Calabria
Only in retrospect did I realize that we actually spent most of our vacation in Calabria. Starting with Cosenza, the day in Paola, our stays in the Pollino and Sila National Parks, and our visits to San Giovanni in Fiore, Lorica, Tropea, Pizzo, and the caves of Zungri.
From Bari to Cosenza
We leave the port city of Bari and set off for Cosenza. Four hours later, hot and drenched in sweat, we arrive in the “Athens of Southern Italy” (at least according to the guidebook). We find our accommodation fairly quickly, but unfortunately no one is home. Our hostess is out and about, though at first we have no idea where. Twenty minutes later, in a rapid stream of words, she explains that the Giro d’Italia is passing through Cosenza today of all days. She can hardly believe that we are rather indifferent to the event. Before long, however, we realize that large parts of the city center have been cordoned off because of the race. Somehow we still manage to make our way into the old town. We should add, though, that at first we did not even recognize it as such. We wander through dark alleyways, past abandoned and boarded-up shops and houses, until we reach a central square. Here, we initially think, our walk through the *città vecchia* is about to begin. Not at all—after taking a look at Google Maps, we realize that we have already walked right through it! This comes as quite a surprise, considering how highly the old town had been praised.
Crati and Busento
The two rivers Crati and Busento flow through the Calabrian city of Cosenza. We walk along the Busento for a while and end up back in the city center. By now there is no getting through, and we are forced to wait for the cyclists to arrive. To pass the time, we stop at a café and are quite surprised when our “Caffè Americano” is served in a paper cup placed on a porcelain saucer. Once the caravan has passed, the barriers are quickly dismantled. We explore the city’s pedestrian zone, becoming increasingly frustrated. In hindsight, we could easily have skipped our stay in Cosenza. A visit to the Osteria degli Amici saves the day, though. Over delicious grilled swordfish and a wonderful salad, our spirits are revived.
San Francesco di Paola – Patron Saint of Calabria
The next day, we are eager to escape the city and head to the seaside town of Paola. Unfortunately, the weather is rather cool and a little rainy. Even so, we make ourselves comfortable along the *lungomare* with a book. When the owners of the café want to take their afternoon siesta, they kindly allow us to remain seated in the courtyard. We also decide to take a look at the old town and enjoy an aperitivo. The Sanctuary of San Francesco di Paola is the town’s landmark. It is dedicated to the saint of the same name, who was canonized by Pope Leo X. In any case, we spend a pleasant and peaceful day in this small seaside resort, letting our gaze wander across the sea. On the way back, just outside Cosenza, we end up at a pizzeria from which we practically roll out more than an hour later. 🙂
Along the Costa degli Dei
The following day, we move on. Our next destination is Tropea, another highlight of the trip. On the way, we make a short stop in Pizzo for a little break. After arriving in Tropea, we walk from our hotel into the old town. One thing becomes clear almost immediately: as beautiful and picturesque as the town is, it is simply overcrowded. We try in vain to rent bicycles for the next day. Either the shops are closed or they are already fully booked. The most striking landmark in the town is Santa Maria dell’Isola, perched on a rocky hill overlooking the sea. We wander somewhat aimlessly through the streets and hope to find some inspiration at the tourist information office. Unfortunately, they have neither a city map nor any particularly useful advice.
Hungry after our stroll through town, we look for a restaurant but cannot really find anything appealing. What we actually want is a quiet spot away from the crowds. Fortunately, Google comes to the rescue. We discover a restaurant just outside Tropea called Ristorante Collemare. It receives my absolute recommendation. I had the best swordfish of my life there—simply exquisite. Since renting bicycles does not work out, we decide to go on a short hike instead. Our original plan is to walk from Tropea to Capo Vaticano. However, once we realize that most of the route is paved, we abandon the idea. Instead, we drive to this famous viewpoint. The cape is considered one of the most beautiful beach and coastal areas in Calabria. That may well be true, but I have to admit that such tourist hotspots usually leave me rather indifferent, and Capo Vaticano is no exception.
After a brief stop, we turn our backs on the cape and continue toward Nicotera. In Joppolo, a small village along the way, we expect to find the starting point of our hike, the *Mare Monti* trail. I have to admit that the drive there is absolutely stunning. We enjoy magnificent views, including vistas stretching all the way to Sicily. Joppolo itself has nothing particularly remarkable to offer, yet it somehow fascinates us because here one can still experience and observe everyday life far removed from the tourist crowds.
