DAY 1 - Thursday, May 23rd, 2024

Departure from NY (or from another airport upon request with cost adjustment), airline and schedule to be determined.

DAY 2 - Friday, May 24th, 2024

MORNING

Arrival at Lamezia Terme with a layover in Roma.
Transfer by private bus (available throughout the tour) to Tropea (see photo) (57 km – approximately 1 hour) to the hotel.
Rich aperitif offered at the hotel, including tastings of local products:
Tropea red onion, Monteporo DOP pecorino cheese, and Amaro del Capo liqueur.

AFTERNOON

Guided walk with the Tour Leader in the historic center among the Palaces: Giffone, Mottola, Granelli, Braghò, Cesareo (approximately 1.5 km).
Along the way, you will also encounter the Cathedral of Maria Santissima di Romania and reach Piazza Ercole and the Belvedere, from which you can admire one of the most breathtaking sunset views.

EVENING

Welcome dinner with a Calabrian menu.

DAY 3 - Saturday, May 25th, 2024

MORNING

Excursion to Zungri (see photo).
Zungri is situated on the plateau of Mount Poro, a cliffside village in the valley of the Malòpera river, at an altitude of about 490 meters. It is home to around a hundred caves of various sizes and shapes, dating back to the Middle Ages.
The cave dwellings stand alongside artisan workshops, stables, cultivated fields of cereals, and vineyards, all connected by a system of waterways and internal roadways, representing a model of “rock urbanism”.
Guided tour of the ROCK MUSEUM AND AGRARIAN CIVILIZATION, the gateway to the cave settlement that provides a comprehensive view of life in these rock dwellings.
Lunch or light snack in Zungri and return to Tropea.

AFTERNOON

Visit to the Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell’Isola.
Narration and reading of the legend associated with the church.
Free time near the beaches for a walk or, in the summer months, a swim.

EVENING

Dinner in Tropea with a tasting of local specialties.

DAY 4 - Sunday, May 26th, 2024

FULL-DAY TRIP

From Tropea to Vibo Valentia – Pizzo by train along the Coast of the Gods: 22 km in 58 minutes, with various schedule options and speeds, direct route without changes. Arrival in Vibo Valentia by organized taxi.
Guided tour of the city with a focus on the main points of interest.
Medieval Quarter: Palazzo Romei, Porta, and Torre del Conte d’Apice, Porta della Piazza, Church of San Michele.
VITO CAPIALBI ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM: A rich collection of Greek coins, fragments of a Greek temple, numerous ceramic finds, bowls, rings, fibulae, etc.
Norman-Swabian Castle: impressive walkway along the city walls with exceptional views.
Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore: built in 1680 on the remains of a Byzantine church, featuring a neoclassical interior (1.8 km for the entire route).

Return to Tropea by bus with a brief stop at the Church of Santa Ruba, whose history is uncertain, damaged in the 1905 earthquake, and restored to worship after 70 years of restoration work.
Stop in Spilinga, the home of ‘nduja salame, with dinner and tasting at the Monteporo Latteria and Salumeria (see photo).
Tastings of their products: Provola – Smoked Monteporo Scamorza – Monteporo Pecorino Cheese Loose ‘Nduja – Sweet Sausage – Spicy Sausage – Sweet Soppressata – Capocollo.

DAY 5 - Monday, May 27th, 2024

MORNING

Transfer to Reggio Calabria with stops in Seminara (see photo), the town of ceramics, and in Scilla on the Costa Viola during sunset.
Visit to the CERAMIC MUSEUM, inaugurated in 2019, and a ceramics workshop with a hands-on session.

AFTERNOON

Stop in Scilla.
Scilla (Costa Viola) Mythological tale (description by Homer, Virgil, and Ovid). Stroll through the historic center around the Church of San Rocco in the upper part of the village.
Visit the Sirens’ Beach and the picturesque fishing village of Chianalea.
Ruffo Castle: breathtaking view of the castle built by the Ruffo family on an ancient defense complex dating back to Magna Graecia, restored by the Byzantines and subsequently by the Normans and Angevins.
From April to August, you can see the walkways at the port used for swordfish hunting.

EVENING

Continue the itinerary to Reggio Calabria for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 6 - Tuesday, May 28th, 2024

MORNING

Guided tour of the city and its most significant points of interest.
NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, a source of pride for Calabria, renowned worldwide for its rich collection dedicated to Magna Graecia, where you can admire the Riace Bronzes (see photo).
Lungomare Falcomatà, described by D’Annunzio, an Italian poet of the 20th century, as “Italy’s most beautiful kilometer,” where you will encounter the Roman Baths, Greek Walls, and the Arena dello Stretto, all while overlooking the coast of Sicily. In the evening, you can see the lights of Messina, and if you are lucky, you may witness the Fata Morgana phenomenon in the early morning.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF BERGAMOT: This typical citrus fruit is a symbol of Calabria and is essential for Earl Grey tea and cologne.
Aragonese Castle: of Byzantine origin, has been renovated multiple times and now hosts temporary exhibitions.
Church of the Ottimati: known for its fiery red dome, visible even from a distance, and its mosaic floor.
Palazzo della Cultura: richly adorned rooms with works by artists such as Ligabue, Fontana, Sironi, Dalì, De Chirico. These important works not only hold artistic value but represent the city’s desire for renewal as they were confiscated from the ‘Ndrangheta, a criminal organization.

AFTERNOON

Free time for shopping at the Porto Bolaro Shopping Center.

EVENING

Dinner with tastings of typical cuisine.

