Cutro

City of Chess and City of Bread

Town

Regione Calabria

Nationally recognised as one of Italy's "Chess Towns", Cutro, in the province of Crotone, is just a stone's throw from the beautiful Costa dei Saraceni.

But it's not just about chess! Cutro is equally famous for its homemade bread and the enchanting lunar landscape of its badlands, which captivated Pasolini in the 1950s.

It was in Cutro in the 16th century that one of Italy's greatest chess players was born: Gio Leonardo di Bona, holder of the first world title in 1575. The chess association of the same name is dedicated to him and commemorates him every year with unmissable events, such as the eagerly awaited Living Chess Game (12 August), which sees the participation of dozens of costumed figures and flag throwers, and the International Chess Tournament (between April and May).

A visit to the historic centre of Cutro takes in the Mother Church of SS. Annunziata, the Convent of the Friars Minor and the other small churches scattered among the alleys. Palazzo Grisi and Palazzo Santa Chiara are two examples of local aristocratic architecture, while the Tower and Fort of Chirizzi evoke the time when the coast of Cutro was attacked by Turkish pirates.

Trekking enthusiasts should not miss an excursion to the famous Calanchi di Cutro and Marchesato Crotonese: a natural environment of great value that enchanted the writer and director Pier Paolo Pasolini in the 1950s, who, after a trip to Calabria, chose these yellow dunes as the setting for his film The Gospel According to Matthew (1964). Has the trekking worked up your appetite? There is nothing better than a taste of the renowned Cutro Bread, which has been awarded the De.Co. (Municipal Designation of Origin) mark.

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