The ‘toe’ of the Italian boot, laid back Calabria lies between Basilicata in the north and Sicily in the southwest. Washed by two sparkling seas, the Ionian and the Tyrrhenian, Calabria is an ancient crossroads, tracing habitation back 700,000 years. Here you’ll find Paleolithic cliff art, ancient Greek ruins from Magna Graecia (and the provenance of the name Italy – originally “Italoi”), fortresses and churches from Saracen, Crusader, Norman and Aragonese influxes. National parks in the mountainous interior, crisscrossed with hiking trails, shelter the tallest trees in Italy. Sun-swept beaches are beloved by Italians and foreigners alike, drawn to crystalline waters, sleepy villages, delicious organic cuisine – Calabria, the ‘other Italy’!
Expand your horizons… Calabria borders on Basilicata and is a short hop across the Strait of Messina to Sicily. Combine Calabria easily with Basilicata’s off-the-tourist-track country villages (perhaps experience a zip line between villages!) or Sicily’s Taormina, an ancient Greco-Roman city with trails nearby that climb Mount Etna.
Note: All driving tours feature English-speaking drivers and are private unless otherwise mentioned. Tours are priced based on pick-up point and number of participants. All sightseeing tours are accompanied by expert local guides.
