Bergamot from Reggio Calabria: where it grows and how to discover it

The bergamot of Reggio Calabria grows on a strip of coastline over 100 km long, from Villa San Giovanni to Locride, and over 90% of the world's production comes from here. The plant requires mild and stable temperatures and a dry climate: it finds them mainly on the Ionian side of the province, between Melito di Porto Salvo, Condofuri, Bova Marina and Brancaleone.

To get to know it as a visitor, you have three starting points: the Bergamot Museum in the center of Reggio, the Ionian coast with its citrus groves between November and March, ice creams, desserts and bergamot liqueurs. In this guide you will find the verified data as of October 5, 2026.

Where does bergamot grow and how much does Reggio Calabria produce from it

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) is grown on about 1,500 hectares in the province of Reggio Calabria, in 43 municipalities in the PDO area. The data is from the Reggio Calabria Chamber of Commerce (September 2024), which also has about 1,300 micro-enterprises and 6,000 employees in the sector. The mapping of the Metropolitan City in 2020 indicates a lower area, between 1,000 and 1,100 hectares: the sources do not agree and an updated census is not public.

The area has shrunk a lot over time. According to the same mapping, the hectares were 3,809 in 1980, 2,442 in 1990 and 1,460 in 2009.

Where the companies are concentrated: Condofuri (19.7%), Reggio Calabria (19.3%), Melito di Porto Salvo (8.5%), Brancaleone (7.7%) and Bova Marina (5.8%), according to data reported by the Gazzetta del Sud in July 2020.
World share: over 90% of production, according to the Chamber of Commerce and the mapping of the Metropolitan City.
Varieties: Femminello, Castagnaro and Fantastico, which stand out for their fruit and the quality of their essence.

Why bergamot only grows in Reggio Calabria

The quality of the Reggio essence depends on the microclimate and soils of the Ionian coast: the oil produced elsewhere does not have the same composition. This is written by a study by the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria published in 2024 in the journal Foods, which recalls previous studies on the essential oil.

The same study compared two citrus groves of the Fantastico variety: one in Melito di Porto Salvo, on the Ionian coast and within the PDO area, the other in Rizziconi, on the Tyrrhenian side. In Melito, the average annual temperature was about 1.6 °C higher, with 2.3 °C higher in autumn. In Melito, rainfall is concentrated between autumn and winter, while in Rizziconi it is distributed throughout the year.

Exposure, fog and terrain

The Chamber of Commerce file adds three other factors:

Southern exposure: the plant prefers it and suffers from temperature changes.
Spring mists: sea dogs drop unripe fruits.
Soils: the best have a siliceous base with nearby clayey-calcareous components.

The PDO of bergamot essential oil

The PDO Bergamot of Reggio Calabria - Essential Oil has been registered in the European Union since 2001, with Regulation (EC) No. 509/2001. It protects the essence extracted from the peel, not the fresh fruit. The Consortium for the Protection of Bergamot of Reggio Calabria was founded in 2007.

Yields give an idea of the value of the essence. The 2020 mapping calculates about 160 quintals of fruit per hectare and about 500 grams of essential oil per quintal, i.e. about 80 kg of essence per hectare.

When to harvest bergamot

Bergamot is harvested between November and February, when the processing for the essence and juice is concentrated. This is what the Mediterranean University study (2024) reports; other sources indicate a longer period, from October to March. The main flowering is from the end of March to April, with a second flowering between the end of May and the end of June.

The harvest depends a lot on the climate. In October 2023, Gambero Rosso reported a 70% drop in production due to the summer heat. If you want to see the fruits on the plants, the right time is from November to March.

From bergamot to Eau de Cologne: uses in perfumery

The essence of bergamot is the basis of the first Eau de Cologne, created in Cologne in 1709 by Johann Maria Farina. Farina, born in Santa Maria Maggiore in Piedmont, combined bergamot and other citrus oils with alcohol. During the French occupation of Cologne (1794-1814) soldiers took the perfume throughout Europe and Napoleon became a customer. The Farina company claims to still buy bergamot from farmers in Reggio Calabria.

Circa 1750: Nicola Parisi plants the first documented bergamot grove in the territory of Reggio.
1844: Nicola Barillà invents the Calabrian machine, which extracts the essence mechanically.
2016: according to the president of the Consortium, the essence used for Dior's Sauvage perfume came from the Amendolea valley, in the Grecanica Area.

What you taste: bergamot in the kitchen

In the kitchen, bergamot is mainly used in desserts: candies, candied fruit, nougat, ice cream, liqueurs and soft drinks. The Bergamot Route of the Chamber of Commerce points out artisanal ice cream and bergamot cocktails in Reggio; on the Ionian coast, producers transform it into juices and jams. You can also find it as a tea flavoring.

