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Italy - Calabria (Location Information) From the whole eastern coast of Calabria you can see the Eolian islands laying in the azure sea. Boats go daily to those magnificent volcanic islands (still active!) and you can visit Stromboli for a warm dip in a geyser, something rumoured to have very positive effects on our bodies. It was on Stromboli that Ingrid Bergman is rumoured to have had her love affair with Marcello Mastroianni and it's romantic views are still a fantastic experience for the people visiting the island. On the eastern coast you will also find Tropea, one of the most well known villages in Calabria. It's clinging on a rock above the sea and has panoramic views of the whole Mediterranean Sea and the Eolian islands. Small cosy restaurants, bars and shops make it a popular destination for visitors. Slightly to the north of Tropea you will come across the beautiful village of Pizzo. Like Tropea, Pizzo is full of dwindling alleys, cosy small streets with restaurants and bars. The famous ice cream ‘Tartufo’ originates from here and in many cafes you can enjoy this delicacy whilst watching life pass by in this small town. Just outside Pizzo stands an amazing church, carved out in a cliff, lies on the beach overlooking the sea. It's called Piedegrotta and was built in memory of the sailors who miraculously survived when their boat sank hundreds of years ago. The church is filled with statues of saints accompanied by some surprising characters such as Fidel Castro and John F. Kennedy, making it a well visited church among the locals. The massive Aspromote Mountain is nowadays accessible by small roads and here you will feel the mystique from old times. Abandoned villages, vast nature and the secrets of this mountain are all something that makes it a very special visit! A beautiful place to visit here is Pentadattilo (five fingers in Latin), a small village clinging to the cliff that looks like a hand, now mostly abandoned but looked after by some local artists who sometimes also display their crafts along the narrow streets. At only 25 km's from the southern coast of Calabria it's easily reached by car. On the eastern coast you will find old medieval towns such as Gerace and Stilo. Both well worth a visit for their splendid views over the Mediterranean and their old buildings and churches. The beaches on the eastern coast are kilometres long and mostly abandoned. Why not visit one of the villages along the coastal road and have a walk along it's boulevard, the lungomare, whilst enjoying an Italian ice cream. Calabrian cuisine is very tasty and rich with lots of local dishes adding to your experience. Most commonly enjoyed are the fresh vegetables, fresh fish and pasta dishes as well as lots of local ‘antipasti’ made of aubergines, zucchini, olives, different cheeses and meat. Often the ‘antipasti’ is so filling that the main course often has to wait a while – for this reason Italian dinners last longer! The locally produced wines are excellent and offer quite a selection of both reds and whites. After dinner a digestivo, to help the digestion, is recommended. Many local digestivi are offered, all made with local herbs and spices. Another classic after dinner drink is the limoncello, made of lemons and wonderfully fresh in taste on a hot summer's evening.
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