With its hundreds of kilometres of coastline, crystal clear water, mountains, national parks, culture and history, Calabria has all it needs for an epic road trip adventure.
Located in the South of Italy, Calabria is the toe of the Italian boot. Underrated and unknown outside of the country, it offers some interesting itineraries for a 2 week vacation.
I travelled Calabria with my family on a campervan. We left Rome and drove South with a few stops along the way. We spent 2 weeks venturing around Calabria’s best hidden spots, beaches and beautiful towns.
Itinerary for a 2 week Road Trip in Calabria:
With its special shape, thin and stretched, you have 2 options for your road trip:
- Start from the North (or South) and go South (or North), alternating the east and the west coast, as they are only an hour apart by car.
- Start in a place and make a loop around the region, ending your trip where you started it.
I chose the 2nd option and I did a 2 week road trip in Calabria starting at Sila National Park, visiting the east coast all the way to Reggio Calabria, and then going up from the west coast.
Calabria not only has great beaches, but also boasts some rugged mountains and National Parks. I suggest for your road trip to alternate the beach and the mountain. Spend a few days at a beach location, then head to the mountains for fresh air and nice hikes, go back to the beach and so on.
Calabria has some great cities as well, that you should include in your road trip. Reggio Calabria, Catanzaro, Scilla and Tropea, to name a few, have a cool vibe and an interesting culture.
Road Trip in Calabria: Where to go?
Here is a list of the places that I visited during my 2 week road trip in Calabria on a campervan:
-Sila National Park, Crotone, Catanzaro, Jonic Coast (Soverato, Badolato, Brancaleone), Reggio Calabria, Aspromonte National Park, West Coast (Scilla, Tropea), Cosenza.
Let’s have a look more in detail at what to do at each of these places in Calabria:
Sila National Park
The beginning of my road trip in Calabria. We spent one night at Camigliatello Silano, and from there we explored the mountain region.
Check out “The Giants of Sila”, a Biogenetic Nature Reserve, awarded a s a Unesco “World Heritage Site”. It is an ancient woodland that hosts more than 60 Calabrian pines and sycamores planted in the 17th Century. They can reach up to 50 mt in height, with trunks 2 mt wide.
The trunks can reach 2 mt in width 
The trees can reach 50 mt in height
The 5 € entrance is worth it and helps to preserve the integrity of the Park. Sila also has some nice lakes. I suggest to stroll around Cecita Lake and explore Arvo Lake. We spent the night in San Giovanni in Fiore, the biggest village in the area.
Crotone
To reach the Jonic Coast from Sila you drive by Crotone. Have breakfast or lunch in the city and spend a few hours visiting the Castle, the main square with the Cathedral and the beach promenade.
Catanzaro
Calabria’s capital city should be included in your road trip. Just an hour drive from Crotone, Catanzaro is located on the hill, which guarantees fresher air and a good view of the valley. Walk around the old town and visit the Duomo. Head to Bellavista, scenic spot with a terrace to view the surrounding landscape.
And now, finally some beach time!
The Jonic Coast (East Coast)
The Jonic Coast has almost 300 km of fantastic coastline. From Corigliano Calabro to Reggio Calabria you can stop anywhere you like, spend some time at the beach and swim in the turquoise water.
Differently than the West Coast, The Jonic Coast is the less developed and less touristic. It doesn’t have any big or famous touristic town and you will be almost alone at the beach. It is the perfect location for a few days of relax at the sea.
I had a fantastic time with my family at this camping called Koku’s camping. If you are looking for a place right on the beach, with just a few people and a chill vibe, check it out!
Reggio Calabria
Spend a night in Calabria’s largest city. Walk along the 2 km long beach promenade and stroll around the city center. From Reggio Calabria you can see Sicily, right across the city, reachable by ferry in only 20 mins. Reggio Calabria is also the base to start exploring the Aspromonte National Park.
Aspromonte National Park
Located between the Ionian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Aspromonte lies entirely in the Province of Reggio Calabria and it is the last extremity of the Italian Southern Appennines.
Reach the village of Gambarie, base to do some hikes and explore the nature. Unfortunately we encountered bad weather so hikes weren’t an option. We drove to Delianuova, a small town in the North of Aspromonte, and spent the night there.
Check out this restaurant in Delianuova, called La Vecchia Segheria. It has some traditional food at an affordable price and you will be very satisfied in the end. We tried “Stroncatura allo Stocco”, homemade fresh pasta with local fish. It was delicious!
The West Coast
After a couple of days in the mountains, time to head back to the sun and the beach. The West Coast has some of Calabria’s most famous beach destinations. It is usually very touristic and prices are generally higher than the East Coast.
You should check out Scilla, small town in the South, and Tropea.
I personally preferred the Jonic Coast for its relaxed vibe and for having almost no tourists. But if you are looking for some more things to do, lively villages, restaurants and activities, you will love the West Coast.
Food and drinks to try in Calabria
Calabria has a fantastic food culture and there are many things you need to try:
Bergamotto
It is a fruit only found in Calabria that kinda resembles a lemon and it is characteristic in the Reggio Calabria Province.
You should try the liquor made out of Bergamotto and the juice. You can also find some pasta with Bergamotto!
Extracts of bergamotto are also used in cosmetics to make perfumes which have a high reputation.
Tropea onions
The red onions of Tropea are famous all over Italy and you need to buy some when you visit the region.
‘Nduja
Nowadays popular worldwide, ‘Nduja is a true Calabrian product. It is a spicy spreadable salami. It is made with a mix of pork, herbs and spices including a generous hit of Calabrian chilli peppers.
Cheese and dairy products
The Sila region has a long tradition of dairy products and you need to try some delicious cheese, caciocavallo and other tasty dairy products that you will find at the local markets.
Seafood
I couldn’t skip seafood, as most of Calabria is on the beach. You have plenty of choice for pasta with seafood and grilled fish. Enjoy it!
Where to go after a road trip in Calabria?
Sicily
You can take the ferry to Messina from Reggio Calabria and start exploring Sicily.
Campania
You can head North West from Sila and enter Campania. Check out the Cilento National Park, Salerno and the Amalfi Coast, all the way up to Naples. Be warned though that if you are traveling on a campervan it is very hard to visit the Amalfi Coast as most of the roads are inaccessible to big vehicles.
Basilicata and The Angel Flight
That’s what we did! Driving North East from Calabria you will reach Basilicata, a tiny and underrated Italian Region. It has some great villages and beautiful mountains, the Lucanian Dolomites. If you decide to go there you need to do The Angel Flight, a great experience for your bucket list!
Hope you enjoyed my itinerary for a road trip in Calabria. Share it with your friends and if you have any questions just write it in the comments below.
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