From heel to toe - Reggio di Calabria

While traveling in the south of Italy, you may experience great dilemmas - common sense tells you to go back, but admiration does not allow it. Why not stay here one day longer? After a short thought, you can head west and walk towards the beautiful town of Reggio di Calabria . If Italy looks like a shoe to so many people on the map, then the journey to Reggio will be on the inside of the foot. But what a beautiful foot!

Why not Reggio?

We noticed the beauty of Reggio di Calabria in historic Lecce . Now, driving west, we will pass several towns where the air is full of the atmosphere of a typical Italian town. There is no other way to describe it. Driving through Francavilla Fontana , one cranes one's neck to see if Sophia Loren might emerge from around one corner to - like in a scene from the film entitled "Italian style of marriage" - walk proudly and attract the attention of all men. In addition to memories of the classics of Italian cinema, the town also has several monuments, palaces and monuments. It is worth paying attention to, among others: to Porta del Carmine , the 17th-century city gates resembling a triumphal arch, or Chiesa del Rosario with its impressive dome. Looking at some of the city's monuments (and not only this one), one may get the impression that in many cases their beauty lies precisely in their domes - in the line of sight they are quite modest, without any decorations, so to admire them, you have to raise your head high or look from a distance.

"Citta dei due mari" - the city of two seas

After leaving Francavilla Fontana we reach Tarentum . History associates him with the brave Spartans, and he had a turbulent past even without it - he fought against the Athenians, Carthage, and later the Romans, only to survive the British bombardment hundreds of years later. Fortunately, despite the destruction, it still preserved several monuments and attracts thousands of tourists every year. It tempts with the beauty of religious buildings such as Cattedrale San Cataldo a Taranto - a cathedral with a richly decorated interior. It also tempts with its ideal location on a peninsula. It is located on the Ionian Sea, and on the other side there is a bay, the so-called Little Sea. Seafood lovers come to this place from far away - this is where the famous Taranto mussels are grown.

After visiting the city, we move on. We pass Policoro , a tiny tourist town with a lot of charm. If someone wanted to stay here, they will easily find a suitable place. You can choose, for example, Il Campeggio del Policoro Village (v. Aristarco 1), offering 110 places: in cottages, camper pitches and a camping site. A group of 3 people will pay here, depending on the season and the standard of the camper space, from 15 to 35 euros/day for accommodation. It comes alive in the summer, when tourists from all over the world come here to enjoy the wide and sandy beach .

Trebisacce lungomare and Italian thermal baths

Speaking of beaches, we drive almost all the time right next to the coast, so the trip is full of amazing views. Trebisacce with its coastline is especially impressive. A wide beach stretching for several kilometers, delicious sand and endless azure sea - it seems that this is the attraction of every local town. However, both the coast and the town have something that makes thousands of tourists choose this place every year.

Continuing, we will visit Spezzano Albanese , a town famous for its hot springs. Patients suffering from digestive system diseases come here, for which water from the Acqua della Grazie spring is effective, and respiratory diseases, for which therapy with medicinal water from the Fonte Thurio spring works great. Tourists are also attracted to Le Terme di Spezzano Albanese by mud treatments that treat skin problems and rheumatic diseases.

On the way, we will also pass the beautiful city of Cosenza, where we can see many monuments. It is definitely worth seeing the Hohenstaufen Castle, built in ancient times by the Saracens, and the building of the Rendano Theater, the public library and the mysterious cathedral, probably built at the beginning of the 11th century.

Reggio – on the tips of your fingers

And finally we reach our destination. According to both tourists and residents themselves, Reggio di Calabria has one of the most beautiful promenades in all of Italy. Walking around Lungomare Falcomata , you can admire the wonderful view of Sicily stretching before your eyes. By the way, it is worth visiting Palazzo Campanella, the seat of the Regional Council, where there are two famous statues considered the symbol of the city - Bronzi di Riace . The bronze sculptures were discovered in the 1970s and their origin is estimated at around the 5th century BC. After the reconstruction of the local National Museum, they will return to it along with other exhibits. With each passing year, more and more visitors come to the city, but despite this, Reggio has not lost its amazing atmosphere of an old center where time passes slower and people enjoy life.

At the very tip of the Italian boot, about 22 km from the city, there is Ruffo Castello . It stands on a high, steep rock jutting sharply into the sea. Today this place is called the Strait of Messina, while in the past it was known as the Strait of Scylla - the home of the monster who, together with its Sicilian neighbor Charybdis, lay in wait for passing ships. The legend is easy to explain today when you look down at the swirling water. The ancient monsters were born from whirlpools and the violent mixing of sea currents and the waters of the strait.

Relaxation by the sea

Tired hikers can choose from several accommodation options. One of them is a campsite located about 20 minutes from Reggio - Camping Villaggio Magna Grecia (Via Vecchia Provinciale 101). An adult will pay from 7 to 10 euros/day, the same price for a camper. It is located right by the sea, and if someone is still low on water, they can swim in the pool. The campsite also has a bar, restaurant and pizzeria.

In such an area you can spend not just a few days, but an entire vacation. Sea, palm trees, sun, friendly people and great food - what more could you want?

To get from Lecce to Reggio di Calabria you have to cover approximately 500 km along roads with breathtaking views.