Embrace Surprise: Calabria in June 2025

Calabria is filled with villages that gently recall yesteryear. The beauty of seaside Tropea with a monastery almost lost in the sea will haunt your memory.  Traveling the sometimes tortuous roads can feel like a time warp. Diving into the impossibly blue waters and joining fishermen who comb the sea in an ancient search for the precious swordfish exhilarate beyond words. Discovering the Greek and Albanian roots of this region through language, archeology, architecture, food, wine and crafts leaves you scratching your head, in the best way possible.

We will access Calabria from the north, departing from Naples and visiting the stunning Greek temples at Paestum on our way. The journey then pierces the rugged inland Pollino National Park, rich with the indelible print of millenia of different peoples and ancient vineyards. Next stop: the southernmost reaches of the toe, using a typical seaside villa as our base for three nights of exploring history from many perspectives: museums; ancient rituals; Greek-influenced food; and numerous stories as told by the locals. The trip ends in Calabria’s gem, gorgeous seaside Tropea, where we’ll enjoy 5-star pampering for the final nights.

If you’re up for more adventure, consider joining our 4-night extension to Sicily.

B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner provided

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN ITALY – PAESTUM (PREPARE FOR MOZZARELLA AND MAGNA GRAECIA)

Your experience in the south of Italy will start in Paestum. Early afternoon pick-up at the Naples airport and transfer (about 90 minutes) to your boutique hotel for a swim, some time to rest, or both. Hotel Esplanade is a 4-star boutique hotel nestled between the pine forest that’s typical of the Cilento area and a park full of Mediterranean floral abundance, just a short walk from the sea. Breathe it in! Aperitivo and dinner in the hotel. Sleep well as tomorrow you’ll need fresh minds to encounter the Temple of Athena! D

Lodging for tonight: Hotel Esplanade 4*

DAY 2: PAESTUM – ALTOMONTE (STRAIGHT TO CALABRIA’S NORTHERN HEART)

After breakfast and check-out, travel back in time as you explore the archaeological remains of Paestum’s ancient Magna Graecia temples — the best preserved Greek ruins on Italy’s mainland. Follow this with an immersion in Campania’s dairy tradition with a visit to a local cheese producer to learn the secrets of buffalo mozzarella made on the spot. The lunch feast will include tastings of local dairy and other products. After lunch, enjoy a drive south (about 2.5 hours) through the dramatic Pollino National Park to your home for the next two nights, a 16th century country house that sits peacefully amidst extensive vineyards, fruit trees and olive groves. The rustic chic style of the rooms (think: repurposed antiques) and unhurried manner of the staff is utterly relaxing! Farm to table dinner tonight. B, light L, D

Lodging for the next 2 nights: Country house Castello di Serragiumenta

DAY 3 – ALTOMONTE – CIVITA – CASTROVILLARI: ALBANIAN FOOTPRINTS AND SOME REALLY GOOD WINE

After breakfast (all locally-sourced of course!) you’re off  on a short drive to visit the town of Civita, perched on a rocky spur and enveloped in an evocative atmosphere. Civita is home to a nearly 600-year-old community of Albanians who have chosen to retain their language and culture. Originally having fled a Turkish invasion of their homeland, the locals include Byzantine rites in their worship and exotic spices in their foods. Their town also overlooks the Devil’s Bridge, which spans the bottom of a spectacular canyon reachable by a crazy zigzag of hiking trails or by jeep.

Lunchtime will find you at the Ferrocinto Winery, one of our favorites in Calabria, for a tasting of fine wines accompanied by myriad family-style antipasti. We guarantee some of these indigenous grapes will be new to you! Wine-making extends back millenia here to pre-Roman Italic tribes; this has resulted in both expertise and a great respect for the land. After lunch, you can explore the surroundings of your accommodation on foot or by bike, or even on horseback….or simply relax by the pool. Dinner is on your own (we will provide transfers if you want to venture out locally). B, L

DAY 4 – ALTOMONTE – SCILLA: A CASTLE, LUNCHTIME SINGALONG, THEN TRAVEL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TOE

After breakfast and check-out, head to picture-postcard medieval Morano Calabro, officially declared one of Italy’s most beautiful villages. With a history at least as old as the Roman Empire, Morano Calabro lines up in neat rows of limestone houses that spill down a hillside, all dominated by the imposing shell of its Norman/Swabian Castle. Views from here extend over the red tiled roofs of the village to the many Pollino peaks, some reaching over 7,000 feet.

