Lamezia Terme originated in 1968 from the union of the municipalities of Nicastro, Sambiase and Sant'Eufemia Lamezia. It covers an area of 161 square km. The name of the town partially derives from the most ancient political community evidenced in the area since the Proto-historical Age, the Lametìnoi settled near the river called Làmetos (Amato). Moreover, the word Terme comes from the presence of thermal water in Bagni stream in the Caronte district. The sea and mountains are the peculiarities of the place, characterized by a Mediterranean climate. It is the third most inhabited town in Calabria. Lamezia Terme plays an important role in the economy of the area, because fundamental road, railway and airport hubs are located there.
The airport-related activities have allowed the development of business activities that will favor employment in time. Thirty farms, about 600 direct producers and 6000 day laborers work in the nearby area. The main agricultural cultivations are olive groves, that occupy most farming areas, and grapevines. Lamezia Doc wine is made from nerello mascalese, nerello cappuccio and black greco grapevines cultivated on a 1000 a large area. It is the only Calabrian red wine, together with Savuto, in which gaglioppo is not the main variety employed, but Mascalese and Cappuccio, much more common in Sicilian wines. Lamezia Terme hosts one of the Department of the Agrarian Faculty of the University Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria, founded in 1968.
The industrial sector is underdeveloped with high unemployment rates. The approach to local food is a different way to explore the city. Wandering around food shops, it is possible to find cheap local delicacies. Typical dishes can be sampled in agritourism farms and local restaurants. They include stuffed eggplants, fried pepper and potatoes, salted codfish with black olives, grispelle that is potato and flour fritters, home-made mixed pickled vegetables. Quality cured meats, sausages and salamis are excellent, especially the hot hand-made soppressata. Delicious local dairy products include butirro, (provola cheese with butter block inside). Sweets are tasty as well: cuzzupe, egg pastries prepared during the Easter period and turdiddi are among traditional sweet delicacies.
