CALABRIA

BEAUTIFUL JUWEL

Calabria, the toe of Italy’s boot, is unfairly one of the country’s lesser-known regions among Americans, but it’s long been popular with Europeans, especially for its stunning 500 miles of coastline. Beyond beaches, this ancient land between two seas — the Ionian and Tyrrhenian— offers additional natural splendors including three national parks with towering mountains, lakes, waterfalls, and gorges, as well as countless rolling hills lined with olive trees. Once known as Magna Graecia for the Greek settlements on these shores thousands of years ago, Calabria counts among its former rulers the Germans, French, Spanish, Turks, Austrians, and Bourbons, all of whom have influenced the area’s architecture, dialect, customs, and cuisine. So whether you want a relaxing beach holiday, an outdoor adventure, adorable medieval villages, or centuries-old artifacts from many cultures and traditions, there’s something for you in Calabria.