CALABRIA FOOD AND WINE TASTING TOUR (8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS)

Day 1: Arrival in Calabria. Transfer and dinner in the Hotel with some traditional dishes and local wines. Overnight.

Day 2: After breakfast, we will travel to Cirò, with a stop on the road to see Le Castella, a beautiful ancient castle  which is only accessible on foot by a narrow strip of land. Cirò is an ancient town with countless historical buildings, many of which sport traditional family crests on their gates. We will then visit some local wineries to sample Cirò’s wines and local agricultural produce. The respected wine critic Hugh Johnson has dubbed Cirò Southern Italy’s equivalent of Barrolo. It is the oldest wine in Calabria, and legend has it that it descends directly from Krimisa, the wine Calabrian athletes drank to celebrate victory in the early Olympics. Tasting of some traditional calabrian products. In the afternoon, we will visit Santa Severina, a small town rich in history and art, whose beautiful sixteenth-century castle is one of the most impressive in Calabria. In addition to the castle, there are a number of other sites in the town which are worth a visit, including the thirteenth-century Cathedral, whose ancient gate has been preserved from the original building. We will arrive at the Hotel in the evening for dinner and your overnight stay.   

Day 3: Today, after breakfast, we visit Tropea’s historic town centre and the Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell’Isola, which is situated on a cliff overlooking the sea. In Tropea you will try typical products as “cipolla rossa di tropea” very famous all over the world, “n’dujia” and other spicy products. Not far from Tropea, we will stop at Capo Vaticano, a modern tourist resort with beautiful views of the sea. Our final stop will be in Pizzo Calabro. It was in Pizzo’s castle, which was built in 1486 by Ferdinand of Aragon, that Joachim Murat, the former King of Naples and brother-in-law to Napoleon Bonaparte, was executed by firing squad in 1815. We will also visit La Chiesetta della Piedigrotta, a stunning church built into the rockface and made entirely out of tufa rock. Whilst in Pizzo, you will have the chance to try the local ice cream, “il tartufo”. We will return to the Hotel for dinner.

Day 4: Breakfast will be followed by a visit of Bivongi. A small medieval village which has been inhabited since the time of the Greek empire, Bivongi’s location offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and the highest waterfall in Calabria of about 114 meters high, the “Cascate Marmarico”. The Marmarico Waterfall will be reached in the first section by jeep (at your own expenses). Then continuing by walking for less than 20 minutes. After this wonderful excursion, we will stop for lunch in an typical Italian trattoria where you will have the opportunity to taste the famous “Doc” wine and try some local produce (such as homemade pasta with a goat sauce and salumi). In the afternoon we will travel to Stilo, another small town known for its wealth of art and history, as well as for having preserved precious examples of Byzantine art and architecture. One such example is Stilo’s church, La Cattolica, which dates back to the Tenth Century. Dinner and overnight accommodation are included in the Hotel.

Day 5: Breakfast at the Resort. In the morning you will have a cooking lesson with Chef and chef helpers to make some typical and traditional calabrian dish. Lunch. Time to spend for relax or to have an excursion/ a tasting in a olive mill and wine farm. In the evening, dinner and overnight in the Hotel.

Day 6: After breakfast at the Resort you will be given a guided tour of Reggio Calabria. Reggio’s main attractions include its splendid ‘Lungomare’ (promenade), once called the most beautiful kilometre in Italy by the Italian writer Gabriele D’Annunzio, and the world-famous Bronze Riace Statues. We will then travel to Scilla, a well-known seaside resort, home to the thousand-year-old Ruffo castle which juts out above the sea. Make sure you visit the beautiful neighbouring  district of Chianalea, an ancient fishing village located on the seafront, to see the quaint fishermen’s houses which are lapped by the sea as the tide comes in and right up to the town’s doorways, small alleyways and narrow stairways. Lunch will feature local fish dishes in a restaurant over the sea in Chianalea. In the evening, we will return to the hotel. Accommodation is included in Hotel in Reggio Calabria. Free dinner.

Day 7: After breakfast, we will travel to the ancient town of Pentedattilo nestled between the sea and the mountains, with narrow streets and small inhabited houses. Pentedattilo is a ghost town perched on Mount Calvario where today the population has moved down to the valley. The shape of the mount is of 5 fingers.  After Pentidattilo, we will travel to Amendolea to visit the ancient castle, Castello Ruffo di Amendolea. We will have lunch on a farm and visit Bova, one of the most beautiful ancient towns in Italy, where you will have the opportunity to try typical local dishes and product of the area. In the evening we will return to Reggio Calabria for the accommodation in the Hotel. Free dinner

Day 8: After breakfast at the hotel, we will arrange your transfers back to the airport as we reach the end of your food and wine tour in Calabria.