Calabria intel?

[namechanged105]

Hi! I’m trying to plan a holiday for next May. I’ve been previously to Sicily and Puglia and am looking at Calabria for a possible holiday. I like off the beaten track & also upmarket. Anyone have any recommendations?

We went to Tropea and Pizzo end of May and absolutely loved it. Stunning scenery - and especially the sunsets. Coast (of the Gods) is very rocky though and towns on the hillside above the sea. We did boat trip to Capo Vaticano with snorkeling. I wanted to do the trip to the Aeolian Islands but DH was really not keen. The cuisine is apparently what they base the "ideal Mediterranean" diet on in terms of health and longevity. The food was the best that I ever had in Italy - a lot more diverse - and i've been to many places, including Puglia and Sicily. The nduja and Tropea red onions really add something. It's a poor area though - many crumbling buildings. Tropea is more lively than Pizzo, lots of nice bars and restos. We stayed in S'O Suites (on Booking dot com and AIrBNB - lovely view, 3 mins walk from town centre. We actually preferred Pizzo as it's more Italian and less touristy. Had a suite there in Hotel Piccolo Grand https://www.piccolograndhotel.com/en/index.html

• which is absolutely marvellous. You can get a golf cart shuttle to their BBB Beach bar. Amazing breakfasts and the food at the beach club was very nice too. We literally came back today from TUI Magic Life Calabria which was also amazing - but it's too far from anywhere for sight seeing - we just did a week fly and flop in the adult's only part - AI. We got the shuttle bus back into Pizzo one day to do a spot of shopping and have a bergamotto spritz. I want to go back already. Sunset over Stromboli was fabulous. The family bit was not as fancy as the adult's part - but website photos don't do it justice at all. Lamezia Terme airport is small (30 mins from Pizzo) but efficient with bars and shops.

We went in 2023.

Booked a package holiday with TUI as they have a hotel there but hired a car for the duration. We had a 6 year old and was just the easiest way to get there and then used the hotel as a base. Plenty of day trips and meals out.

Tropea as lovely and we went to Pizzo too. Scilla was also fab. Really enjoyed our time there.

DH would move to Pizzo tomorrow :) I have brought home some estate agents details - but fear it's a bit too remote and hilly to be old there maybe....

This is fabulous info thanks so much.