Locri’s roots go right back to the 7th century before Christ, when Greek invaders founded a colony in southernmost Italy.
The southern part of the Italian peninsula was at that time known as Magna Graecia, ’Great Greece’, and Greek culture flourished here for centuries. But the glory days in Locri came to a sudden end in 915 when a Saracen invasion forced the inhabitants into the backcountry.
Today you can find excavations and artefacts from the town’s golden age in and around the town. Furthermore, the town makes an excellent base for exploring this little known and less visited part of Italy.
From Gioiosa Jonica we recommend the following excursions:
