Giovanni Macrì, mayor of Tropea, tells us about the beauties of the city that won the title "The village of the villages 2021". It is an exciting victory that crowns Tropea queen of the villages of Italy and that makes known not only its extraordinary natural beauties, its sea, sunsets, glimpses but also the places, culture and traditions of the village.
Tropea is the village of 2021 villages. What were the emotions in winning this prestigious award?
On the evening of the last episode of The slopes of the kilimanjaro it was like reliving the 82nd World Cup final so indescribable anxiety. Then, as we progressed and therefore passed from the tenth place to the ninth, to the eighth, to the seventh, it was a feeling that I would like to be able to let everyone experience. It was very beautiful, very intense and very attended because there were thousands of phone calls that came to me during the broadcast. I lived with great intensity until the last second, it was beautiful and it was like reliving that very strong emotion of the 1982 world championship when I was just 12 years old. So, with this victory I have intensely relived that emotion and I am very happy to have been able to experience it at home, with my family and with the Tropeans and Calabrians who live all over the world.
Tropea the village of villages 2021. This award to the city of Tropea has made proud the Tropeans who live every day in their city but also, and perhaps above all, those who live abroad who certainly carry Tropea in their hearts and are promoters of abroad of the place of their roots. What is his message for the tropeans living abroad
Surely the Tropeans, like the Calabrians living abroad, have their land in their heart. I'll tell you an anecdote that I care very much about. At the end of the novena of the Madonna of Romania, who is our patron to whom I am very devoted like all the tropeans, there is a prayer for the far tropeans, so the love between the city and the far tropeans is very intense and it is almost touching that part of the religious service where we remember the tropeans who live outside. Therefore, there is a deep love for those who live outside, for those who have been forced for obvious reasons of work or for other reasons, to leave their land with which the bond is very strong. All Calabrians carry our land in their hearts, they appreciate the positive changes that occur, they follow things, they want to participate, they spend themselves for their city or region. Perhaps all emigrants do it, I obviously speak of what I know, of my experience, and I see that the bond is I dare say visceral. But I also have many friends who live in Italy rather than abroad who constantly call to find out what is happening in Tropea. The victory at the borgo dei borghi was something that will remain in the annals and we shared it with all those who supported and helped us for the victory.
Do you want to indicate to our followers that as soon as they will be able to visit Tropea, 5 unmissable corners to see absolutely?
Tropea is so small that it is unique. The strength of Tropea is this indissoluble sea-village union. If a person should come and ask me what cannot be lost, I would certainly start showing them what is the symbol of Tropea, the sanctuary of Santa Maria dell'Isola. It is a stage that cannot be done without.
It is necessary to stop there to contemplate the cliff because from that perspective it's something incredible. From there, you can understand the phrase thanks to which we then won the hamlet of the villages "a veil of history lying on the tuff”By Jacopo Veneziani, there, in fact, there is that scene that you can perceive and see only from that perspective. So from there in addition to seeing the Church and the cliff you can see the Botanical Garden, wonderful, rich in Mediterranean scrub, and you can admire the cliff for which we are working so that it becomes part of the UNESCO heritage.
Definitely not to be missed is the monumental complex of the cathedral which is not limited to the church alone but should be extended to the Diocesan Museum and pawnshop which are part of this wonderful complex.
