Thanks to unspoiled beaches and rolling green countryside, holidays to Calabria come with a dose of rustic charm.
Natural beauty
When Italy was carving up its beaches, Calabria hit the jackpot. As the toe of the boot, it’s surrounded on three sides by blue seas and has a whopping 500-mile coastline. It’s home to some of the country’s best beaches, but its good looks spread inland, too. Olive groves and bottle-green hills shape the landscape. And it’s as if the 21st century never arrived in the hamlets that stud the countryside. In short, this place is the boot’s best-kept secret.
Seaside towns
Calabria’s timeless seaside towns are what Instagram was made for – think rainbow-coloured gelato counters and streets lined with pavement cafés. Pizzo's a prime example. Its side streets and squares are packed out with shops and cutesy cafés. Plus, a 15th-century castle keeps an eye on it all.