Calabria

It is a region in southern Italy which occupies the "toe" of the Italian peninsula. It is bounded in the north by the region of Basilicata, region of Sicily in SW, to the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, and to the east by the Ionian Sea.

Calabria is very popular with Italian holidaymakers, the vacation delights of Italy's sun-bathed deep south are only now being discovered by the rest of us.

It is also a region of remarkable beauty, with a long history dating back to its role at the heart of Magna Grecia (Greater Greece) in Classical antiquity; indeed far earlier than that. Explore its valleys and you discover a culture apparently untouched by recent centuries.

One of Calabria many cities is Cosenza, which provides a good base for exploring La Sila, one of the last great stretches of European forest still intact.

Tourism looks to be the future for Calabria, of course, with holiday resorts growing up on the extensive Tyrrhenian and Ionian coastline. Towns such as Maratea, Tropea, Reggio Calabria, Diamante and Cirella make the most of the superb sunny weather, sandy beaches and warm sea.

COSENZA stands 238 m. above sea level at the confluence of the Busento and Croti rivers in an intermontane valley between the Sila and the coastal range of mountains. The town consists of an old quarter on the slopes of Pancrazio Hill on the right side of the Busento River, characterized by a picturesque warren of streets, and a modern area, built to a regular plan, on the other side. Its economy is still partly based on agricultural products from the surrounding countryside, for which it is an important market, though equally important are activities related to local administration and culture.

LA SILA - secular and inaccessible forests covers the whole central region of Calabria. Visitors and tourists continue to get amazed and astonished by meeting, a few kilometers away from the Ionic or Tyrrhenian coast, such a variety of woods (large pines, beeches, oaks, chestnuts) staggered by meadowlands und pastures, rich of streams and lakes, enough to make this wide upland, often compared to the north European regions, the authentic green heart of the Mediterranean.

MARATEA is an ancient city on the Gulf of Policastro, girdled around by mountains rising above the pleasant valley, echoing the voices of its outlying hamlets, Maratea is the only portion of Lucania on the Tyrrhenian Sea, where it stretches for about 30 km, astride the provinces of Cosenza and Salerno.

TROPEA is one of the most picturesque towns on Calabria’s largely built up Tyrrhenian coast. Tropea offers superb views of the sea and beaches. The old town hangs on to a Cliffside facing a large rock, formerly an island.

REGGIO CALABRIA ,lies on the very toe of Italy and it is the provincial capital and the largest town in Calabria. It is a tatty city, heavily rebuilt after a major earthquake in 1908. One reason to visit it is the awesome Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia.

DIAMANTE AND CIRELLA - From the promenade stretching between Diamante and Cirella, one of the prettiest in the Riviera, the transparent sea, the sandy and pebbly beaches and volcanic rock formations offer a breathtaking spectacle. Moving on northwards, you come across the delightful little port of Diamante and the island of Cirella where you will be truly enchanted by the seascape which languidly spreads out towards the horizon.

GETTING AROUND Calabria’s Tyrrhenian coast is well served by the A3-E45. To reach the Ionian Coast, it is best to skirt the Aspromonte via the S106-E90 from Reggio to Basilicata. Although the mountains can be crossed, namely on the S280-E848 to Catanzaro, the roads are narrow and pass through isolated countryside. There are airport at Reggio Calabria, Lamezia. Trains connect the bigger centres and country buses serve the small towns.