DAY 7 - Wednesday, May 29th, 2024

MORNING

Transfer to Crotone (320 km on the state road).
Stop for photographs at Pentidattilo (its name of Greek origin means “five fingers” due to its five sandstone pinnacles).
It is the most fascinating ghost town with only one inhabitant and is currently undergoing restoration.
Stop in Bova (see photo), which, along with Bova Marina, Gallicianò, and other towns in the Aspromonte region, preserves a Hellenic dialect that dates back to the colonization of Magna Graecia 2,500 years ago. It can be considered the oldest dialect in Italy.

Meeting with the Association for the Preservation of the Dialect.
Stop in Gerace, one of the most beautiful villages in Calabria, known as the “city of 100 churches.” The Cathedral is a synthesis of Paleochristian, Byzantine, and Norman elements and is one of the most imposing buildings in all of Calabria.

Satisfy your palate in Gerace, where sweets take the spotlight: sammartine, pignolata, and cicerata are must-tries.

AFTERNOON

Continue the journey to Catanzaro, where you stop to visit the Mediterranean Biodiversity Park, which also includes the International Sculpture Park.

EVENING

Continue to Crotone.
Accommodation in a hotel. Dinner.

DAY 8 - Thursday, May 30th, 2024

MORNING

Take a stroll through the historic center of Crotone, where you can see the Castle of Charles V (see photo), the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, and the Church of Santa Chiara.
Along the way, you will encounter the square dedicated to Rino Gaetano, a singer originally from Crotone who emigrated with his family at the age of ten. He became famous for his songs that celebrated the 1970s with themes of emigration, marginalization, corruption, and the Southern Question.

Continue on foot towards the Crotone waterfront.

The tour proceeds with a bus transfer to the archaeological site of Capo Colonna, an iconic symbol of Calabria. During the short bus ride, you will listen to some songs by Rino Gaetano. Learn about the golden age of Pythagoras, the philosopher and mathematician originally from Samos, who established the relationship between the sides of a right-angled triangle through the Pythagorean School in Crotone.
Excursion to Cirò Marina with a stop in Strongoli (of Greek origin, Strongylos = round, due to the round shape of the plateau) for lunch. There is an optional meal at the Michelin-starred restaurant, Dattilo di Caterina Caeraudo.

There is also an optional proposal for a high-level cooking lesson, lasting 3 hours, with the preparation of appetizers, a first course, and a second course, which will then be consumed. Price varies depending on the number of participants.

AFTERNOON/EVENING

After lunch in the afternoon, we will head to Cirò Marina for dinner and a tasting of local wine at the wineries.
The visit takes place at one of the top 10 production wineries for Cirò white and red wines, where you will enjoy various tastings that complement the wine.

DAY 9 - Friday, May 31st, 2024

FULL-DAY TRIP

In Rossano, there is a guided group visit to the GIORGIO AMARELLI LICORICE MUSEUM.
Located in the heart of a licorice cultivation area, it showcases this widespread local specialty.
In Corigliano Calabro, you will have a view of the Castle of Wonders (Castello delle Meraviglie) (see photo).

Return in the late afternoon.

DAY 10 - Saturday, June 1st, 2024

MORNING

Transfer to Cosenza with a stop in Camigliatello and a tour of the Sila on the local train (see photo).
In Camigliatello Silano, visit the market (if possible, depending on the day).
Enjoy various tastings and shopping opportunities.
From Camigliatello Silano, embark on a tourist journey into the heart of the Sila National Park. Discover the narrow-gauge (950 mm) railway station, the highest in Europe at over 1400 meters above sea level, on a locomotive dating back to the early 1900s.
Lunch in the carriage at Agriturismo Silvana-Mansio.

AFTERNOON

Transfer to Cosenza.

EVENING

Check in at the hotel, and dinner.

DAY 11 - Sunday, June 2nd, 2024

MORNING

Explore the historic center of Cosenza (see photo).
In the late 19th century, George Gissing, an English writer in love with Calabria, wrote about Cosenza:
“...It has interests and wonders that tempt one to wander around it all day. It is inadequate to call it picturesque; at every step, from the beginning of the main road at the foot of the hill to the severe medieval castle that crowns its summit, there is something to marvel at and admire.”
Highlights include:
Palazzo di Galeazzo di Tarsia, a 15th-century building with a beautiful tufa stone door and busts of Mars and Minerva on its façade.
Piazza Piccola, one of the liveliest areas of the old town, is adorned with murals, especially related to football.
Cosenza Cathedral, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, with a medieval façade featuring three pointed arch portals, restored in the early 20th century.
Via Archi di San Biase, a passage within a palace.
Via Archi di San Francesco, a passage with low arches adorned with sacred images.
Via Giostra Vecchia, named after medieval tournaments and contests held in this area.
Palazzo Caselli, displaying interventions from different periods between the 13th and 14th centuries, with intricately carved stone doorways.
Palazzo Bombini Vaccaro, dating from the 17th century, with two entrances and an interior resembling a suspended garden reached by a long 18th-century staircase.
Palazzo di Gaspare Sersale, famous for hosting Emperor Charles V in 1535.
Via Archi di Ciaccio, a 15th-century building representing Renaissance architecture.

AFTERNOON

Free time with the option for shopping or a Tarantella/Pizzica dance lesson (optional).

EVENING

Farewell dinner.
Participation in Trebisacce at the “Festa del Biondo“, a celebration of the typical Trebisacce orange known as the “Biondo tardivo.”
Enjoy walks in the gardens, gastronomic stands, and music during the festival.

DAY 12 - Monday, June 3rd, 2024

Transfer to the airport, via private motor coach, for a flight.
Lunch and snack served on board. Same day arrival.