Due to its mountainous topography, Calabria is not as renowned a producer of wine and olive oil as Puglia, Sicily and Tuscany. Yet, you can still find and enjoy local varietals, with a new generation of winemakers called ‘The Cirò Boys’ generating a lot of buzz in vino circles. You should also try to sample anything with bergamot too – the fragrant citrus fruit that isn’t quite a lemon, nor nearly an orange, that is only able to grow here.
Throw in all the standard wonderful Italian ingredients and fare – with menus often reflecting Sicilian and Neapolitan influences too – and we guarantee that you will eat very, very well in Calabria (and abandon the diet as soon as you step foot in the region).
It is also much more affordable to dine out, and decadently, than many other parts of Italy.
Know | Breakfast here takes care of itself. Like the rest of Italy, it’s exclusively revolves around pastries, coffee and, for many a local, cigarettes.
For dinner, nothing will make you stand out like a tourist more than having dinner at 6.30pm, so try to push it back to at least 8 to enjoy your meal around Italians rather than foreigners. You should also be aware of the ubiquitous coperto charge at restaurants: The Italian Coperto Explained.
Book | To learn more about traditional Calabrian cooking, and pick up some tips for when you head home, consider joining a cooking class during your stay in the region.
· Tropea. For a glimpse into rural life book this popular farm-to-table cooking class (it has excellent reviews), or alternatively if you’d prefer to remain in Tropea, as does this pasta making class is also a great choice.
· Reggio Calabria. Join a local in their home to cook three meals, including pasta from scratch.
Watch // If you want to make yourself feel ridiculously hungry, or just excited for the upcoming trip, then check out the Calabria episode of Stanley Tucci ‘Searching For Italy’
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