13 Beautiful Things to Do in Calabria, Italy — Along Dusty Roads

Due to its mountainous topography, Calabria isn’t as well-known a producer of wine and olive oil as Puglia, Sicily and Tuscany. However, you can still find and enjoy local varieties, with a new generation of winemakers called ‘The Cirò Boys’ generating a lot of buzz in vino circles. You should also try something with bergamot – the fragrant citrus fruit that’s not quite a lemon, and not nearly an orange, that can only grow here.

Add to that all the standard, delicious Italian ingredients and dishes – with menus often reflecting Sicilian and Neapolitan influences too – and we guarantee you’ll eat very, very well in Calabria (and will ditch the diet the moment you set foot in the region).

Plus, eating out is much more affordable and decadent than in many other parts of Italy.

To know | Breakfast here is self-regulating. As in the rest of Italy, it’s all about pastries, coffee and, for many locals, cigarettes.

For dinner, there’s nothing that makes you look like a tourist more than having dinner at 6:30pm, so try to cut it down to at least 8pm to enjoy your meal with Italians instead of foreigners. You should also be aware of the ubiquitous masked Paying in restaurants: The Italian Coperto explained.

Book To learn more about traditional Calabrian cuisine and pick up some tips for home, consider taking a cooking class during your stay in the region.

· Tropea. For a glimpse into rural life, book this popular farm-to-table cooking course (which has excellent reviews), or if you prefer to stay in Tropea, this pasta-making course is also a good choice.

· Reggio Calabria. Join a local in their home to cook three meals, including pasta from start to finish.

Watch // If you want to make yourself ridiculously hungry, or just get excited about the upcoming trip, check out Stanley Tucci’s Calabria episode ‘Searching For Italy’