We are thrilled you are here.
Whether you have been to Calabria, have Calabrese heritage, or are just curious about this beautiful, undiscovered region, we have a special tour offering just for you.
This specially curated private 5-day tour was created just for Italy Magazine readers and includes our favorite insider places in Calabria, interactions with locals and a *free* welcome dinner at one of our favorite wine bars in the region.
With our tours, your family’s Heritage Specialist spends time getting to know your family. They organize and translate the information you have and prepare it for the local city hall. They spend a day in your ancestral town prior to your tour and talk to locals and city hall officials to track down the people and places important to your past.
Benvenuti in Calabria! You will arrive at Lamezia Terme Train Station (or airport) and be met by your private guide and driver who will transport you to the lovely seaside town of Catanzaro Lido. Recently awarded the prized Blue Flag status for its beaches, you’ll have time to settle in and explore the area at your leisure before meeting up for your welcome dinner at our favorite wine bar.
Today you will meet our friend, Lucia, for a visit to her family’s olive grove. You’ll learn about their commercial production (and awards!), and see how they integrate their family’s dairy farm into the oil business. You’ll learn how to tell good olive oil from the fakes, then will have lunch at a nearby farm. After lunch, you’ll return to Catanzaro Lido. Evening on your own. Overnight Catanzaro Lido.
You’ll begin our day with breakfast alla Calabrese at the bar, then will have a guided tour and in-depth look into Catanzaro’s ancient silk tradition. Since before the medieval times, Catanzaro has been home to one of the most important silk industries in Europe, once supplying tapestries to the Vatican. In a lonely village near Catanzaro, a group of Calabrian youth has gathered to rejuvenate this dying tradition. From their base inside a Mulberry Tree orchard they breed silkworms, experiment with new all-natural colors and give travelers hands-on experiences at extracting silk. Following your visit, you’ll enjoy lunch, especially prepared for you by the owners and staff and complete with multiple courses and wine.
Today you’ll experience a day in the life of a Pizzo native and learn why they are so fiercely proud of their town. You’ll visit the Murat Castle, where Napoleon’s brother-in-law, Jacques Murat, faced his executors, and visit the intriguing Chiesetta di Piedigrotta cave church.
For lunch, we’ll visit my buddy, Enzo, where we’ll learn about Pizzo’s famous tuna and dine on the balcony of his restaurant, with views of the aqua-green waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
We’ll return to the hotel for an afternoon break, then we’ll venture a few miles north to a nearby winery that has revived an almost extinct grape variety. Their signature white wine has not only received praise as one of the Top 10 Best White Wines in Italy from the New York Times, but it is also garnering attention from wine enthusiasts and wine competitions all over the world. We’ll have a chance to taste some of these wines with a sunset aperitivo before heading back to Pizzo Calabro.
This morning you’ll have a private transfer to the Lamezia Terme train station or hotel. Ciao Calabria!
Includes:
Please mention Italy Magazine when inquiring for this offer
Valid for booking through December 31, 2023; valid for travel through December 31, 2024.
Interested in hearing more about this unique, specially-curated trip for Italy Magazine readers? Fill in the form below and we’ll be in touch soon!