Fly and Drive in Calabria: discovering the land of a thousand colors

Welcome to Calabria!
Departure is an exciting time for many travellers. It marks the beginning of an adventure. Today you will start to be part of a community, which will give you a rewarding travel experience. You will have the opportunity to turn a simple trip into an opportunity for personal growth, cultural enrichment, Globest welcomes you to LAMEZIA TERME. After picking up your rental car, you will leave in the direction of the region of Cosenza to reach your hotel for the night.

The treasures of the Tyrrhenian Sea
Breakfast at the hotel. You can dedicate the morning to visit «Cosenza Vecchia», the historic center of the city with its cathedral, historical buildings, winding alleys. Continuation for Pizzo Calabro; free lunch and visit of this ancient fishing village perched on a tuff promontory along the Costa degli Dei. With its winding streets, ancient paved squares, magnificent views of the Tyrrhenian Sea and its beaches, Pizzo Calabro captures the imagination of visitors with its timeless charm and rich history. In the afternoon another possible stop is Tropea, the Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea. One of the most beautiful villages in Italy is a charming seaside resort built on the edge of a promontory that reflects in the crystal clear sea of the Costa degli Dei. Splendid the old town with its picturesque alleys, baroque palaces, large courtyards and majestic portals. Accommodation in hotel area of Vibo Valentia and overnight stay.

Between Bronzes and medieval villages
After breakfast you can leave for Reggio Calabria, one of the most beautiful cities in Calabria, lying on the strait of Messina and tip of the boot of Italy. Visit the seafront Falcomatà, one of the most beautiful walks on the sea in Italy, the Aragonese Castle and the National Archaeological Museum that houses the Bronzes, found in the seabed of Riace (from which the Bronzes of Riace). After free lunch, you can continue to Gerace, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, perched on a cliff with an incredible view of the Ionian Sea and the territory of Locride, which breathes a medieval air. Return to hotel and overnight.

Between Mystics and Byzantines
After breakfast you can leave for Serra San Bruno, a small mountain village in the heart of the Parco delle Serre, surrounded by thick beech, fir and oak woods famous for the Certosa, the first monastery of the order of the Carthusians. La Certosa is a place of silence and prayer, where the monks live in seclusion and follow an austere and rigorous rule. It is not possible to visit the interior of the monastery, but you can access the museum of the monastery (entrance not included), which tells the history and life of the monks through photos and objects. We recommend lunch in «agriturismo». In the afternoon you can leave for Stilo ancient village among the most beautiful of Italy. Climbed on Mount Consolino, it is arranged in steps and has noble stone buildings, small squares, stairways and alleys between characteristic dark stone houses. Attention: you will have to walk for about 1 km. Accommodation in hotels in the region of Catanzaro, overnight.

Roman and Byzantine history
After breakfast you can go to Squillace, a medieval village rich in history and art overlooking the homonymous gulf of the Ionian coast. Visit the old town. Another possible stop is Roccelletta di Borgia small village suspended in time, nestled among enchanted olive groves and green hills that stand out towards the clear waters of the Ionian Sea, where you can discover the Archaeological Park of the Roman colony of Scolacium, inside which you will find the remains of the imposing Basilica della Roccelletta, the theatre and the amphitheater (entrance not included). Free lunch. In the afternoon you can visit the Mediterranean Biodiversity Park in Catanzaro and the MUSMI (entrance not included), Military Historical Museum dedicated to the «Catanzaro Brigade», which preserves relics, weapons and uniforms related to a period from the nineteenth century to the Second World War. Overnight in hotel in the area of Catanzaro.

Between Fortresses on the Sea and Byzantine Villages
After breakfast, you can leave for Le Castella small tourist resort near Isola di Capo Rizzuto in the heart of the Costa dei Saraceni and visit of the Aragonese Castle (entrance not included) which stands majestically on an island connected to the mainland by a thin strip of sand. Another possible stop is Crotone, an ancient city that was for a long time the most important center of Magna Grecia. Visit of the old town, the archaeological museum (entrance not included) and the promontory of Capo Colonna. Lunch along the road. In the afternoon you can visit the small town of Santa Severina, “the stone ship”, built on a spur of tuff. The old town is very small but rich and you can really visit in a short time. From here you can leave for the region of Cosenza. Hotel accommodation and overnight stay.

Between Sanctuaries and Ancient Maritime Villages
After breakfast, you can leave for Paola, a town overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and surrounded by wonderful mountain landscapes. You will visit the birthplace of the Patron Saint of Calabria, San Francesco di Paola, transformed into a chapel and sanctuary (free admission), which rises in the hilly and high part of the city just outside the town. Free lunch in or around Paola. In the afternoon another possible stop is Belmonte Calabro, one of the most interesting and best preserved historical centers of Lower Tyrrhenian Cosentino. The village has a typically medieval structure, with houses leaning against each other along narrow and winding alleys. Overnight in hotel in the area of Lamezia Terme.

Goodbye to Calabria!
After breakfast, drive to the airport for car delivery and boarding formalities. On this day of return, nostalgia for the places visited and enthusiasm for returning home mix. Today we close a chapter and open a new one, you are part of our Community, you will carry with you the promise of new future adventures even more extraordinary.  Have a good trip home.