If you start with your rental car from the Reggio Calabria airport, you will have to make the arduous choice to decide whether to go north, or rather go further south or adventure
island. We will try to show you all the various itineraries, it is hard for us as well to decide which to show you first, for the beauty of the places and the pristine coast that
you will find in each itinerary.
Calabria's coast
We start going up the coast to the North, after only a few kilometres you will find the delightful seaside village of Cannitello, a strip of land in front of the
sea where the fishermen's houses lie on the shoreline right in front of the spectacular panorama of the Aeolian Islands.
Going forward you will meet Scilla, a small town of unspoiled beauty, a real jewel of the Calabrian coast that will enchant you for its spectacular location. Scilla
seems to rest directly on the crystal clear sea, the houses of the small hamlet of Chianalea lay their foundations on the reef, narrow and ancient streets tangle up and
light up at sunset like a nativity scene. This charming village is dominated by a cliff on which stands the ancient castle of the Ruffos, a sixteenth-century fortress that became the
home of this noble and important family.
You are in the middle of the Costa Viola (purple coast), a truly spectacular stretch of coast so called for the reflections of the transparent and iridescent sea bed.
Sand, pebbles and reef follow one another in the landscape, enriched by a typically Mediterranean vegetation that alternates thick patches of broom, agaves, orange blossoms and
prickly pears.
It is here that you will come across the town of Bagnara Calabra, perfectly set at the foot of the Aspromonte mountains, with a long strip of sand and rocks with
their iridescent purple shades that enchanted even Plato.
Known as the Pearl of the Costa Viola, this resort offers unique and unspoiled stretches of sea, famous the beach of Porelli, and beautiful natural caves. As evidence of its ancient
past remains the Torre Ruggiero, of the fifteenth century, which dominates this stretch of sea. Go forward, and you will meet Palmi, a seaside resort already active
in Greek times. The place is famous for its beaches, but also for the caves and the Tonnara bay with its characteristic cliff. There are also cultural activities such as the Ethnographic
Museum and, in August, the folklore of the famous Procession of Varia.
L'entroterra
From the coast to the hinterland, to visit one of the most famous National Parks in Italy: the Aspromonte, protected since 2021 by UNESCO. It is a plateau
that offers tourists a unique and unforgettable natural experience.
The wild beauty of the place and the immense variety of flora and fauna, make it a privileged destination for those who want to live in contact with a paradise of extraordinary
biodiversity: gorges, ravines, waterfalls and breathtaking views, but also charming small villages within the park.
A tangle of ancient settlements still intact in their traditional rural beauty, folklore and artisan knowledge that hand down wisdom and flavours of past centuries, a pastoral and peasant
economy that will project you back in time to discover a simple and genuine life, and the peace and silence that this corner of untouched nature will offer you.
Of course, to visit the vast area of the Park you can join one of the many guided tours and official guides, whereas to sleep you can choose between equipped cabins, popular hotels,
and many B&Bs ready to welcome you in the park's villages.
Going down to the south of Reggio, is another stretch of coast not to be missed: where history is intertwined with nature. Here you will find a ghost village, full of charm and with a
name that leads back to its Greek origin: Pentedattilo, five fingers, because the village is shaped like a large open hand, perhaps according to legend, that of a giant.
The village, uninhabited for many decades, stands on rock, and still retains the charm of an ancient rural village, frozen in its evocative past. Today Pentadattilo has been rediscovered
by skilled craftsmen and young artists who have given new life to the small village with the Museum of peasant civilisation and opening the old houses, becoming a real attraction for
tourists eager to buy traditional local products.
Not far away is Melito, a town famous for the production and processing of bergamot, a real asset for the economy of Calabria, it is a citrus typical of the region,
rare and very useful to the perfume industry.
Our itinerary ends with the town of Bova Marina, a town with an award-winning clear sea and centuries-old history. Already a settlement in Greek times, Bova, defined as
one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, will welcome you with its beautiful cathedral, its churches and the Museum of Palaeontology and Natural Sciences of the Aspromonte.
History, art, traditions, sea and mountains, this region is all this and even more, and aboard one of our rental cars you will enjoy your vacation in Reggio Calabria.