Savor a fun lunch, accompanied by typical Calabrian music, at nearby Locanda del Parco (check their photos here). The 3-hour afternoon transfer to your villa near the tiny seaside town of Scilla will include a nice break for leg-stretching and/or a coffee. Late afternoon arrival, unpack, and relaxation time prior to dinner on your own (transportation to downtown Scilla, which has several dining options, included). B,L

Lodging for the next 3 nights: Five-bedroom villa outside Scilla, on the Mediterranean coast.

DAY 5 – SCILLA -REGGIO CALABRIA: BRONZE WARRIORS AND SUPERB GELATO

Start the day with a delicious breakfast prepared in your villa, followed by a visit to Reggio Calabria, a city rich in history and culture found at the toe of the Italian boot. The highlight will be a guided visit to the National Archaeological Museum, which showcases the Riace Bronzes (c. 460 BC). These ancient, life-size Greek statues are in a beautiful state of conservation, having been discovered at the bottom of the local sea only in 1972. The duo of a younger and more mature warrior stands on anti-seismic foundations in a climatically-controlled room; they have become the modern symbol of Calabria.

After the museum, grab a snack during your stroll along the seafront, enjoying views of the Strait of Messina straught to Sicily’s Mount Etna. How about a scoop of the region’s best ice cream at a historic gelateria? You’ll be battling the locals for that! Back home and time to rest before a fun cooking class, followed by dinner with fabulous local wines. B,D

DAY 6: SCILLA and BAGNARA: SEAFARING TOWNS

After breakfast, visit the village of Scilla. This picturesque fishing community perched on the coast by your villa fairly oozes rustic Italian charm. Option to join the locals on a boat excursion (additional charge) in search of the local specialty, swordfish. This unique experience truly highlights the Calabrian seafaring tradition. Dinner at a locally renowned restaurant that highlights the chef’s Greek roots – which are surprisingly prevalent in southern Calabria. B,D

DAY 7 – SCILLA – NICOTERA – TROPEA: “PEARL OF THE TYRRHENIAN SEA”

Breakfast in the villa and departure to your final stop, Tropea. But first, there’s a de rigueur stop: Casa Comerci Winery. Here you’ll learn about the strong influence of the sea on these hardy grapes, tasting different expressions through a lineup of fine wines accompanied by local products.

Finally, Tropea. This city of about 6,000 is considered the pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Famous for its white beaches and crystal-clear water, Tropea was named “most beautiful village in Italy” in 2021. You’ll check in this afternoon to one of the few 5-star hotels in Calabria, where you’ll be pampered for the next two days. Dinner on you own in the city center tonight, with time for wandering and sunset photos. Embrace romance! B, light L

Lodging for the next 2 nights: Villa Paola 5*

DAY 8: TROPEA – CALABRIA’S MOST ALLURING TOWN

After a rich breakfast, visit Tropea, with its enticing historic center. Legend says Tropea was founded by Hercules, and certainly graves have been found nearby that date from Magna Graecia times. Also interesting is the Virgin Mary’s supposed protection of the town from disaster on multiple occasions. These include the 1783 Calabrian earthquakes (which barely touched Tropea) as well as the six bombs dropped on the city in WWII (which failed to explode). Time to visit the Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell’Isola (jutting daringly into the sea — see our photos), shop, have lunch, photograph and wander independently through this coastal oasis. Final dinner together in-house (one Michelin star) tonight. B,D

DAY 9: DEPARTURE: TO SICILY WITH ADAGIO OR ONWARD TRAVELS

For those who are not joining our Sicily extension, check-out after breakfast and transfer to the Lamezia Terme Airport (about 1 hour) for onward travels. For those extending to Sicily, please find details here. B

This trip offers an exclusive 4 night extension to Sicily. Cross in style from Tropea to the gorgeous Aeolian Islands via catamaran with island tour and overnight. Then two nights at a family-owned hotel on Salina Island with Michelin-star dinner option. End back on the island of Sicily near the Catania airport, which offers onward non-stop flights to many destinations, including the United States. Details here.