The Caves of Zungri
From the village center, we make our way up a steep climb to the next settlement. Passing through a forest, we reach an absolutely magnificent viewpoint high above Capo Vaticano. The panorama is simply breathtaking. Back in Joppolo, we continue on to Nicotera for a coffee break by the sea. On our way back to Tropea, we decide to stop at the caves of Zungri. Getting there, naturally guided by our unique in-car navigation system, turns into quite an adventure. We bounce along rough roads, practically over hill and dale. Some of the roads are so narrow that back home they would barely qualify as farm tracks. But that, too, is part of our adventure holiday.
Zungri turns out to be a quiet and somewhat sleepy little town. We encounter only two other tourist couples during our visit. The abandoned cave settlement consists of around eighty dwellings carved into the soft sandstone. It is believed that the caves were created during the Byzantine period and inhabited by monks until the fourteenth century. The individual caves are connected by passageways. The entire complex is truly unique and well worth a visit. Beyond the historic site itself, Zungri also offers an open-air art exhibition. Numerous paintings, murals, decorated doors, and poems can be admired throughout the village.
Le Chalet sul Mare
After so much walking and so many impressions, we are feeling hungry. Finding a restaurant, however, proves more difficult than expected. Since we are obviously still traveling in the shoulder season, many establishments remain closed, and the area is not exactly overflowing with dining options. In the village of Zambrone, we first stop at *Valle Verde*, a hotel and restaurant. However, we find the place so unsettling that, despite our growing hunger, we decide to move on. In hindsight, that turns out to be exactly the right decision. Our search eventually leads us to *Le Chalet sul Mare*, located above Parghelia near Tropea and offering a wonderfully scenic view of the sea. Along with excellent food, we are treated to a spectacular sunset.
Bad Weather – Bad Roads
The following day, the weather lets us down. Heavy rain falls throughout the morning. Since the weather app predicts that conditions should improve later in the day, we nevertheless set off for Pizzo. Pizzo is a small and picturesque town that is certainly worth visiting. It is said to be the birthplace of *Tartufo* ice cream. Instead of indulging in ice cream, however, we buy seeds for the *Cipolla Rossa di Tropea*. I had tasted this delicious, mildly sweet red onion two days earlier together with swordfish, and it was excellent. Perhaps we will even succeed in growing this red bulb ourselves back home.
As the rain finally stops, we decide to stretch our legs a little more. We drive to Lake Angitola, only to discover that it is a protected nature reserve that visitors are not allowed to enter. We continue following the road uphill—the opposite direction is closed because of damaged roads—and arrive in the small village of Monterosso Calabro. Once again, road damage leaves us at a dead end, forcing us to turn around. From there, we continue to the provincial capital, Vibo Valentia, and climb up to the castle, which also houses the National Archaeological Museum *Vito Capialbi*. Unfortunately, the museum lacks information panels in English. Even so, I still found the visit quite interesting.
Pollino National Park: Into the Wilderness
From the coast, we head into complete seclusion—although we do not realize that at first. Our next destination is the small mountain village of San Severino Lucano in the Pollino National Park. The drive there alone is an adventure. From the motorway exit near Morano, we quite literally drive into the middle of nowhere. Needless to say, we once again encounter road closures caused by damaged roads, forcing us onto even smaller and narrower routes. In short, it takes us another two hours to reach our destination from the motorway exit.
Once we arrive, we are rather astonished. Apart from the fact that it is quite cold here (around 7°C in the morning), the place seems completely deserted. Of course, it is still the off-season. And then there is our accommodation, a holiday apartment that feels more like a high-security facility. The door locks automatically and can only be opened from the inside with a code—very reassuring indeed.
After the initial shock, however, we gradually acclimatize and take our first stroll through the village. In the process, we discover a charming little restaurant-bar serving an excellent Aperol Spritz at a very reasonable price.
The next day, we venture deeper into the park and enjoy a beautiful walk through Bosco Magnano, a woodland area within Pollino National Park known for its impressive ancient oak and beech trees. After our dose of fresh mountain air, we get back into the car and drive to Francavilla in Sinni. This town, too, turns out to be one of our fortunate discoveries. Shortly after parking, a *Carabinieri* officer approaches us, greets us warmly, and—in excellent Italian—tells us where to find the public toilets. I wonder whether that is such a common question from tourists. Apparently, it must be.
