CeciliaElizabeth

OMG. I've been reading the forum about Reggio di Calabria. The comments were written in 2002. Have things improved there? A group of us were planning on spending 2 weeks next year... but not if the situation is bad, and if there is nothing much to do. Can you please offer some updated advice?

vjpblovesitaly

OMG like what are you talking about??

CeciliaElizabeth

How dangerous it is, how poor it is, depressed, awful area. Is this true? Is it a waste of time to spend 2 weeks in that area?

Fra_Diavolo

Reggio itself is usually visited en route to Sicily -- it has a worthwhile archaeological museum.

You can certainly spend two weeks in the deep south, though. Other areas of Calabria, Basilicata and Puglia, while mostly off the beaten track, have a lot to offer -- seacoast. mountains, villages, and really good food.

Suggest you get a good guide book. Also, consider a bit of research *before* deciding on a destination.

bobthenavigator

I might give it 4 hours but no more.
There are better destinations in south Italy---much better.

CeciliaElizabeth

Thank you for your comments. Can you help me out again? We want to go south. Where can we make our home base for 2 weeks?

ekscrunchy

Uh, maybe you should mention what you want to do; how much you want to spend, when you plan to go, etc etc. Do you want a beach resort?



Tropea, Vibo Valentia, Diamante and Scalea are popular beach resorts in Calabria.

If you want to read about Calabria, I recommend the book, STOLEN FIGS.

http://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Figs-Ot.../dp/0865476276






Do you want mountains? Basilicata has 3 national parks. And coastal resorts including Maratea.

http://www.discoverbasilicata.com/uk/

Puglia and the Cilento area might also be worth looking into...

bobthenavigator

Yes, do some reading. I would not stay in Calabria. Look at both Puglia and Sicily. My choice would be Sicily but to include at least 3 destinations and not just one. Look at a combo of Taormina, Cefalu, and Palermo.

CeciliaElizabeth

Thank you everyone. It's back to the drawing board for me.

cusogolf

My husband and I are right now in Catanzaro in Calabria region and while it is not known for tourist area it is quite nice. The big find is our B&B, Il Cedro B&B with wonderful hosts, Cherrye and Peppe. She can also consult with you for travel advice in the area. Thursday we took a drive to Tropea, met up with a wonderful tour lady, Tania, who arranged a cooking class that was fantastic with Franco and Marianna. Spent the night in Tropea at Il Barone B&B, again, a great find. Then a drive back to Catanzaro through Pizzo with some nice sites. We will visit some small villages for a few more days. Give it a try. Contact Cherrye and she will set you up real nicely.

ekscrunchy

Bob: How much of Calabria have you seen?

ekscrunchy

ttt

nochblad

Calabria is a very popular tourist destination in Italy but usually - speaking for those from the north of the country - the main destinations are the area around Tropea and that around Capo Rizzuto and the bay westwards. Reggio Calabria is thought of as the link to Sicily or for the Bronzi di Riace - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riace_bronzes

However, when it comes to Italy you will be rewarded wherever you go - be it art, architecture, food, fashion, friendship or just people watching. The violence in Calabria is mostly clan on clan - based on statistics there are many American cities where a foreigner would never visit if you applied such parameters. As always be alert and be sensible and try not to stand out. If you follow these simple rules you will find that the people of Calabria - as with everyone from the South - are incredibly warm and welcoming.
2 weeks in Calabria cannot be a forced march along the likes of a Venice-Florence-Rome trip but, with the right attitude, it could be immensely more rewarding.

ekscrunchy

Thanks very much, Nochblad!

I have been reading up on Calabria and was surprised that Bob would dismiss the entire region....that is why I asked the question about how much of it he had actually seen, if any, beyond the autostrada and a few hours in Reggio..

bobthenavigator

Calabria would make a good destination for your 12th trip to Italy, but not until you have seen Puglia, Sicily, and Campania just in the south. Do you not agree?

ekscrunchy

No, I do not think there is a hierarchy of places that one must see in a certain order. In this case, we do not know how many times the OP has visited Italy. Or where she has been on previous trips. I think each person has his or her own tastes and that is why I do not like "one size fits all" responses.

But most of all, I do not find it helpful when someone makes comments about an entire region based on a single hours-long visit to one tiny corner of that region. This is tantamount to me saying that no one should visit California because I spent a morning in LA and found it unpleasant.

I do not mean to direct this at you, Bob, as I know you have made several visits to Italy; there are many posters who do the same type of thing based on one visit to a city ten years ago!

So let's move on and hear more about Calabria!