Calabria is a region situated in the southern part of the Italian peninsula, forming the “toe” part of the peninsula’s boot-shaped geography.  The region hosts a population of around 2 million in a total surface area of 15,080 square kilometres. Calabria is composed of five provinces:  Catanzaro, Cosenza, Crotone, Reggio di Calabria, and Vibo Valentia. Although the regional capital is Catanzaro, Cosenza is the main city; providing a good base for exploring La Sila which is home to one of the last great stretches of European forest still intact. The area offers a glimpse of a very different Italy, as well as memories of more illustrious times over two thousand years ago. Calabria was part of Magna Graecia, the site of rich and powerful Greek colonies, recorded by artefacts such as the famous Riace bronze statues, recovered from the sea and now in the Museo Nazionale of Reggio di Calabria. The area is mountainous and full of remote villages, although now the great cities of Magna Graecia have all but vanished.  Among the region’s remaining curiosities are Greek-speaking villages and an Albanian community dating back five hundred years.
With coastline on three sides, curving round to meet the Ionian Sea on the south-eastern coast of Italy, Calabria offers 780 kilometres of sandy beaches, rocky coves and spectacular headlands. The coastal areas swiftly climb to rugged and rocky mountains. Remarkably too, there is a fantastic skiing industry in Calabria. Although temperatures in the summer are very hot, the mountains get covered with snow in winter months.

Access
Calabria has two airports, one at Reggio Calabria (called Svincolo) and the other at Lamezia Terme. Ryanair operate low cost flights from the UK to Lamezia Terme. Most international flights come in to Palermo on Sicily and Naples.
The A3 is the main highway which heads north.  There is a free bus service that runs from Lamezia Terme Airport to Tropea. There is also a train which runs along the whole coast of Calabria and stops at the main towns. Car hire is of course available from Lamezia Airport.

Activities
The Reggio Calabria museum is home to a fantastic collection of Greek and Roman sculptures and artefacts such as the famous Riace bronzes and two Greek statues which were recovered from the seabed.
Calabria hosts several world class sea side resorts as well as wonderful mountain top resorts dedicated to winter sports. The most appealing resort in the area is Tropea, a lovely seaside town with good views. Scilla is another interesting seaside resort, while Cosenza offers the final resting place of Alaric the Goth, a castle, a Gothic cathedral and some Byzantine religious art.
Hikers and lovers of the outdoors will be interested in the region’s national parks. The Sila is a high-level plain with lakes, rolling hills and woodland, while the Aspromonte is like a rocky backbone to the region.
If you are taking a trip through the south of Italy- Calabria offers several pleasant overnight stops on the way south, including seaside towns on the railway line between Rome and Sicily. The following are must-see cities in the region and here is what they offer:
Matera – the sassi, or cave dwellings, were inhabited until the 1950s, when a government initiative re-housed the occupants. 15,000 people were forced out and made to live in modern dwellings. It is an extraordinary sight, and Matera became a byword for poverty. Now it is a very cultured place and in 1993 was made a World Heritage Site.
Aspromonte is located on the southernmost tip of Italy’s peninsula. Here you will find great mountain walking and stunning scenery.
Cosenza is the main city in Calabria.  It is an old, pretty and charming quarter, and is a great base if you’re looking to visit the nearby Sila Mountains, with their walking and winter sports on offer.
Calabria is known to have a variety of festivities all year round and all over the region. The following are a few examples of the kind of festivities the region plays host to: Catanzaro hosts an Easter Procession each Good Friday, Cosenza hosts the Festival delle Invasioni in July and Silano hosts a wild mushroom festival in October.

Food and drink
Most of the cuisine of Calabria is heavily influenced by the Mediterranean cuisine.
Calabrian cuisine is similar to that of Campania, with more of a Greek influence. Untypically Italian ingredients may be honey, almonds, figs, and swordfish. Aubergine is a favourite dish in the region and is served in a variety of ways. Seafood in all its forms are highly popular as well as pork. Pasta and strong cheeses such as mature ricotta, provolone and pecorino can be found on local menus. Calabrian food is often very spicy and involves the use of chilli peppers and ginger too.
Some local specialties include Caciocavallo Cheese, Cipolla rossa di Tropea (red onion), Frìttuli and Curcùci (fried pork).
Calabria makes sweet white wines such as Greco di Bianco, although the wine produced in the region is not well known outside of Italy. Many producers are resurrecting local, ancient grape varieties which have been around for as long as 3000 years.
Oil and chestnuts are produced at high altitude while the lower plains of Sibari, Lamezia and Gioia are fertile lands of citrus plantations.

Restaurants
La Corte del Bocciolo, Via dei Filippini, Reggio di Calabria, Italy Tel: (00 39) 65 04 01 81
Le Volpi E L’Uva, Via Garibaldi, 11, 89861 Tropea, Italy Tel: (00 39) 96 36 19 00