Amantea is located in the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria, a beautiful and not so well-known region in southern Italy. The town hosts 14000 inhabitants.
The history of Calabria is very ancient and complex: nowadays it is a melting pot of cultures from Ancient Greek to Modern Italian, including Arbërëshë, Albanese, African and Latin American cultures, as the result of many dominations and migrations in the past. Amantea is just one of many examples of this cultural commingling: the ancient castle belongs to the Byzantine period while churches from different ages have been built through all the town.
Compared to the rest of Italy, Calabria is a poor region with a high rate of unemployment and serious social troubles. Young people are pushed to go abroad in order to find jobs and opportunities, leaving the cities and their families in a complex generational situation.
On the other side, ancient and charming traditions are still rooted in Calabria which makes every location unique and different. Here you will find an impressive and heterogeneous plethora of dialects, folk music and dances, catholic and pagan rituals, recipes, professions and geographical scenarios. You can also find mountains located a few kilometres away from the coast and shepherds selling their products next to fishermen.