The Petrace river runs down from the Aspromonte mountains and empties into the Tyrrhenian Sea just south of Gioia Tauro, flowing through a small valley of citrus groves and scrubland. The lower reaches near the coast are easily reached from the town and offer a pleasant contrast to the urban seafront — reeds, birdlife, and the smell of wild herbs characterise the riparian zone.
The Petrace is not a dramatic river — in summer it runs low and warm — but the valley it cuts through the coastal plain has a quality typical of the Calabrian littoral: an ordinary piece of landscape that rewards a slow walk. The area around the river mouth is good for birdwatching during spring migration. Local fishermen work the lower reaches for mullet and eels.