The protected designation of origin 'Bergamot of Reggio Calabria - essential oil' is reserved exclusively for the essential oil extracted by the cold-pressed method from the fruit Citrus Bergamia Risso in the varieties Femminello, Castagnaro and Fantastico. The origins of the plant are shrouded in mystery and historians tell of its presence in 1750 in the Fondo dei Giunchi in Reggio Calabria, where it has its natural habitat. In Calabria, the bergamot processing industry has a prominent position because it is the only region able to cultivate the citrus fruit. The 'Bergamot of Reggio Calabria - essential oil' must be liquid, mobile, clear, sometimes with a solid deposit; green to greenish yellow in colour; with a characteristic, pleasant, fresh smell, reminiscent of the pericarp of the Bergamot. The valuable essential oil obtained from it is exported all over the world, especially for its use in cosmetics and perfumery. The citrus fruit has made its way into haute cuisine and pastry making, thanks to the recipes and desserts of pioneering chefs and pastry chefs from Reggio Emilia who have believed in this unique ingredient, to the point of involving international culinary masters to include the fruit in their menus, with brilliant results appreciated by connoisseurs and gourmets. The peel, suitably treated, can be used to flavour first courses, main courses and desserts. Its aroma imparts an incomparable flavour to candies and candied peels and the essence is excellent for a fragrant and delicious tea or sorbet. The juice, with its bitterish taste, is used to make liqueurs, syrups and excellent supplements. A fruit of the Calabrian land that also has health benefits with therapeutic principles against viruses and bacteria, antioxidant, anti-rheumatic, antipolypukaemic and vaso-protective properties, offering useful tools to normalise triglycerides, cholesterol and glycaemia. In order to spread knowledge of this precious citrus fruit and its impact on the local economy, the Bergamot Museum has been set up in Reggio Calabria, displaying the ancient tools and images that tell of more than three hundred years of culture, history and traditions on the citrus fruit and its use.