Calabria’s Albanian Villages
While preparing for our trip, I had read about Calabria’s so-called Albanian villages, and I was eager to visit one. Fortunately, San Costantino Albanese is not too far away.
Starting from Rifugio Acquafredda, we take a short hike up to the Belvedere viewpoint before exploring the village itself. There is not a great deal to see, but the village is known for the tradition of the *Nusazit*, celebrated during the feast of the Madonna della Stella. During this ritual, life-sized papier-mâché figures representing the *nusazit*—the bride and groom—are blown apart with firecrackers during the procession dedicated to the Madonna.
Unmarried young women participating in the ceremony carry elaborate candle arrangements (*scigl*) on their heads and ask the Virgin Mary to grant them the blessing of marriage—assuming, of course, that marriage is a blessing! 🙂
Driving Down the Stairs
The following day, we leave San Severino Lucano and continue on to San Giovanni in Fiore, near Sila National Park. Our hotel is located somewhere in the middle of nowhere and supposedly boasts four stars. Well, I had actually been looking forward to using the indoor swimming pool on this rainy day. Unfortunately, access to the pool is not included in our room rate, so that plan falls through. Instead, we wait for the rain to stop and then set off for the old town of San Giovanni in Fiore—which turns out to be easier said than done. One has to know that streets in Italian towns are often one-way because they are so narrow and winding. San Giovanni is no exception, which means that one occasionally ends up driving in circles—or even down a staircase in order to reach one’s destination. 🙂
Yet again, the town rewards us with a pleasant surprise: *Ristoro del Brigante*. Not only do we fail to encounter a single tourist there, but we also feel—at least in my imagination—that we have witnessed a genuine Calabrian “godfather gathering,” if you know what I mean. 😉
A One-Star Buffet
Sadly, our holiday is slowly drawing to a close. But first, we are looking forward to what is supposed to be a four-star breakfast buffet. We sit down in the rather stiff and formal breakfast room, only to notice that there is no buffet in sight. After a short while, a waitress approaches with a rolling serving table. Interesting. Almost simultaneously, the chef emerges from the kitchen carrying numerous tiny bowls, which he carefully arranges on the trolley. In rapid Italian—which we do not understand—he enthusiastically explains what each bowl contains. Wonderful. What we would really have preferred, however, was a decent loaf of bread, some cold cuts and cheese, and above all, a proper cup of coffee.
Coffee is my last hope
But when the waitress finally serves a *Caffè Americano*, I nearly spit it out. Completely undrinkable. So we leave this rather pretentious dining room both hungry and thirsty and drive to Lorica, the starting point for our hike that day. Upon arrival, we immediately head for the first café we can find and order ourselves a proper coffee. At the national park office, we pick up some hiking maps and set off. The route takes us through forests and around Lake Arvo. Everything works out nicely, and it turns into a very pleasant walk through beautiful green surroundings.
Afterwards, it is time for another dose of culture. While browsing online, I had come across a recommendation for the village of Caccuri. Officially listed among *Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages* (*Borghi più Belli d’Italia*), this historic mountain settlement is said to offer an authentic southern Italian atmosphere. So off we go. And, as usual, getting there becomes another adventure. The access roads are incredibly narrow, and I can only hope that no one is coming in the opposite direction. At precisely that moment, a school bus appears around the bend, while a steep ravine drops away beside the road. I decide not to think about it too much.
It will probably be fine—and thankfully, it is. By the time we arrive, the stress has practically made us sweat through our shoes, but the trip has been worth every moment. Caccuri is a true gem, completely untouched by tourism, at least during our visit. Once again, we enjoy the perfect ending to an almost perfect day.
Rolling Home
The next morning, the same breakfast ritual awaits us as on the previous day, although this time we have a competent waiter. Suddenly, even the *Caffè Americano* tastes good. Our theory is that the waitress from the day before had failed to replace the coffee puck in the espresso machine, causing the coffee to be extracted twice. On our way to Matera, we experience a wonderfully scenic drive through the national park, passing vast fields of broom flowers and the picturesque hilltop town of Corigliano Calabro. With our arrival in the rock-hewn city of Matera, our journey through Calabria finally comes to an end. We have reached Basilicata.
