About

San Giovanni A Piro, like many small centers in Italy owes much of it’s heritage and history to early settlers and monks from hundreds of years ago.  Basilians, often referred to as Byzantine monks found a church there that still stands today.  St. Giovanni Baptist’s Abbey was the name of the church, and things were not always rosy in early days of the church.  The monks, even went so far as to build a battle tower on the west end for the purposes of defense.  Apparently, the barbaric hordes of the day had little respect for the new religious order.  Still over the years, the area has not advanced as quickly as others.  That’s probably part of it’s appeal as a tourist and visitor destination.  Famines, plagues and the usual list of suspects that can hamper the more remote areas of the world have had their way with this beautiful seaside community.