Calabria sightseeing explores thousands of years of history and culture on the Italic peninsula. Furthermore Calabria’s beaches are the perfect vacation destination for romantic and family trips to southern Italy. For more information about planning a trip Calabria read this Calabria travel guide.
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Calabria Location
Calabria is located in the toe of Italy’s boot.
This southern Italian region is located south of the regions of Basilicata and Campania. It is about two hours south of Naples and the Amalfi Coast on Italy’s west coast.
To Calabria’s west is Sicily separated by the body of water known as the Strait of Messina. Calabria’s west coast is on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It’s south and east coasts are on the the Ionian Sea.
Calabria Travel Guide Video
To explore Calabria, learn more about it’s culture and history, watch the Calabria sightseeing video below.
Calabria Travel Guide Map
The Calabria travel guide map is interactive. Click on the top left corner of the Calabria travel guide map for Calabria sightseeing points of interest. The sightseeing points of interest correspond with the stared locations on the map.
Calabria Sightseeing Highlights
Through its history Calabria has been inhabited by various cultures all whom left their mark. Calabria’s long history is rich and colorful. The result is a unique and interesting culture.
Calabria’s beaches, mountains and natural parks combine for natural beauty. The cliffs along its coast make for a dramatic southern Italian scenery.
Beach lovers will find plenty of long white beaches to stroll. Along the coastlines, the Mediterranean climate averages 46 °F in the winter to average 86 °F in the summer.
The portion of Calabria that adjoins the Tyrrhenian Sea is a spectacular region in southern Italy with world-class beaches: miles upon miles of white-pebble beaches and see-through aquamarine water. It brings to mind the Big Sur in California.
You owe it to your yourself to find paradise on earth, take a trip to the beaches of Calabria.
Bova
Bova is located high up in the Aspromonte mountains at the southern tip of Calabria. It is one of the Greek-Bovesian speaking villages of Bovesia, one of the two Griko-speaking areas of southern Italy.
Capo Vaticano
Beautiful beach known for its fine sand surrounded by age-old trees and lapped by crystal-clear water that teems with fish.
Crotone and Capo Colonna
Crotone is located on the west side of Calabria on the Ionian Sea. It is a port city often included with small ship cruises around Italy.
The allure of the area is Capo Colonna Archaeological Park. During the Magna Grecia the area flourished. The Temple of Juno Lacinia, which is a ruined ancient Greek temple dedicated to Hera is located on Capo Colonna. It dates back to the 6th century BC. The Crotone Archaeology Museum (Museo Archeologico Di Capo Colonna) contains artifacts from the site.
Mountains & National Parks – Aspromonte, Pollino, Sila
Hikers and outdoor loves will enjoy trekking through Calabria’s three mountain ranges: Aspromonte, Pollino, and La Sila. All three mountain ranges include unique flora and fauna.
Aspromonte National Park
Aspromonte is the southern section of the Apennines mountains. The range is located along the sea in Reggio Calabria. Its peaks rise to over 5000 ft., which make for a dramatic coastline. The Ionian Coast side of the range is sandy beaches while the Tyrrhenian coast side is rocky.
In this area the Greko dialect is still spoken, such as in Bova. This manifests a cultural connection dating to the Magna Grecia era when ancient Greeks inhabited the area.
Pollino National Park
The Pollino Mountains in the north of the region are rugged and form a natural barrier separating Calabria from the rest of Italy.
Sila National Park
Located in central Calabria large park popular for winter skiing and in summer hiking and biking.
In the north of the Sila National Park there’s an area called the Sila Greca, which, while it doesn’t have the skiing, the dramatic mountains and deep forests of the main Sila Grande, is unique for its history and culture. Above all, see the ancient Collegio di Sant’Adriano, with mysterious mediaeval zoomorphic mosaics on the floor, in San Demetrio Corone, near Acri.
Praia a Mare
Praia a Mare is a popular beach resort in Calabria. It is located in northern Calabria on the Tyrrhenian Sea. it is about 2.5 hour from Naples.
Praia a Mare beaches include natural caves around its Dino Island and above the town in the hills. And it includes historical artifacts from the Norman and Byzantine times.
Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria is the closest city in Calabria to Sicily.
The Lungomare Falcomatà is popular spot to visit to enjoy a stroll while taking in the views across the Strait of Messina to Sicily.
From the Lungomare Falcomatà it is a short walk to the National Museum of the Magna Grecia (Museo Nazionale della Magna Graecia). There you’ll find a collection of bronze statues and artifacts that date to when the ancient Greeks inhabited this area known as the Magna Graecia. The most famous artifacts in the collection are the bronze warriors known as the Riace Bronzes. These full-size Greek bronzes of naked bearded warriors, cast about 460–450 BC, and found in the sea near Riace in 1972.
Tropea
Tropea’s location atop a bluff overlooking the sea give it a picturesque and unique quality. The historic center overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea. There you’ll find shops and restaurants and some of the best vistas on earth.
Its main square is Piazza Ercole. Legend says Hercules founded the town. Thus the coast is known as Coast of the Gods.
Below the main town is Rotonda beach. Its beach below the bluff is narrow stretch of nice sand. As such, Tropea is a popular summer southern Italy vacation destination.
Tropea is the perfect spot to enjoy Italy’s summer. if you are looking to visit when there are less crowds then consider the spring or fall during May, June or September. Then the weather is still nice and the summer crowds have left.
Tours of Italy that include Calabria
The following tours of Italy include Calabria destinations on the trip itinerary. Many Italy vacations pass through Calabria on their way to Sicily. Sicily and Calabria are closest at the Strait of Messina where they are separated by 2 miles.
| Italy Tour including Calabria | Calabria Destinations |
|---|---|
| 15-Day Southern Italy Tour and Sicily Tour | Reggio Calabria |
| 17-Day Italy and Sicily | Pizzo Calabro |
For more information about tours of Italy that include Calabria check out ItalianTourism.us southern Italy tours.
Calabria Food and Wine
Calabrian cuisine is known for its meat sauces and hearty red wines. Although surrounded by sea the region is not primarily known for its seafood. Vegetables, pastas, and meats are more typical to the region.
Calabria’s diet is sometimes called the red food diet. This includes spicy and robust cuisine, emphasizing powerful ingredients like garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and red-hot chili peppers.
The monument of Calabrian cuisine is pork meat, which is artfully elaborated into specialities such as sopresata, a creamy spicy salami.
The predominant spice is hot chili pepper, which has been cultivated for centuries together with bergamot.
Another regional speciality is the prided trapeze onions.
All of these specialities merge into rich typical dishes, which together with fish form tasty recipes such as swordfish roulade and bergamot-scented prawns.
Products from Calabria exported to the world include Calabrian Chili Peppers and Tropea Red Onions.
Calabria Travel Facts
Calabria’s beaches such as Capo Vaticano, Tropea and Praia a Mare are popular destinations. The archaeological museums in Reggio Calabria and Capo Colonna attract tourists interested in ancient history. Calabria’s national parks Aspromonte, Pollino, and Sila attract tourists looking for summer and winter outdoor sports.
Calabria is located in southern Italy. Its location on the southwest coast of Italy in the area known as the “toe” of Italy’s “boot”. Across the strait of Messina is Sicily. North of Calabria is the Basilicata region and then the Campania region. 
Calabria’s diverse geography includes mountains, parks, rolling hills, and long coastline. Furthermore, the region’s rich history and culture dating back to the 6th century BC when ancient civilizations built cities here, provide archaeological buffs ample opportunities for sightseeing. The natural beauty combined with its history make Calabria an attractive southern Italy vacation destination.
