, and even low cost ones, with prices ranging from 5 to 10/15 euros), or you can rent pedal boats or canoes or even just swim. , to discover suggestive itineraries such as the Blue Grotto Cave of the Lion, the Arco Magno of San Nicola Arcella, the Saracen Tower, and then the islands: theDino island, which can also be reached by swimming from the Praia a Mare beach, and theCirella island, both covered with luxuriant Mediterranean scrub as well as being hiding places for archaeological finds.
Also worth seeing ruins of Cirella. The ancient Cirella, in fact, perched on a small promontory, is rich in history and significant architectural testimonies. There is traces of ruins and other important constructions. Walking through its narrow streets is like taking a step back in time.
And then again the seafront where you can take long walks admiring the coastal panorama that presents itself, perhaps enjoying an ice cream or even having a few meals since there are many ice cream parlors, together with the other places, that line the promenade itself.
You cannot miss, among other things to see low cost, the Old Town with its shops and shops, especially those dedicated to the specialties of Calabria such as licorice Amarelli and, above all, the Chili pepper. What most distinguishes the historic center of Diamant, however, are the murals, to the point that the city itself has earned the nickname of the "most painted city in Italy". An idea, that of coloring the walls of the center with murals, designed and built at the time by the painter Nani Razzetti thanks to whom over a hundred murals were created since 1981 to enrich the historic center.
To conclude, another characteristic element of Diamante cannot fail to be mentioned, in addition to the murals, such as the cedar. It is no coincidence that Diamante is one of those municipalities that fall within that flat strip, which winds close to the stretch of Tyrrhenian coast, known as Riviera dei Cedars. Those who visit Diamante, therefore, cannot fail to taste specialties based on this fruit, from candied fruit to liqueurs to "panicelli", raisins wrapped in cedar leaves, perhaps making a visit to the Cedar Museum of Santa Maria del Cedro.
