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The waterfront at Diamante
by Jesse Andrews
A mural at Diamante
by Jesse Andrews
Church ruin above, Diamante
by Jesse Andrews
The boardwalk at Diamante
by Jesse Andrews
The harbor at Diamante
by Jesse Andrews
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Welcome to Diamante
From
Jesse's Journeys in Italy
Population: 5,084 (2003)
Official website: m/a
Wikiepedia: n/a
Map:
MapQuest
Jutting out into the aquamarine waters of the
Mediterranean, the windows of Diamante reflect the
sharp light of the hot Calabrian sun.
The city is famous for its murals that were
initiated in the 1900's by artists who wanted to paint but couldn't afford canvas.
Today, the
narrow streets within the town, drip with colour,
expression and creativity,
artists have poured into the city.
Diamante is considered by Italians one of Italy’s
prettiest towns and is without question one one of
the country’s most artistically inspiring. In
spite of its colourful appeal however, Diamante is
also one of Italy’s most over-looked
beautiful cities, by travelers to the Southern
regions of the country.
Diamante,
not only famous for the mural works which cover
the city’s walls,
has
centuries,
been renowned throughout Italy for the hot
peppers, which hang from every balcony, known as
Peperoncini, used in any number of Calabresi
dishes, such as the spicy Sopressatta
sausage, Pecorino cheese, jarred ‘nduja
(a very spicy pesto).
More commonly, the Peperoncini is
known in Italy as “Piccante” a type of
hot-sauce Italians sprinkle on everything from
pasta to bruschetta. The peppers, are an
extremely important part of local culinary
traditions in Calabria are in fact part of what
distinguishes southern Italian food from that of
the north, where pasta dishes are mild by
comparison. As the peppers are harvested at the
end of each summer in Calabria, the communities
come together to celebrate.
This small spicy pepper bursting with flavour is
at the centre of the festival which comes to a
head each year in Diamante from September 5th to
9th. More than 100,000 people from all over
Southern Italy come to participate in the
festivities known as “The South’s Carnival”, where
dancing on every street corner, open-air bars, men
on stilts and traditional music continue well into
the late hours of the night.
Visiting Diamante anytime of year however, will
leave visitors satisfied, for the city beams with
colour, life and style. Churches, fish
markets and cafes await art enthusiasts and those
simply looking to enjoy a beautiful seaside
retreat.
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