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Calabria Tour Text Only

 
Provinces to be visited 
Cosenza - Vibo Valentia - Crotone - Reggio di Calabria.

Duration of the tour - 12 days 
When - Spring and Fall
Starting date - April 28 - September  8 - 2016
Price - Euro 1850 ( not included cost to get to and from Lamezia)
Payment will be made directly to ANTICHI SENTIERI Travel Agency 
Locri - Calabria 
Pick Up - Departure  - Lamezia Airport (or Reggio di Calabria airport)
 
First day:Arrival at Lamezia Terme airport (or Reggio Airport).

Transfer to the four star hotel on the Jasmine Riviera (Riviera dei Gelsomini). Welcome drink  -  Get to know the other members of the tour, supper, overnight stay.

Second day  - Visit  Mammola, a charming medieval mountain  well known for the so called 'stockfish' (not to be confused with what we call 'baccala').
We will be visiting a local family owned business to learn about the different phases of processing.
Visit the town Siderno Superiore, for a short walk along the picturesque alleys of the ancient village characterized by beautiful buildings.

Terzo giorno - We will be traveling to the ghost town of Roghudi Vecchio, part of  Calabria Grecanic.
Return to Bova and lunch in a restaurant where you can choose some local Hellenic dishes.
Walking tour of  Bova, one of Calabria's most  important  "grecanici" town whose inhabitants still speak the ancient language of Homer. Walk through the historical Centre, discovering its narrow arched streets, small squares and enjoying the view of the not far away coast.
The evening will find us back at the hotel where we will have dinner and hang around until bed time. 

Fourth day -  Reggio di Calabria, Scilla and Bagnara Calabra 
'Bronzes of Riace', Reggio's Museum. walk the Reggio's popular sea front. 
Visitt  Scilla and Bagnara on the Violet Coast. 

Quinto giorno - 5th day - From the Greek civilization to the Middle Ages.
The roman villa (ruins) is one of Southern Italy's most important where is possible to admire some mosaic work and the thermal heating system of the time. 
Visit  a small local factory where we will be watching the soft cheese cacio cavallo being made.
Transfer to Gerace also know as the "Florence of the South" a very enchanting town located high on a hill with a breathtaking view of the valley below.

Sesto giorno - 6th day - We start the tour by visiting Stilo, still in the province of Reggio, and then we will be traveling to the provinces of Vibo Valentia, Crotone and Cosenza.
Stilo is one of Calabria's most important medieval centres. Of Byzantine origins, the town historical centre is enhanced by the Catholic, a well preserved church dating back to the 7th century and displaying a type of structure very popular in Armenia, Peloponnesia, Anatolia and Georgia.

Continue toward Serra San Bruno, in the province of Vibo Valentia.
There will be a brief stop in the woods to look at what we call "A Carvunara" a  "miniature vulcano" look alike, skillfully built by local loggers to make charcoal (the wood must be cut and stacked in a certain way and then covered with leafs and soil to keep oxygen out and to allow for a 'slow baking' of the wood, finally a fire is lit and let it cook for several days). 
Afternoon : Guided tour of the Certosa Museum, which reproduces the environments of the Carthusians and illustrates their mystical life and  working within the Certosa.
Accommodation in a three star hotel in Serra San Bruno, dinner and overnight stay.

Giorno 7 - Seventh day - Among the coastal areas of Calabria, the Coast of the Gods (Costa degli Dei) also known as Costa Bella (The Beautiful Coast) is certainly the most famous and popular, with places such as Tropea and Capo Vaticano.
Tropea is one of the major tourist attractions of Calabria, with its historic center and typical narrow streets, old sudden squares crowned by  noble palaces many of whom are now being renovated.
Transfer to the nearby city of Pizzo Calabro for a stroll in Piazza della Repubblica, the, "living room" of the city to sample the famous Tartufo ("Truffle ice cream") and visit the the Castle (External) and the church of Piedigrotta excavated entirely  in the tuff and decorated inside by statues, also of tuff, depicting religious characters. 
Transfer to Cosenza , dinner and overnight stay in a four star hotel. 

Ottavo giorno - 8th day -  Guided tour to  the Sanctuary of San Francesco di Paola, followed by a guided tour of old Cosenza  -  Supper and overnight stay.
We are now driving north-east toward the province of Crotone, destination Santa Severina, the Castella and the wine making area of Ciro'. 
Santa Severina is a picturesque town of ancient origins, built on a sheer cliff with a lovely view and charming narrow streets.
The town is dominated by the imposing castle and the church of Santa Filomena with its chapels.
Visit to the Ippolito Winery in the Ciro' area  where we will learn a bit about the different methods of wine making and of course, a taste of the precious liquid.
Transfer to Corigliano Calabro, in the province of Cosenza,  for a visit to yet another castle.
One of Calabria's most preserved, reconstructed in the 15th century and restored in the 19th . Our tour for the day will end at Rossano Calabro where we will have supper and spend the night.

Giorno nove - Guided tour of Rossano, an ancient, picturesque and lively town also refered to as "the Ravenna of the South ". Considered one of Calabria's main religious Byzantine center with seven Basilian monasteries. Visit to a old factory know worldwide for its Licorice, the Amarelli , where we will tour the museum.The  company has officially made licorice for 250 years, but family records go back to the early 1500s, making them one of the oldest family-run firms in the world.

Decimo giorno - 10th day - Pollino Mountains - Visit the grotto of the Romito discovered in 1961 (The area is close to the border with the Basilicata region).
The discovery has shed a light on events in prehistoric northern Calabria, and showed that it was inhabited at least 20,000 years ago. There will be a brief visit to the medieval town of Mormanno before heading back to the hotel for lunch. 

11th day - Undicesimo giorno - Among the Arbereshe and Byzantines.
Transfer to the famous Byzantine Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Armi, perched on the side of the mountain.  The Sanctuary, located at an altitude of 1000 meters, is among the most valuable monumental complexes, of medieval origin, in Calabria. From here you can admire the breathtaking view of the Sibari Plan and the north-eastern side of the Pollino in the territory of Basilicata.
Museum of Bread located in the town of Cerchiara di Calabria where the local bread is known of maintaining his goodness and fragrance for several days.
We continue the tour with a visit to the arberesh village of Civita, where the local people still keep alive the language and customs of ancient Albanian origin.
Soon after we will be driving to the so called Devil's bridge, ancient Roman bridge over the gorge of Raganello, later on we will take a short walk around Civita to learn more about its Byzantine rite and its odd looking chimneys. Lunch will take place in a typical restaurant.

Transfer to Frascineto and visit the Museum of Icons and Byzantine tradition: one of the centers for excellence dedicated to sacred art and the environment surrounding  the Italian-Albanian culture,, including a visit to a workshop of sacred art Byzantine where you can admire the beautiful works created and learn about the various stages of processing being carried out with ancient methods.
We will be participating in a street dancing show with local dancers wearing their traditional dress.

Dodicesimo giorno - 12th day -
Your Calabrian adventure concludes.
Transfer to Lamezia Airport....