Mallory

I am planning a trip to Calabria in the fall and am having trouble finding good information about accommodations. We will be two adults, and have experience driving on windy Italian roads.

Anyone stayed recently in Tropea? I think that, in October, we would be better off staying in the town itself, rather than the beach.

Other places of interest are the Aspromonte, the city of Gerace, the bronzes at Riace.

Any advice or suggestions here?

vincenzod

October is still good and warm enough to have an accomodation close to the beach, especially if you choose the first half of this month.
I'd like to suggest you ALBERGO LA BUSSOLA, and do not choose its dependance but its core palace where the rooms are named Corallo.
Also the restaurant is good enough.
The prices in that period are really cheap.
It is not in Tropea, but close to Tropea, in Capo Vaticano, one of the most wonderful places of Italy.
Website is www.albergolabussola.com .
A very good restaurant in the center of Tropea is OSTERIA DEL PESCATORE.
If you like torrone, when you are in Reggio Calabria to visit the museum with Bronzi di Riace, do not miss to taste and buy torrone at GIUSEPPE MALAVENDA.

Have a lovely trip.
Ciao.
Vincenzo

Ragnar

Hello Mallory,
my wife and me stayed in Tropea in October 2005 - lovely city. We only spent two nights but would have liked to stay longer. We used Hotel La Perla, http://www.hotelaperla.biz which was quite OK, nothing fancy but in a nice part of town. We could park our car there as well, which was a bonus.

Mallory

Thanks for the information re hotels. I've seen labussola recommended. But if we stayed there, or at another beach hotel, we would most likely have to drive to restaurants, no? We are not likely to want to loll in the sun at that time.

Anyone ever stayed in Residenza Il Barone, up in Tropea?

What about other places in Calabria? On the Ionian side? In the interior?

JQReports

Hi Mallory,

My wife and I spent over two weeks in Calabria end of September/beginning of October 2004. I don't know how up-to-date the information is, but you're welcome to a copy of my travel journal if you email me at jqreports @ yahoo . com (Contains some information on Gerace, Tropea and Gambarie (in the Aspromonte)).

I have posted a selection of pictures here: http://tinyurl.com/2dlj5r

And there is a more detailed report on Gambarie here:
http://tinyurl.com/yrnwhj

JQ

vincenzod

Hi Mallory,
if you are interested also to places different from Tropea, I like to give you three smart advices: two on Tirrenian Coast, northern than Tropea and one in Sila, the cute mountains of Calabria.
In Amantea I suggest you the D&B PALAZZO DELLE CLARISSE (www.palazzodelleclarisse.com)
The place is very charming and the restaurant is very good and the rooms are large and comfortable enough.
Northern than Amantea, on the coast, there is a very little town: San Lucido. In San Lucido is very good the D&B LA FORTEZZA, where the name of the resturant is DRAGUT.
The chef patron of DRAGUT is Antonio Provenzano, very clever and, I am sure, he will be famous soon.
The place is very charming. Its website is www.residencelafortezza.it
In Camigliatello Silano, I suggest the D&B AQUILA & EDELWEISS: very well known, very good restaurant, especially if you like mushrooms.
Not very charming as it is a modern building. The small town is fine.
Website: www.hotelaquilaedelweiss.com

Have a lovely trip, ciao.

Vincenzo

Waldo

Vincenzo- You are very knowledgeable about Italy. I thought I knew a lot about Naples and Campania, but you have me beat. I have three brother in laws and five sister in laws living in Naples. My wife's complete family comes from there. My wife was born in New York, so she's American. The rest of the family is Neopolitan. They all call her "L'Americana". You seem to know Calabria also. I have a cousin with the same name as mine, living in San Mango D"aquino in Calabria. It's pretty town up in the mountains above La Mezia. I've been there a few times, and I enjoy my cousin's hospitality, but being a big city guy originally from New York, I cannot get used to living like a contadino.

Mallory

Thanks, all, for your accommodation recommendations.

So I have a related question:

If you were going to stay in three places in Calabria, in mid-October, what would they be.

I love beautiful scenery, but are not in for serious hiking. Staying in a medieval town would be great. Recommendations, anyone?

vincenzod

Thanks Waldo, I was born in Naples and I lived in Campania for many and many years, especially in Penisola Sorrentina.
I know Calabria very well, first of all because it is a land that I deeply love and also because often I go there for my job.
About the three places to stay there for vacation in the mid-October, that's the question of Mallory, I have an opinion.
In Your Country one of the most famous trips is 'coast to coast'. Well, also in Calabria, it is possible the coast to coast trip: from Tirrenian sea to the Jonian sea.
One of the little deifferences is the distance: 6,600 kilometres in USA and 100 kilometres in Calabria !!!!
That's my suggestion, Mallory, take a coast to coast trip in Cosenza province.
I have notes about the last trip coast to coast that I had last June and I can send you it.
So, if you want it, feel free to e-mail me.

Ciao.

Vincenzo

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