THEAncient seat of the nobles, historical seat of the Tropean parliament from where the noble families of the city of Tropea sat in 1600 to govern the city. And then the wonderful ones views each different from the other. L'view of the cannon from where you can admire wonderful sunsets, unique in the world. In fact, the sun setting in the Stromboli crater is a unique experience, of a red that if you don't see it you can't tell. When I take pictures of the sunset rather than the sea and post them on instagram they seem artificial but, in reality, I guarantee you that they are not, the sunsets are of a beauty that surpasses the imagination. From this view, on days where there is no mist you can see all the Aeolian islands. The other view is the villa of Liano which has been crowned over the years as one of the most beautiful views in the world. From there you can see the island and see the shadow of the cliff that rests on the crystalline waters of our sea. Another view is that of Galluppi square from where you can admire our stupendous port, the rock of San Leonardo and it shows the wonderful Michelino beach of the municipality of Parghelia. Again, what cannot be missed is one guided walk in the historic center to admire the courts of noble palaces and apotropaic masks that adorn the doors, the hallways of these wonderful buildings. I could tell you many other things about Tropea. For example, when I go to the beach I always take the road to the convent. I go to my beach, and I photograph the sea and the place they tell me not to overdo the filters but, I don't put them on, our sea is just like that! To enjoy the village I do not take the car, to go to the town, I think I am one of the very few mayors who do not have a pass to enter the historic center. I brought the number of permits for cars authorized to enter the historic center from 3.000 to 650, neither I nor the councilors and councilors have the permit and this allows me to appreciate the beauties of the historic center every day.
Tropea, the pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea is now the queen of the Calabrian villages. As mayor, besides obviously the satisfaction and pride of dressing him as mayor, have you already thought of any projects that can further emphasize your natural and cultural beauty? Are there any ideas in the pipeline?
I have a lot of ideas, we are putting them into action. I think I have done a lot even if the road is still long, we have many things to do both in terms of services where there was an important shortage, and in terms of qualification interventions. Our historic center is one of the most beautiful and important in Calabria, it was a bit neglected, we are trying to put it in order. Today the eco-bonus is also helping a lot in fixing a number of buildings that were a bit neglected. We have made a series of interventions ranging from quality signage, to enhance the historic center, to a series of information that is made available to travelers so to know, to understand where you are walking, to a series of services ranging from Wireless, we are activating a series of hot spots that will allow all Tropeans and Italian and foreign tourists to have free access to the network. And again, a series of services of green mobility of bike sharing. We are installing a series of bike stations for bike sharing to connect the historic center to the sea. We are trying to improve the offer through a series of services especially for the traveler who wants to experience the city. For example, we managed to remove all the wild pre-signs that were in the historic center and today there is a unique signage made with criteria that enhance it. The historic center is everyone's living room, slowly we are making important progress to improve more and more.
Can you tell our followers what the most important events planned for this summer will be?
There are a number of unknowns and question marks. The traditional festival that certainly pleases our dear fellow citizens abroad which is that of I Tri from 'Cruci, said in Tropeano, surely it will jump, for May 3 it is unthinkable to be able to do it. We hope to be able to do this year the Onion party hence the red onion festival. This event is a festival that goes from food to fashion, to fashion, to art. We are working on it these days, we are waiting to understand the security measures and to know the indications that the government will have to give.
But we are confident and we are waiting for a series of confirmations because this event this year could be linked to an important television broadcast. In August we will do, always Covid permitting, the Cultures in comparison which is an international folkloristic representation, folk groups come from all over the world who represent their cities and propose their traditions, their customs, to the huge audience of travelers who are in Tropea. Definitely the Tropea blues, and also Harmonies of Magna Graecia which is a classical music review that has reached very high levels. I am definitely thinking of the theatrical performance which this year will be a full three days 24 hours a day. We are planning for September on wine week, a weekend dedicated to wine not only from Calabria but also from other regions. We are also thinking about something related to sweets. These are the main events we are working on, to these we will add many others on which we are working now. Let's not forget also the historical parade reminiscent of the liberation of Tropea which will take place in mid-August. This is a historicized event, much appreciated, in period costumes that evokes one of the most significant events in the history of the city.
Tropea is a world tourist reference. Last summer, despite the pandemic, it was well organized and was able to attract many tourists, perhaps more than in other years. How has tourism changed in the city of Tropea?
With us, the tourist season begins at the end of March and ends in the first half of November. Obviously this wide fork is kept alive and supported by foreign demand. Last year the foreign demand was almost non-existent even if then, at the end of September, foreigners timidly began to ask to come to the city then, in October, the situation precipitated. Last year we had a huge demand from Italy especially from regions that did not know Tropea.
