The tip of Italy’s toe is home to the beautiful region of Calabria. Most often you experience Calabria while traveling to the island of Sicily, but a visit to the beautiful region is worth experiencing on its own. When traveling to Sicily, be sure to stay for a day and simply see the sights and experience the beauty of this seaside area.
Traveling Calabria by Train
The A3 Autostrada is certainly one option for traveling to this beautiful region, but traveling by train will lend even more majesty to the views and overall experience. Take the train along the southernmost coast of Italy and into the Calabria region. When given the option, stop off the train for a bit to wander the charming towns of the region and experience the local hospitality and fare.
Bagnara in Calabria
Bagnara is one of those towns. Not only are its pastries to die for, the history of the town is intriguing as well. For centuries, the women of this town have been the breadwinners. According to local legend, the crafty women of Bagnara established their own salt flats on the beaches and hid salt in their long black skirts as it was illegal to sell independently. They traded the salt to smugglers on moonless nights and lived well for centuries on their illegal gains. Today salt is sold by federal monopoly, so you’d do well to stay off those same beaches, especially on moonless nights.
Scilla
On the point of Italy is the infamous Scilla. Actually it is the monster Syclla that is truly infamous, the town bearing the same name is simply a lovely fishing village located on the Straits of Messina. When atmospheric conditions are right, you can see why the ancients considered the point eerie with unusual mirage images reflected in the water. The town of Scilla today has an imposing yet impressive castle near down-town and a charm straight out of the eighteenth century.
Should you have extra time before taking a ferry to Sicily, enjoy the lush orchards and lovely summer homes along the coast in the region. A few hours might also find you on your way to the grouping of towns including Bova and quite a few others where you’ll find a local dialect descended directly from ancient Greek.
