The new travel trend: Explore your own backyard!
An itinerary in Calabria between beaches, food and traditions
A travel blog without destinations to write about is not a good deal, so the situation that we are living right now led me to get creative and look around. As my bio says i was born and actually live in Italy, it is quite embarrassing though to admit that i have never take into account my own nation, although i traveled above and beyond; the Bel Paese wasn't something that caught my attention, until now. Absurd! someone could say, and you wouldn't be wrong but one of the many things that this global situation has to bring me to take into account more is to learn to appreciate more what you have, and well, in Italy we have more than you can imagine. So, waiting for a simpler time, i spun the globe and stopped it on "my backyard"; SPOILER ALERT! I haven't been disappointed.
My hometown is located in the beautiful and unspoiled Calabria, land of flavors, traditions passed from generation to generation, beaches, sea, sun, and a warm welcoming that particularly characterize the people of this land. But Calabria is so much more; is family, moral values, maritime landscapes, mountains, forest, waterfalls and a long history on its back that have placed these places, and so much more. You need to live it for appreciate it.
Probably is not the first choice for most tourists to spend their vacations, but its strategic position kissed by the sun makes this land a unique place and for many ways still an unspoiled destination for those who choose to venture to the extreme tip of the italian boot.
This article doesn't aspire to be a step-by-step guide of all the gems of Calabria, of which won't be enough an entire book; as much as a personal discovery of the places that make my heritage and of which i know little or none, by discovering and living them with a new and curious eye.
Not to mention the fact that travel in your own country can often be the ideal to spend less and meeting different needs of the time, work and accessibility. If you love to bask on the beach under the sun or that you are reckless adventurers with a love for trekking, camping and unspoiled silence of the mountains, here there is a choice for everyone.
Let's start to the discovery of the wild and unspoiled Pollino National Park for the lovers about trekking, high top, hidden waterfalls and rafting; carrying on towards the green and flourishing Sila with its national park protected home of wolves and deers, alternated by big lakes, green pastures, luxuriant woods and peculiar villages in which to taste the typical flavors of the mountains such us succulent porcini or the peculiar black pork meat.
After a couple days in the mountains it's time to leave for the beach, starting from the Ionian coast with the island of Capo Rizzuto, which is not a real island despite the name; characterized by a coastline between sandy beaches and inlets hidden among rocks, where enjoying the crystal sea completely alone and at peace. Unmissable is a visit to the Aragonese Castle in Le Castelle, a fortress in the middle of the sea that seems to come out from an Alexander Dumas's novel, connected to the coast by a strip of land that can only be traveled at low tide; here you can choose to immerse yourself in the waters that surround the castle or visiting it for free and admiring the stunning panorama from the top of its ramparts; then enjoying a refreshing beverage in one of the many cafès with a view on the fortress.
We then continue on the opposite side of Calabria that overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea along the Riviera dei Cedri starting from Praia a Mare, towards San Nicola Arcella with its famous Great Arch name due by the presence of a huge stone arch that makes this piece of beach unique in its own genre; for then continuing by boat, pedalos or for the most reckless and athletes by swimming towards the close Dino Island, well visible from the beach of Praia a Mare. It is possible to circumnavigate the entire island by pedalos in about one hour to the discovery of its many sea caves in which dive into the bright blue waters home of shoals of small fish or deciding to dock on the island on the only small port present, to its discovery, even though the island is completely abandoned, or dock and dive from the high sheer walls of the island, not recommended for the faint of heart.
The last stop of this tour about discovering the beauties of Calabria ends up with the gorgeous Coast of Gods. Never was there a more appropriate name! One of the most stunning places in Calabria with an amazing view from above, crystal water beach that can envy even the most tropical beaches and picturesque villages perched on the sea.
Between the several stops can't miss a visit to the city of Pizzo Calabro, characterized by a labyrinth of narrow stone streets, the famous truffle and a visit to the Gioacchino Murat's castle. Then going down towards Capo Vaticano in the municipality of Ricadi where you can enjoy a half-day by doing snorkeling or sub into its waters home of a grand variety of flora and fauna or by going on the discovery of wild and isolated bays reachable only by boat or through steep paths; and then end the day by going up the Coast of Gods by 20 minutes by car to the beautiful gem that is Tropea, here you can continue by enjoying one of the many beaches but unmissable is a walk through the little center of the village where taste a delicious fish dish in one of the many cafès and restaurant among its alleys or along the steps of the village, or doing a tour of the street foods of the city, starting from its rice fried croquette (called "arancini") stuffed with everything you could think of, to the red onion cooked in every possible way, here true protagonist of the cuisine of the city, and finishing with a refreshing granita. For those that have more time at their disposal from Tropea depart mini-cruise to the Eolie island.