Many people have used the car to go on vacation so we were lucky enough to have many tourists from Piedmont and Tuscany. The Piedmontese and Tuscans therefore had the opportunity to appreciate the beauties of the city and I received many compliments, many appreciations and many promises of return and promotion. So, last year we can say that it was an exceptional year. The restaurants in Tropea have hardly been affected by Covid because even if the season has shrunk, in that part, the numbers have been incredible. Those who really lost were the hoteliers. It was therefore a year of internal production, Tropea had the opportunity to make itself known in Italy and I am convinced that this year we will have some nice surprises in terms of internal demand even if, as I told you, we must necessarily bet on international demand because otherwise, for obvious reasons, everything is reduced to two months.
Tropea has touched on the labeling of capital of culture. In which sector does it have to improve its performance to subsequently reach the coveted goal that would bring incredible visibility to Tropea and to Calabria as a whole? Can Tropea follow in the footsteps of Matera and become the symbol of the rebirth and redemption of Calabria?
I think we have already succeeded. The capital of culture was, like this last experience we won, something where there must be only one winner. So a situation identical to that of the twenty villages in the sense that those who participated were all wonderful villages, each one had reasons to be the most beautiful village in Italy however, in the end there is only one winner. The same thing for the capital of culture, however, while in the challenge of the villages we were aware of playing for it and we won, in the other challenge we were aware of our limits. The limits are basically the infrastructural ones. My and the administration's goal was to make Tropea known as a village, as a place made up of a culture and architecture that deserve to be discovered. Tropea is known as a seaside tourist resort in the world, so most of the marketing policies until recently pushed Tropea in that direction, totally ignoring the village which, instead, is the real strength of the city.
An American tourist sees the sea but does not know, does not imagine that he will then find that sea in such a fascinating, enveloping, evocative and magical context that is what then makes you fall in love with Tropea and makes you want to come back, to talk about it. well, to bring people. Therefore, through that candidacy for the capital of culture, thanks also to RAI and the newspapers that supported us, to make known to those who obviously limited their gaze to the sea, something much more precious and today, we are reaping the rewards .
In Tropea there is no infrastructure, no theater, no important site to be used as a palace of culture, a building where cultural workshops and exhibitions can be held. Many times I am forced to ask for spaces to be able to welcome artists of great value even if I must say, last year also in this field we have won several challenges with important exhibitions that have had resounding success.
How much does the Tropea onion, famous throughout the world for its flavor and sweetness, count in the economy of the city?
Perhaps Tropea was first known for onion and then for the scenic, natural and cultural beauties. The onion has now been on the table of many Italians for many years, it is on the menus of the most important starred chefs. Together with the 'Nduja is one of the products that forcefully impose themselves on the menus not only of starred chefs but also of fast food catering. I named the 'Nduja because Spilinga is in all respects part of the Coast of the gods, together with Drapia and Zungri therefore the affirmation of the 'nduja within the Burger King chain it was also a victory for us. Tropea did the same years ago with McDonald's and with Findus' quality Minestrone.
The onion production has mostly moved to the Campora area even though we have an important production here. So it had, has and will have a unique and decisive importance, because it is in great demand, highly sought after and is part of our culinary traditions.
What's your favorite place in Tropea?
A place where I like to spend a few minutes or a few hours relaxing is Piazza Cannone. Sitting on a bench, admiring the sun, looking at the horizon, the infinity, the sea, the island of Tropea and the Aeolian islands, basking in the sun not thinking about anything, is one of those regenerating and true moments, and I'm really good there.
As the mayor of Tropea would you like to invite those who follow us from all over the world to visit the beautiful Tropea?
Come to Tropea! The mayor will welcome you with open arms! There are a thousand reasons to come to Tropea. There is the sea, there is history, there is architecture. Each time of the year has its own reason, those who like the sea could come from now until October; there are traditions and cuisine. You can come to Tropea simply to feel the warmth, which you who follow italiani.it know well, which is typical of southern peoples. So I am waiting for you, I can't wait to hug you and to listen to your criticisms and suggestions as well.
