The origins of bergamot are uncertain and shrouded in an aura of mystery. Legend has it that the plant was imported by Christopher Columbus from the Canary Islands, arriving in Reggio Calabria from the Spanish city of Berga, hence its name. The first bergamot plantation was the work, in 1750, of the owner Nicola Parisi along the coast of the Giunchi. Harmonious and pleasant, its essence is used as an antidepressant and antioxidant.