I never new about my Calabrian roots until a few years ago. We have so many posts on Calabria that we decided to put them all in one place.
You’ll also find some links to great books on Amazon, including mine “Farmers and Nobles”
Bookmark us so that you can some back whenever you like.
How God Created Calabria
Great conversation with Gianluca about Calabria, including it’s Greek beginning, food and people, including his grandmother’s story about “How God Created Calabria”, on the eighth day. Gianluca is a licensed Italian tour guide with twenty years of experience, including leading hiking groups in the Calabrian mountains, working at ski resorts in the Alps and Finland, guiding cultural tours in South Italy and arranging travel for tourist agencies with his own company. He has a passion
Calabria “The Other Italy”
Bob interviews Karen Haid who lived and taught in Italy and wrote a fascinating book about her travels through Calabria. Karen gives insight into the food, customs, things to do and much much more. ONCE THE HUB OF THE MEDITERRANEAN, Calabria now dangles, largely ignored, at the bottom of the Italian boot, struggling for survival, acceptance and a place in modern Italy and the world. Little-known even to Italians outside the nefarious activities of
The Journey Home — Day 9 — Montebello/Fossato Calabria
Click here to join out Facebook group The drive from Scilla to Montebello is about an hour and on the way we stopped to view the mountain “ghost town” Pentedattilo, which is derived from the Greek language and means five fingers. You can read the interesting story of two barons here. Our day in Montebello and Fossato turned out to be one of the more special days. Mostly due to my cousin Cinzia Piromallo (
Where Do Italians Come From — The Ancient Calabrian Tribes
There is evidence of the presence of a type of Homo Erectus in Calabria along coastal areas as far back as 700,000 BC. More recently ( 12,000 BC ) Stone Age there is a figure of a bull in the Romito Cave. The first villages arrive in 3,500 BC. Click here to join Italian Genealogy on Facebook In approximately 1500 BC the Oenotri or vine cultivators settled in Calabria. According to legend, they were Greeks
Researching Cropani Calabria and Utica NY
In this episode I talk to Dan Zongrone again with his mom Lucrezia who grew up in Utica NY. Lucrezia tells about growing up Italian in pre-war Utica and about the war years, her family and first trip to Italy. Visit Dan’s Facebook Page Cropani nel Cuore Taking advance orders for my book to be released Oct 21. Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video
So You Want To Buy A Home In Italy?
Dan Zongrone who has renovated two homes in Calabria gives us expert advice on how to start the process, the availability of materials and tools. Also how auctions work and the pitfalls to be aware of before and during the process. Visit Dan’s Facebook Page Cropani nel Cuore Visit Our Shop Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video
Researching Acri Calabria
I talk with John Polverino about his just starting his research, Italian citizenship and how he opened an Italian Restaurant in Tennessee. Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Visit Our Shop
The Journey Home — Day 8 — Scilla Calabria
Click here to join out Facebook group Day 8 had us taking the train from Naples to Scilla. When Gianfranco picked us up he asked if we had pastry at Gran Cafe Gambrinus the day before. When we said no that we did not have the chance. “We have time, we’ll go now” was the answer. You can’t refuse Gianfranco. We hated to say goodbye at the station as Gianfranco became a real friend. The
Researching Mangone Calabria
Fun interview Pat Benincasa about her family’s trip from Calabria to Canada to the USA, her finding relatives in Calabria, her art and much much more. Check out Pat’s art here. Visit Our Shop Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video
Researching Reggio Calabria
Visit Our Shop Bob talks with Pasquale Pacicca from visitreggiocalabria.com about in person and virtual tours. Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video
Researching Calabria and Puglia
Leto Family Visit Our Shop Rich Leto talks about when and why he started researching his family from Calabria and Puglia and when they arrived in Philadelphia. Also, what it was like growing up Italian in Philly. Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video
Researching Sicily and Calabria
Bob talks with Charlene Scime on how her Sicilian and Calabria families found there way to Niagra Falls NY. Click here to join our group on Facebook Find it on the map Visit our shop for Genealogy tee shirts, hoodies and more! The Ferrara Girls By Charleen Scime Biagio Ferrara married Liboria Barone in Villalba, Sicily on April 4, 1902. By 1904 they had two daughters, Giuseppa (Jessie) and Salvatrice (Jenny). When Jenny was a
Calabria Family Research
Join Bob as he interviews Steven Mairella about his research to find his Italian Ancestors in Calabria, Basilicata, and Campania. Also, check out Steven’s awesome art based on his Italian heritage at www.stevenmartworks.com. Click here to join our group on Facebook Find it on the map Sample of Steven’s Art www.stevenmartworks.com Mention IG2020
Calabria Roots
Teresa talks about when, how and why she started her research and found her family in Calabria. She also tells an amazing story about the amazing broach that arrived from Italy Uncle Guiseppi Pellegrino…..WWI he was an Morse Code operater My Nonno Francesco Pellegrino and his Pennsylvania van…he was a chauffer unknown bride and groom but 3 cousins in this pic..Teresa, Salvatore, and Donetta Mannarino cousins…L-R Savaria, Teresa, Salvatore, and Antonia(Donetta) my Nonna’s children here
History of Calabria Italy
Little did I know, that when I began my family research, that I would have ancestors from Calabria. The Piromallo family was originally from Barcelona, Spain and eventually move to Naples. The “capostipite” or founder of the family was Count Domenico Piromallo, who died heroically, as commander of the Castle of Crotone in 1528. There’s not too much history to be found on the family until Francesco Antonio purchased Barony of Montebello in 1755 from
