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Calabria is the region that comprises the toe of the boot of Italy at the very southern tip of the Italian peninsula. It is a mountainous area surrounded on the west, south and east by the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas. The rugged Pollino, La Sila and Aspromonte mountain ranges wrinkle the rest of Calabria into a land of hills, valleys, lakes and forests.
The valley and plains areas have been cultivated for centuries, and medieval towns and villages dot the landscape. The lower slopes of the many hills are strewn with vineyards and citrus orchards, and the higher reaches are given over to olive and chestnut trees with thick forests of oak, beech and fir at the highest elevations.
Calabria, like the rest of Italy, is a land that drips with history. The Greeks established city-states on the Ionian side from an early date, and the Greek character of the area influenced the later Romans. From the classical age to modern times, Calabria has stubbornly retained its distinct character in spite of the many armies that tramped across it or the various Royal Houses that ruled it from afar.
Today Calabria remains largely rural in character, and agriculture forms the basis of the economy, though tourism is fast becoming an important sector of the economy as more travelers discover the many charms of the region. The major cities of Calabria include Cantanzaro, the capitol of the region and a major tourist destination, Cosenza, known as The Athens of Calabria due to it's long history as a major cultural center, and Reggio Calabria, the major urban center and economic hub of the region located on the straits between the mainland and Sicily.
There are a number of beautiful beaches and resort towns on the Tyrrhenian and Ionian coasts of Calabria. Scilla and Tropea on the Tyrrhenian coasts are perhaps the two best-known beach towns. Scilla is known as the site of the legendary sea monster of the Homeric Epics, and Tropea is famous for it's gorgeous beach and offshore reef. On the Ionian coast side of Calabria, the towns of Garace, Squillace and Crotone draw visitors for the ambiance and charms of their beaches and historic attributes.
 Perhaps more than anything else, the distinctive cuisine of Calabria is the best reward for the traveler. Olives, citrus, peppers and mushrooms are melded in many magical ways in a host of Calabrian dishes, and the region is famous for it's varieties of sausages and cured meats, as well as the many seafood dishes taken from the friendly nearby sea. Calabria also produces more than twenty-five percent of Italy's olive oil, which is prominent in Calabrian cuisine, and citron and bergamot oranges, whose essential oils are prized in the production of perfumes.
Calabria is becoming better known as a travel destination as more people discover the natural beauty of the region, and many travelers hasten to visit the area before hotel chains, fast food outlets and the other trappings of tourism-intensive destinations spoil it.
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Calabria, Italy Accommodations By City
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Acri
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Bova
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Bova Marina
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Casa Vatoni
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Castrovillari
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Catanzaro
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Ciro Marina
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Caulonia
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Corigliano Calabro
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Crotone
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Lamezia
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Nicastro
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Oriolo
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Rossano
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Sant'Eufemia Lamezia
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San Roberto
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Tropea
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Vibo Valentia
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