Bill Kean heads off the tourist map and explores the wild, untamed and spectacular region
of Calabria to discover whether it deserves its tough reputation.
THE LAND THAT ITALY FORGOT Part 1.
Unusual destinations, it seems, are the thing these days and these occasional forays of the mind can be seen as fashion statements as much as what you wear. On Italy’s southern tip, contained by the Tyrrhenian and lonian Seas, lies such a place – a region of Italy that offers great riches of a unique kind.
It is, of course, Calabria, a little known Italian haven for those with an adventurous nature. It is situated in the heart of the Mezzogiorno, named in reference to the unremitting midday sun
which bakes this area of Italy’s deep south. Its rugged, essentially mountainous terrain hosts the densely wooded Apennine range,acting as a seemingly never ending link to the rest of Italy.
But Calabria could almost be another country compared to the provinces further north. Explore its valleys and you discover a culture apparently untouched by recent centuries. Its effect on
the visitor is quite distinct and, offering extremely good value
for the euro, a little goes a long way in this wonderful land.
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