Southern Calabria

A TIMELESS JOURNEY AROUND THE “TOE” OF ITALY

Calabria, the mountainous peninsula between the Tyrrhenian and the Ionian seas, is the toe of the Italian “boot”. It is roughly 138 miles/223km in length; too long and with far too much to cover in just one trip (something that applies to virtually every region of Italy!), which is why we have chosen to focus on just the southern part of the region.

The region enjoyed an age of great prosperity as part of Magna Graecia. It subsequently fell under the control of the Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Swabian, Aragonese, Austrians, Bourbons, French etc, who tended to exploit rather than provide. “Ages of oppression and misrule have passed over their heads; sun and rain, with all their caprice, have been kinder friends to them than their earthly masters.”, were the words Norman Douglas used is his book, Old Calabria, written at the beginning of the 20^th century, to describe the fate of the Calabrian people.

Today Calabria is defined by the influence of multiple cultures, as well as a growing sense of pride in their cultural identity. There are still many young Calabrians who must go elsewhere in order to find work, but there is also a good number of those intent on staying. The tourist industry is certainly growing, yet Calabria remains a relatively remote and little-known region for most travellers to Italy, which inevitably lends to its fascination and raw beauty.

This 10-day trip circles around and ventures into the heart of the Italian peninsula’s last great mountain massif, the Aspromonte (a National Park since 1989), which is bounded on three sides by the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Straits of Messina and the Ionian Sea. At its centre is the highest point, Montalto (1955m/6414ft), from where numerous ridges radiate out, most of these dropping abruptly into the sea. 

Over the course of the trip we follow in the footsteps of two extraordinarily intrepid British travellers and writers, Norman Douglas (mentioned above) and Edward Lear (also a painter), and discover how little has changed over the last two centuries. We enjoy a vast array of landscapes, including: some very dramatic and undeveloped coastlines, spectacular “fiumare” (river canyons), abundant mediterranean maquis, lovely beech forests, outstanding geological formations, silvery olive-clad hills, dark green bergamot orange trees, fertile agricultural land and high pastures, crystal-clear turquoise waters and, of course, some charming historic towns and villages replete with some splendid churches, castles and other monuments. 

We stay in a wonderful variety of hotels, spending two nights in each, apart from just one night in the hotel in Gambarie. There are, of course, plenty of the regional specialties to try, including fresh fish and seafood, as well as lot of hearty mountain fare and delicious fresh produce.

The walking is generally along good farm and forest tracks, as well as well-established paths. Many of the walks we do take place on the edge or within the borders of the Aspromonte National Park. A constant fixture of the walks are the stunning views of the sea and Mount Etna looming high in the distance.

For a detailed itinerary and/or further information, please contact us at walkawaytrips@gmail.com

KEY INFORMATION

The fitness level for all trips is classified according to the average distance and elevation gain of the walks offered, with fitness levels ranging from 1-5, see here for more details.