Travel to Calabria in Southern Italy

Why go to Calabria on Vacation?

Before we board the plane, it is important to know a little about this region, its history and its culture. In short, Calabria is a region in southern Italy that forms the “toe” of the boot. Apulia is the heel. Its capital is Catanzaro and the current population of the region is about 2 million.

What and where is Calabria?

The oldest cities in the region go back to the ancient Romans, which means that this place is home to a lot of history as well as traditions that have crossed centuries. The presence of the Arbëreshë community (people of Albanian origin who established themselves in Italy between the VX and XVII centuries) is just one example of the diversity and cultural richness that Calabria contains.

Calabria is also known for having some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Italy, but that’s something I’ll tell you more about later. So what are the main reasons to visit Calabria?

Calabria, Scilla by, view with turquoise sea,traditional boats and houses, Italien

I have divided this next part of this intro into sections as follows:

History
Mountains
Beaches
Welcome the locals
Kitchen

See also the great history of Italian cuisine

The history of Calabria

Calabria is a region that is incredibly rich in history. Some villages, such as the Pentadattilo, have existed for nearly 3,000 years and have buildings that have been maintained for centuries. There are also castles to see, such as Cosenza, Normando-Suevvo, and Reggio Castle, to name a few. So if you are in the mood to visit Italy and soak up some of the incredible history of the country, you are definitely in the right place.

Calabria. Tropea peninsola with beach

The geography of Calabria

I think one of the biggest advantages of this part of Italy is the diversity of the region in landscape. One of the clearest examples of this is the Apennine mountain range, which crosses the whole of Calabria and is one of its most distinctive expressions, an immensely long mountain range. For anyone who wants to visit the mountains and explore them, a tip is to go to Sila National Park, where you may have hit the slopes on a ski holiday, but then you also have a story to tell at home,

Beaches in Calabria

As I have mentioned, a visit to Calabria gives you the chance to enjoy many types of landscapes. So Calabria’s beaches can not be left this list of reasons to visit the region.

In addition to having beaches that appeal to all tastes, you can also choose between two different gardens, as the region shares a coast with the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas.

The most famous beaches are Tropea, Capo Vaticano and Pizzo. They are all lovely and worth a visit!

Welcome the people of Calabria

Another characteristic that makes the region stand out is the warm and welcoming people. In general, the Italian people are known for their kindness. However, Italians from the south really meet this designation, they embrace you and speak loud and lively and willingly.

Even in the more touristy parts of Calabria, it is not uncommon to meet people who want to learn more about you as a tourist. There are lovely and open people we met.

And in the smaller towns, of course, it’s even easier to see how they live and treat each other. You can certainly make comparisons between Calabria and the Italian heritage in general. For us, Italy is often only Northern Italy from ski holidays in the Dolomites to wine trips in Tuscany, to the classic, lovely trip to Rome, but Italy is is much more.

Limoncello, Calabria

The food in Calabria

The food of Calabria is another thing to note in Calabria, and is perhaps one of the main reasons why people go to Italy in general in the first place!

The Calabrian cuisine is extremely rich and tasteful, made for those who like to appreciate pasta and seafood, as these are some of the region’s specialties. We rolled in squid made in 10 different ways, with the freshest lemon and fine old wine vinegar. It’s like drinking the sea yourself, exquisitely simple and delicious with local wines. We will probably come back to them.

Some people notice the fresh lemons, which are also nice enough, and sweet oranges, which you can pick directly on the golf courses. We will strike a blow for Limoncello from Calabria, who is perfect after a good dinner.

Some of the most typical dishes in the region are Paccheri alla Mediterranea, which combines cannelloni pasta with swordfish and eggplant or Tagliatelle with cod, not to mention the wide selection of desserts and wines that you can also try. So if you are planning to visit Calabria, you need to be ready to put on a few pounds (which will definitely be worth it). or lose them in advance ?

Also see gorgeous Sardegna/Sardinia