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 The toe of the Italian landmass is a curious place.
For many, Calabria is the underdeveloped, little promoted, poverty
stricken area they pass through as quickly as possible to get to Sicily,
or avoid altogether. Only the adventurous, or the better informed
venture to explore this area.
A different place and time
The charms of Calabria are not for everyone. In previous decades,
reports of constant Mafia activity scared away any trickle of tourism
entering the region and even in the more peaceful recent years, the
memories are enough to keep people away. Even without the receding spectre of the Mafia, for many, the area is uncomfortably unlike the
rest of Italy.
Here, there are no grandiose museums and pretentious art galleries. The
historic ruins and breathtaking gems from an earlier age often lie empty
and desolate in the overgrown fields and orchards, cared for only by the
patient farmer. There are no trendy coffee Starbucks coffee bars or
outrageously expensive five star hotels. The dining places are simple
establishments serving unpretentious local cuisine and the
accommodations are often spartan and scattered. There are no glamorous
international jet setters and celebrities, or hordes of package tour
transients.
But for those who come, there are unforgettable vistas across sharp-edged
mountains vividly etched against the cerulean sky. There is the
breathtaking coastline with its pristine, empty beaches of white sand,
with water so crystal clear a boat seems to float on air. There are
twisted ancient olive trees growing thick and lush between orchards of
precious bergamot. There are the ancient ruins — Byzantine, Greek, Roman
and more — half glimpsed on cliffs overlooking the tortuously twisted
mountain roads. There are the villagers, who wear traditional costumes
seen nowhere else as part of their daily life and follow the ancient way
of life. There is the hearty, mouth-watering cuisine, with its freshly
caught seafood and just plucked vegetables, newly made cheese and
freshly cured sausage. There is all this and more, waiting for the traveller willing to go out of his way.
The Towns of Calabria
The most cosmopolitan of Calabria’s offerings is in Catanzaro, the
region’s capital. It is in this sleepy city that the region’s diverse
and ancient history is first felt. Despite its provincial air today,
Calabria was once one of the most cosmopolitan centres of the ancient
Mediterranean world, an integral part of the Greater Greek Empire and
home of the Graecanico culture. Centuries of constant interactions,
invasions and migrations have gifted the Calabrese with traces of Greek,
Albanian and Byzantine influence. Nowhere is this more evident than in
the Provincial Museum, where splendid archaeological finds from the
Neolithic Period to the modern age bespeak a long tradition of high
culture and far reaching trade. A particularly poignant exhibit are the
world famous Bronzes of Riace, two great statues of warriors from the
fifth century.
But the real character of Calabria, its heart, soul
and strongest bastion of its fading traditions, lies in the villages and
small towns dotting the landscape. In these quiet places, there are
still villagers who speak Albanian and Greek influenced variants of the
Italian tongue. Almost everyone still wears their traditional costumes
as a matter of course, with long, full skirts and colourful blouses,
simple dark trousers and long sleeves shirts. Many of the festivals and
the customs are unique, products of the complex Calabrese heritage and
found nowhere else in the country.
Bathed in the liquid Italian sunlight, these villages and towns lie
timeless and serene, seemingly free from the progress of the modern
world. Most of the houses are ancient, with carvings above the doors
ward off the dark side and the "evil eye". Every evening, old men gather
to play cards at tables in the main squares. Grandmothers sit on their
doorsteps knitting, or cluster in groups around the minerals springs
that bless many towns with their clean, invigorating waters. Children
play in the streets and small flocks of goats wander in and out of the
village borders, tended by a slow moving herder or a sweltering
sheepdog. Only the general absence of young men and women, who leave the
towns to make their fortunes in the richer cities to the north, seem to
mar the tranquil scene.
There are countless such towns and villages to explore, many of which
grew up over or near splendid ruins, of watchtowers and towns, temples
and castles, built by civilizations long gone to dust. One of the most
poignant remnants of Calabria’s Graecanico heritage can still be seen at
Capo Colonna. This windswept cape was once home of the temple to Greek
goddess Hera Lacinia, known throughout the ancient world and now a
desolate ruin. The site is best seen in the early morning, when the
single remaining column stands starkly against the Ionian Sea and the
rising sun.
Then there is the fishing village of Scilla, home to an episode of the
Greek classic The Odyssey, in which the hero Ulysses struggles to pass
the dreaded monster Scylla and the whirlpool Charybdis. Nowadays, this
perilous stretch of water is known as the Straits of Messina and
separates Italy from Sicily. Though science attributes the ancient
dangers to the violence of the currents in the straits and its rocky sea
floor, the straits still fascinates many who gaze on its blue waters.
When the atmospheric conditions are right, the Fata Morgana appears, an
eerie mirage in which the shadows thrown off by the houses and lights of
Messina stretch out over the water to join those given off from the
Calabrese shores, making everything seem like one immense city.
Secluded Beaches and An Empty Expanse of Snow
  Interacting with the local inhabitants adds a sense of place and culture
integral to understanding the history of Calabria, but many visitors blissfully
pass the days exchanging little more than a smile and a simple ‘Buongiorno’ to
passer-bys without ever feeling a lack of connection. For these people,
experiencing the sublime surrounding is enough.
The Italians call the south Il Mezzogiorno — the midday — in tribute to
the brilliant liquid sunshine beloved of artists and sun worshippers.
The best place to experience this most beloved of Italian tributes is
the beach and there is no better place to go to the beach than Calabria.
The rocky coastline of the south brings with it high cliffs and jagged
promontories, enclosing secluded beaches and calm bays. Calabria is
blessed with the cleanest, most pristine beaches and waters in all of
Italy (even certified as such by the Ministry of Health) and best of
all, they are almost completely free of tourists. Some of the best
beaches are said to be between Tropea and Nicotera, especially in the
areas around Parghelia and Capo Vaticano, but there are many isolated
stretches of beach where the only observer is a seagull or two, gliding
slowly along the shore.
Calabria also offers one of the most untouched and exotic alpine
wonderlands in Europe. The highlands of La Sila Grande, with its snow
capped mountains and endless forest of dark pines, is more reminiscent
of a Norwegian fjord than it is of sunlit Italy. This area is often
called, among the few who know of it, the Switzerland of the South. In
the summer, the area is popular for hikes and horseback rides through
the verdant woodlands and picnics beside the streams.
The most popular
tract of woodland for such activities is the Bosco di Fallistro, just
outside of the alpine village of Camigliatello, known for its huge
giganti della Sila trees, over 500 years old, six feet across and 130
feet tall Here there are still wild deer half-glimpsed beneath the trees
and occasionally, a grey wolf stalking the deer. In winter, the powdery
snow beckons even the novice for downhill and cross-country skiing.
There are a number of small ski resorts scattered about the area, but
there is also plenty of space available for those who would rather enjoy
the snow without crowds of whooping skiers flying by.
There is far more the Calabria than meets the eye. The luscious
landscape, the warm, friendly people, the timeless villages and tragic
ruins; words can describe them, but true appreciation requires a visit
in person. Only then — with the strong Italian sun above and the
towering mountains in the distance, surrounded by the gentle sound of
the surf and faced the prospect of a hearty meal in the not too distant
future — can a visitor truly appreciate the beauty of Calabria.
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