By Dr Ricky Ghosh Dastidar 
Calabria is one of the lesser known regions of Italy and forms the “toe” part of the southern peninsula.
Its name was given by the Ancient Greeks, who settled in this land starting around 8th century BC. They established the first cities mainly on the coast as Greek colonies. During this period, Calabria was the heart of Magna Graecia.
The land is bordered to the north by the region of Basilicata and boasts a spectacular coastline as the Tyrrhenian Sea lies to its west and the Ionian Sea to its east.
In addition to its stunning beaches, Calabria is full of history and there are numerous churches, monasteries, castles and palaces to be discovered there.
Reggio Calabria
A good starting point for your Calabrian adventure is Reggio Calabria; the most populous and largest of Calabria’s cities.
It is separated from the Island of Sicily by the Strait of Messina and has a modern city-centre, set up after a devastating earthquake in 1901 which destroyed most of it.
One of the most important visitor attractions here is the National Archaeological Museum of Magna Graecia, dedicated to Ancient Greece.
The museum houses the world-famous Bronzes of Riace, which depict two life-sized Greek warrior heroes dating back to the 5th century BC.
These extremely rare Greek sculptures were recovered in the sea near Riace in 1972, and are now considered a symbol of Reggio Calabria.
Tropea
Tropea is one of Calabria’s most picturesque towns and often regarded as the Jewel of the Tyrrhenian.
Its marvellous coastline, sea-cliffs and resorts make it an attractive destination for tourists and the view of the crystal clear waters from the top of the Santa Maria dell’Isola Church (formerly a Benedictine monastery) is truly remarkable.
When it comes to dining in Tropea, make sure you try Ill Normanno; a rustic restaurant offering exquisite food and an unrivalled view of the harbour.
Pizzo
Another sea-side attraction worth visiting is the small medieval city of Pizzo. The urban centre of this charming city offers interesting high-class residences and many ancient churches, including the Little Church of Piedigrotta.
Pizzo has a historic castle which was built during the 15th century and is most famous for being the site where Gioachinno Murat (Napoleon’s brother-in-law) was imprisoned and executed.
Pizzo is also home to the wold-famous desert; tartufo di pizzo. This is an artisan ice-cream consisting of hazelnuts and chocolate dusted with cocoa.
Cuisine
Italy is a land often synonymous with its cuisine and Calabria brings more than its fair share to the table when it comes to local delicacies.
The first of these is the red onion of Tropea. Said to have been imported by the Pheonicians over 2000 years ago, this particular onion has a distinctively sweet flavour and is even used as an ingredient for the local ice-cream.
Calabrians believe the red onion to possess outstanding medicinal benefits and these include diuretic, laxative, antibiotic and aphrodisiac properties.
The red onion of Tropea has a violet tunic and a large bulb and perhaps not surprisingly, is one of the vegetables most often used in the Calabrian kitchen.
Nduja is also a favourite of the region. This spicy sausage dish contains a mixture of pork meat, bacon fat and hot pepper and is commonly spread on bread. These days it is widely found as a pizza topping and available in most Italian restaurants and supermarkets. 
Another staple of Calabrian cuisine is the red chilli pepper, known locally as pepperoncino. Originally favoured in poorer communities due to its low cost and ease of cultivation, the red chilli pepper has slowly become a staple for all Calabrians, as more of it is consumed in this region than in any other part of Italy. As with the Tropea onion, the red chilli pepper is so well-loved, they even use it as an ingredient in several dessert recipes.
A place to stay
One of the hotels that comes highly recommended is the Altafiumara Resort.
Located just 11 km from Reggio Calabria and covering over 10 hectares of rich, green parkland, the hotel offers a wide range of amenities as well as a stunning view across the Strait of Messina to the island of Sicily.
www.altafiumararesort.com