Caution is needed on health. University research studies the flavonoids in the juice, including brutieridin and melitidin, for their effects on cholesterol. These are ongoing studies: do not take bergamot as a therapy and talk to your doctor before using supplements.

The Bergamot Museum in Reggio Calabria

The Bergamot Museum is located in Via Filippini 50, in the center of Reggio Calabria, less than a kilometer from Piazza Indipendenza. It was born on the initiative of the International Bergamot Academy and Professor Vittorio Caminiti. The itinerary tells over three centuries of cultivation and processing with tools, photographs and machinery for extraction from the eighteenth century to the sixties, including the Calabrian machine of Barillà. There is also a space for the presentation and tasting of bergamot products.

According to the Musei Online page updated in April 2025, the museum opens Monday to Saturday from 9 to 12 and from 16 to 19, on Sundays and holidays by reservation, with free admission. We have not found official confirmation for 2026: before going call +39 388 1299103.

Where to see the bergamot citrus groves

Most of the farms are located on the Ionian coast south of Reggio, along the SS106 between Melito di Porto Salvo and Brancaleone. Distances by road from Piazza Indipendenza:

Melito di Porto Salvo: about 31 km.
Condofuri Marina and the Amendolea valley: about 39 km.
Bova Marina: about 44 km.
Brancaleone: about 61 km, just over an hour's drive.

The citrus groves are private property: an agreement with a producer is required to enter. In the Grecanica Area, bergamot grows in small plots between the sea and the hills, often next to villages, and many plants can be seen from the road.

The Bergamot Route and Bergarè 2026

The Chamber of Commerce of Reggio Calabria has designed La Via del Bergamot, a 5-day and 4-night itinerary from the center of Reggio to the Grecanica Area, Brancaleone, Locride and Costa Viola, with a list of companies participating in the project. From 22 to 25 October 2026, the same Chamber organizes the fifth edition of the festival dedicated to the fruit at the Bergarè Aragonese Castle, with show cooking, tastings, meetings and a village of companies in the square.

How to organize the bergamot day with Athena ETC

Athena ETC today does not have an experience dedicated to bergamot: however, you can build your day with a tailor-made itinerary with a driver, for groups of 2 to 8 people. You indicate the stops: the museum in the center, the Ionian coast and the villages of the Grecanica Area. The price is not published: you receive it with the answer to your request. See private transport.

If you prefer an outing already organized in the same area, the Pentedattilo experience, the ghost village lasts 4 hours and starts from Piazza Indipendenza, from €60 per person. Pentedattilo & Bova occupies an 8-hour day, from €100 per person.

Athena ETC services are reserved for members: registration is done online from the Join us page. For a tailor-made itinerary, write to info@athenaetc.com or call +39 379 14 92 736.

Frequently asked questions about the bergamot of Reggio Calabria

Where is bergamot grown?

In the province of Reggio Calabria, on a coastal strip of over 100 km from Villa San Giovanni to Locride. The companies are concentrated in Condofuri, Reggio, Melito di Porto Salvo, Brancaleone and Bova Marina.

How much of the world's bergamot comes from Reggio Calabria?

Over 90%, according to the Reggio Calabria Chamber of Commerce and the 2020 mapping of the Metropolitan City.

How many hectares of bergamot are there?

About 1,500 according to the Chamber of Commerce (2024); the 2020 mapping estimates between 1,000 and 1,100. In 1980 there were 3,809.

Why doesn't bergamot grow well elsewhere?

Because on the Ionian coast of Reggio Calabria it finds higher temperatures, rainfall concentrated between autumn and winter and siliceous soils. Elsewhere the plant grows, but the essential oil has a different composition.

Since when has the Bergamot PDO existed?

Since 2001, with Regulation (EC) No. 509/2001. The PDO concerns the essential oil, not the fresh fruit.

When is bergamot harvested?

Between November and February, when the processing is concentrated. Some sources indicate a longer period, from October to March.

What does bergamot have to do with Eau de Cologne?

The Eau de Cologne created in Cologne in 1709 by Johann Maria Farina was based on bergamot and other citrus oils dissolved in alcohol.

Where is the Bergamot Museum located?

In Via Filippini 50, in the center of Reggio Calabria. Admission was free in April 2025: confirmation of hours and opening at +39 388 1299103.

What do you taste with bergamot in Reggio?

Ice cream, candies, candied fruit, nougat, liqueurs, soft drinks, jams and juices. Bergarè, from 22 to 25 October 2026, has an area dedicated to show cooking and tastings.

When does Bergarè 2026 take place?

From 22 to 25 October 2026 at the Aragonese Castle in Reggio Calabria, organized by the Chamber of Commerce.

Bergamot from Reggio Calabria: why it grows only here and how to discover it