About the Region

Calabria is the toe of the Italian boot pointed directly at its ocean neighbor Sicily. It’s landscape is quite different then that of other Italian regions. Almost all of it is ruggedly mountainous, leaving just enough room at the edges for the longest beaches in all of Italy. Most man-made attractions have been shaken by the earthquakes and consequently there are plenty of ruins and ghost towns. As you may already guess Calabria is a little underdeveloped but quite scenic.

Depiction of 1783 earthquake

Calabria has long been misfortuned in its life span. Over history many great tragedies have lead to the decline of this region. Long ago many wars have stopped Calabria from ever prospering into a major flourishing region. It seemed every time in history the region would start to populate other circumstances intervened. It has generally been a haven for earthquakes, some even killing 100,000 people at once. As years passed much of the population migrated to other parts of the world. So now the area has long been rumored for the likes of Mafia and, but do not be worried they are of no consequence to you, as they will not interact with your vacation. Just remember that this area is not overly populated and tends to be a place you will use yourself more then others to explore.

Cosenza

In the past most visitors tend to pass through the region rather then actually stay there. So if you have some time to spare take the old coastal road SS18, south through Maratea and Paola. The SS585 that connects with the A3 autostrada del Sole, near Maratea, is a much more scenic route then the autostrada. There are many stopovers along the way such as; Maratea, Vibo Valentia or Gioia Tauro. One nice stop-off is via Cosenza into the Sila highlands. It’s about 90 km from the turnoff at Paola to San Giovanni in Fiore in the heart of Sila. It may be a tough ride but the views are impeccable. Before making the cross over to Messina, take an hour or two to visit the museum in Reggio; even if you don’t like archaeology, the collection contains some of the finest pieces of art in southern Italy.

Calabria is home to Italy’s longest beach, from Reggio as far as Taranto, the coasts of Calabria are about 500 km long. This whole route is quite serene as sleepy shore settlements make up most of the beach. Many of the new villages and towns on the bottom of the toe have become mini resorts and can be an appealing stop if you are in Calabria. One town Roccella Ionica is an up and coming area. Its hilltop setting and castle make it one of the different settings along the beach.

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