Palmi Things to Do

The event of ``I Giganti`` (The Giants) takes place every year just before the San Rocco day. They dance all around the town and they shoul represent the first inhabitants of the Earth, so being associated with the myths of Saturno (god of the sky) and Gea (godness of the Earth). They are therefore recognised and seen as the founders and protectors of the town.
It is a real joyful day when they go all over the streets, accompanied by drums and by a music band. It is the day children 9but adults too) like most and remember and wait for all year long. (If they are sad and being promised to go and see the Giganti they became soon quiet.)

The Villa Comunale of Palmi is a nice place where to rest in the very hot days and enjoy a beautiful view of the sea. In the clearest days it is amazing hoy your sight can reach the horizon of the Eolian Islands and of Messina, and if you are lucky it is even possible catch the top of the mount Etna. Anyway, it offers wonderful and peaceful sunsets

This event is celebrated the first sunday of August. It takes place at theTonnara, the locality known as the beach of Palmi.
The event is pretty peculiar, the procession of the Mother Virgin takes place on a boat along the shore, surrounded by many fisherman boats.
It is a nice idea to spend a whole day at the beach and then to assist at this event on the early evening and then follwo the typical music celebrations by the church.

This event takes place once in every few years, and it is to celebrate the Virgin Mary and how she helped the town after 1908 earthquake. The same event takes place in Messina, the difference is that there is a real girl at the top and hundreds of men draw ropes all at once all along the main street of the town. It is a very spectacular event which attracts tourists from all over the place and nice to attend to as the preparation of evrything requires a couple of days of partys and celebrations.

In the course of the procession, the Statue of San Rocco is preceded by a group of people called `spinati` as they wear on their half naked body or just on their head a crown of thorns as a voto, or a sacrifice to offer ot the saint their pain and their suffering.

This festival has it all - food, fireworks, and great music. One of the truly unique elements is the Procession of the Thorned Men, when pilgrims called "spinati" carry the image of Saint Rocco through the streets wearing cloaks of thorns.

One of the most important in Italy, it keeps a large documentation about habits of calabria peole: domestic tools, lamps, masques, objects related to religious tradition, shepherds tools, handcraft tools etc

Dedicated to F. Cilea (1866-1950), the famous music composer, this museum keeps portraits, manuscripts, musical programs.
OPEN: 8-13.30 and 15-17,30. Monday-Thursday. Saturday and Sunday closed