Calabria Italy, the "toe" of Italy’s boot and bordered mostly by water, is the destination for beach goers looking for sandy beaches lined with cliffs (such as those in Tropea) untouched by the pollution that plagues the seaside in the North.

Calabria Italy history comes to life in the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in the city at the tip of the peninsula called Reggio di Calabria boasts two Greek statues dating back to around 500 BC that where found off the coast by an amateur diver in 1972. Since this discovery, the region has attracted tourists there to see the ancient Greek masterpieces who then realize how spectacular the Calabria region is because of its quaintness.

The town of Locri, part of ancient Calabria history, is the archeological site of the most important Greek city on the Italian mainland founded in the 7th century BC. Consenza, the largest city in the region, is lauded for its food and spectacular views of open farmland and mountains from its own mountainside location. Since the city has been relatively isolated from modern development, the old fashioned storefronts and small winding alleyways looked down upon by iron balconies create an atmosphere hard to find in Northern Italy.

Cuisine in the Calabria region, typical of the Mezzogiorno, is often spiced with peroncini (small chili peppers) and features foods readily available such as pork and wild mushrooms. Calabria is well known throughout Italy for its dried pork (salame piccante) and spicy sausages (salsiccia piccante). Although not the pinnacle of sophistication, the Calabria region is worth the trip for its landscape, seascape, and hospitality that is just unparalleled in the North. 

More Information:

www.regione.calabria.it