San Giovanni in Fiore is in the heart of the Sila National Park. What makes this mountain village so interesting is that it is one of the largest and oldest towns in the Sila Mountains. The town, dating back to the 12th century, when Gioacchino da Fiore founded the Monastery and Abbey of San Giovanni...Read More
Cosenza is the largest province in Calabria and its capital city, also called Cosenza, is quickly becoming known as the “Athens of Calabria” for its architecture, art and culture. One of the great things about this city is its location – you are not more than 30 minutes from a beach or the mountains, which...Read More
The 2018 Blue Flag awards have just been released. If you don’t already know, the Blue Flag award is given out by the Foundation for Environmental Education to the best coastal areas, marinas and beaches which have demonstrated a high standard of water quality, safety and environmental protection and management. Last year, three beaches were...Read More
Over the past few years, the mayor of Cosenza, Mario Occhiuto, has been focusing a lot of attention on the whereabouts and authenticity of King Alarico’s tomb. King Alarico, the King of the Visigoths, was famous for his role in the fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century. As the legend goes, he...Read More
It’s the unofficial symbol of Calabria. You’ll literally see it everywhere you turn and if you find yourself in Calabria, especially in late summer, it isn’t uncommon to see strings of it hanging out to dry from doorways, balconies, and windows. We are talking, of course, about peperoncini (chili peppers). These beautifully colored deep red...Read More
Even though summer is playing a little game of hide and seek with us this year, we know that in no time it will make its grand entrance bringing with it hot sunny days and blue skies, perfect for spending countless hours at the beach. Recently, the Foundation for Environmental Education released there 2014 Blue...Read More
In the 700s BC, Greeks migrated across southern Italy and settled the land known as Magna Graecia. The first of these settlements – where 100,000 of the wealthiest and most prosperous congregated – was Sybaris. The Sybarites, whose name is now synonymous with opulence and luxury originated la dolce vita for which Italy is famous....Read More
Last week I wrote about three of my favorite Tyrrhenian Sea beach towns and since I live on the Ionian, I couldn’t forget about my neighbors, now could I? Calabria’s Ionian coast is much less developed than its Tyrrhenian counterpart, so choosing three coastal towns that meet the criteria-exciting beaches, positive vibes, contagious energy, strong...Read More
A few months ago I wrote about three of my favorite mountain villages in Calabria, but now that the sun is starting to twinkle behind that wide Calabrian sky, it’s time to hit the beach. With more than 500 miles of coastline, Calabria-bound travelers have plenty of options. Most of Calabria’s beaches are set with...Read More
Regular readers might have heard about a funky food tour I have been working on for October (see green line above). It’s been a long time in the making and my partner-in-crime, fellow expat in Calabria, friend and cooking class connoisseur, Tania Pascuzzi (In Italy Tours) and I have poured our blood, sweat and tears-or...Read More
