Monasterace Marina: Kaulon, Coast and Religious Festivals

Monasterace Marina brings together Kaulon, archaeological remains, the coast and religious festivals.

Kaulon on Punta Stilo

The Archaeological Park of Monasterace Marina is located on the Punta Stilo promontory, on the site of the colonial center of Kaulon, founded by Achaean Crotonians. The monumental remains include a sandstone Doric peripteral temple, dated to 470–460 BC.

Archaeological Museum and Park

The Archaeological Museum of Monasterace Marina houses the inscribed bronze tablet known as the “Tabula Cauloniensis.” It is dedicated to Zeus, was written in the Achaean alphabet and dates to 470–460 BC. The museum’s interpretive tour presents the settlement of Kaulon, the sacred areas and the necropolises.

The park also includes the so-called Casa del Drago. A mosaic originally lay at the threshold of a banquet room; it is now displayed in the museum.

In the thermal baths area known as the “Sala dei Draghi e dei Delfini” is an extremely complex floor mosaic dating from between the end of the 4th and the first decades of the 3rd century BC. The area covers approximately 30 square meters.

The temple and the Tabula Cauloniensis date to 470–460 BC. The floor mosaic of the Sala dei Draghi e dei Delfini, by contrast, dates to the period between the end of the 4th

The park also encompasses a large underwater archaeology area with more than 200 finds. The museum preserves finds from excavations and from underwater recovery operations in the surrounding area.

Coast and Local History

In the center of Monasterace Marina are the ruins of the residences of the Marchesa Di Francia. Monasterace Marina has a seafront promenade; the beaches are suitable for relaxing and swimming.

Religious Festivals Throughout the Year

A religious tradition covering a large area is U Territoriu, a procession held every three years in honor of Sant’Andrea Avellino, the patron saint of Monasterace. It follows a route of approximately 20 kilometers through the entire municipal area. Halfway along the route, it stops at the Chiesa di San Giuseppe Lavoratore in Monasterace Marina.

Anyone wishing to join U Territoriu should take into account the approximate length of 20 kilometers, the route through the municipal area and the stop in Monasterace Marina when planning their day.

The feast of the Madonna di Porto Salvo takes place on the last Sunday in June. It honors the Madonna as the patron saint of fishermen and the community. The festivities include a procession at sea during which a wooden statue of the Madonna is carried.

Those wishing to include this date can consider it a separate festival event alongside U Territoriu: one festival is tied to a fixed Sunday in June, while the other returns every three years.

More Destinations

More destinations: Bovalino Marina, Lazzaro, Seminara, Acquacalda, Brancaleone Superiore, Tritanti, Melito Di Porto Salvo, Cittanova

For the broader travel overview: Reggio Calabria.