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CALABRIA DREAMIN'
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WHAT TO SEE IN ITALY: THE WONDERS OF THE FIVE PROVINCES OF CALABRIA TO DISCOVER
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What to see in Calabria, what to do in Calabria, what's in Calabria?
There is everything. Calabria has everything.
So proclaims one of the region's most successful advertising campaigns featuring Gennaro Gattuso, former Italian football star, World Cup champion and beloved native son of Corigliano Calabro, in the province of Cosenza.
The "most mysterious and unexplored region" of Italy, as Calabria was defined by the Calabrian writer Corrado Alvaro.
Vibo Valentia, the Serre and the Coast of Gods
Sea, sun, the natural beauty of the coastline and silent mountain landscapes cloaked in thick forests go hand in hand with archaeology, culture and history in this part of Calabria overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea.
What to see in Reggio Calabria and its province. The Strait, the Costa Viola(purple coast), the Grecanica area. Discover what to see in the City of Versace, Bergamot and Fata Morgana.
WHAT TO SEE IN ITALY
Cosenza and province
Cosenza is the main city of the homonymous province in Calabria. Known as the 'Athens of Calabria' for its rich cultural tradition, Cosenza offers numerous points of interest to discover both in its historic center and the surrounding areas. However, the province of Cosenza encompasses many other wonders worth visiting
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About Calabria
Calabria is a unique and fascinating region in southern Italy, known for its natural beauty, ancient villages, castles and ancient ruins that tell of a past rich in history and culture. One of the most important attractions in Calabria is Crotone, where Pythagoras founded one of the most important schools of thought of mankind, the Pythagorean School.
Calabria is famous for its coastline, with varied beaches that are among the most beautiful in Italy and Europe. The Calabrian coast stretches for 780 km and offers a wide range of beaches, from sandy to rocky, suitable for all tastes. In addition, the region is surrounded by imposing mountains, including Pollino, Aspromonte and Sila, which are over 2000 metres high. These mountains are true green lungs and offer breathtaking views, waterfalls, canyons, gorges and underwater caves for unique diving.
Calabria also boasts three national parks: Pollino, Aspromonte and Sila. Pollino shows the full range of the Mediterranean ecosystem, with white firs and loricate pines, maples and beeches. The Sila is a plateau rich in greenery, pastures, water, forests, ever-changing landscapes, tall pines and larches, huge expanses and enchanting lakes. Aspromonte is a mythical and enchanted mountain, often painted in misty colours, 'harsh' and impenetrable, but which hides many surprises and offers pleasant excursions such as the one to Monte Scirocco and the summit of Montalto.
Calabria is also famous for its plains, including the plains of Lamezia Terme and Sibari, the realm of citrus gardens, bergamot and jasmine, while the Gioia Tauro plain offers the densest and most intricate forest of olive trees on the peninsula.
In summary, Calabria is a region rich in natural beauty, history and culture, and offers many attractions, including beaches, mountains, national parks, ancient villages, castles and ancient ruins.
What to see and do in Calabria
Here is a list of things not to miss on a trip to Calabria:
The Pollino National Park: for nature lovers, a tour must include a stop at the Mount Pollino National Park, much of which stretches across the Calabrian territory. Its main attractions are the Raganello Gorge, the Lao River Valley and the Argentino River Valley, where it is possible to practice sports such as rafting, mountain biking, mountaineering and caving excursions.
Crotone: the cradle of civilisation. A visit to Crotone, founded in the second half of the 8th century B.C., is a must to learn about the history of the region. The National Archaeological Museum and the Archaeological Park and Museum at Capo Colonna are important.
The Riace Bronzes: an absolute beauty. You cannot fail to visit Reggio Calabria to admire the famous Riace Bronzes, two colossal statues of Greek heroes, respectively 1.98 and 1.97 metres high and weighing 160 kg each, preserved in the National Archaeological Museum in Reggio Calabria.
The Scolacium Archaeological Park: to retrace the history of Magna Graecia and Ancient Rome, it is important to visit the Scolacium Archaeological Park in the municipality of Borgia, where the remains of the Greek colony Skylletion and the later Roman colony Scolacium can be admired.
The ghost town of Pentedattilo: for lovers of history and mystery, Pentedattilo is a must-see. This ancient abandoned village, situated on a hand-shaped cliff, offers a unique experience among the ruins of the houses and the legends that surround it.
The Ionian coast: the Calabrian coast stretches for 780 km and offers a wide range of some of the most beautiful beaches in Italy and Europe. The Ionian coast is particularly famous for its long beaches of fine sand and crystal-clear sea.
The Aragonese Castle of Le Castella: located on an island off the Ionian coast, this castle is one of Calabria's main attractions, famous for its medieval architecture and panoramic views
The Costa Viola: an enchanting place where the sea takes on purple hues, is an area that stretches between the mountains of Aspromonte and the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean. Here, the currents of the Strait of Messina make the waters clear and transparent, perfect for swordfish fishing, which has been practised for centuries. The landscape is characterised by dense Mediterranean scrub and the view of the Aeolian Islands on the horizon. The Costa Viola is also famous for the legend of the Morgana fairy, a phenomenon that occurs during hot days, when it seems as if the Sicilian coastline approaches the Calabrian one.
The Cedar Riviera: located in the province of Cosenza, it is one of the most beautiful areas of Calabria, famous for its cultivation of citrons, the most famous Calabrian citrus fruit in the world. The area is particularly appreciated by Jewish Rabbis, who every year come in search of the 'Mêlon' of the tree of Eden, a perfect citron to be used as a votive offering during the Jewish ritual of 'Sukkot'. The Cedar Riviera coastline is a tangle of beaches, high cliffs and coves, surrounded by lush forests and rushing rivers. The coastline is protected by the Cedar Riviera Regional Marine Park, with a seabed rich in life.
Calabrian personalities
In addition to famous personalities such as Mia Martini and Gianni Versace, Calabria has been the birthplace of characters of great stature who have influenced the culture and way of living and thinking throughout Europe.
Bernard Barlaam
A 14th-century monk, theologian, astronomer and mathematician. He was the Greek teacher of Petrarch, Boccaccio and Paolo Perugino.
Leonzio Pilato
Lived in the 15th century and was a pupil of Barlaam's.Called to Florence by Giovanni Boccaccio, he was the first to translate the Iliad and the Odyssey from Greek into Latin on commission from Petrarch.He also translated Euripides' tragedy Hecuba and Justinian's Codex.
Bernardino Telesio
He was an Italian philosopher and naturalist, initiator of the new Renaissance philosophy of nature. Giordano Bruno, Descartes, Francis Bacon and Tommaso Campanella drew inspiration from his doctrine.
Tommaso Campanella
He was, with Telesio and Giordano Bruno, one of the greatest representatives of Italian Renaissance thought
Francis of Paola
He was an Italian religious man, proclaimed a saint by Pope Leo X on 1 May 1519. A hermit, he founded the Order of Minims.
Joachim of Fiore
He is venerated as a Blessed by the Florentines and the Bollandist Jesuits. Defined by Dante "in the Divine Comedy...of a prophetic spirit endowed".
Leonida Repaci
Born in Palmi, he was an Italian writer, essayist, poet, playwright, painter and anti-fascist. One of the most famous and well-known Calabrian writers also immortalised by Fellini in the film La dolce vita.