Italy's best kept secret
Calabria is more than just a pleasure zone for beach lovers and water sports enthusiasts. Its amazing mountainous landscape, enclosed in vast national parks like the Aspromonte, feature waterfalls, stunning skyscraping mountains, alpine lakes, forests and an amazing array of wildlife. Calabria's countryside is also dotted with sanctuaries, convents, ancient castles, eggshell villages clinging precariously to hillsides and Calabria is an archaeological pearl. Its shores stand testimony to 5,000 years of history, from the ancient Byzantine, Greeks and Romans to the Normans who covered the region with their fortresses, churches and castles. From ancient cities, Byzantine treasures, temples to Zeus and medieval towers, Calabria offers something for even the most discerning travellers.
Beach Life
Calabria is famed for the beauty of its coastline and offers some of Italy´s most stunning beaches where the water sports facilities are second to none. As yet still essentially untouched by tourism, the Calabrian Coast is famed for its dramatic beauty and is home to some of Italy's most beautiful beaches - the Observer newspaper said that Calabria "is like the Bahamas with all its stunning beaches". As the climate is mild around Calabria's coastlines all year, you can take advantage of the beautiful beaches even out of season.
The Calabrese People
Like the food they love, the Calabrese people are fiery, warm, open and welcoming. Traditionally hospitable and eager to share the beauty of the region they live in, you will find yourself making friends quickly and easily.
The Calabrians love a party and throughout the year there are many festivals and religious feasts celebrated all over the region. These festivals are for everyone and on festival day, each town's central piazza is full of locals enjoying the food, drink and entertainment on offer.
Food and Drink
Food and Drink in Calabria is known as the basket of Italy and the local cuisine is sheer heaven for those who love Italian food. From freshly caught fish and seafood to locally grown fruit and vegetables to local pasta dishes, pizza and delicious desserts, Calabria has something for everyone's tastes. Although Calabrian wines are not well known outside Italy, in ancient times Calabria was referred to by the Greeks as "land of wine". Some vineyards have origins dating back to the ancient Greek colonists. The best known wines are Cirò from the Province of Crotone and Donnici from the Province of Cosenza. Many producers are resurrecting local, ancient grape varieties which have been around for as long as 3000 years.
