Calabria, Italy, in a nutshell
Calabria is a region in southern Italy. Most visitors spend their time in three kinds of places. The first is the Tyrrhenian coast around Tropea and Capo Vaticano, with bays, beaches and boat trips along the Costa degli Dei. The second is the side of the Strait of Messina, with Scilla and Reggio Calabria and its museum of the Riace Bronzes. The third is the Sila, a high plateau of forests and lakes that has its own cool-temperate climate and is not a place for beach weather.
This site is an independent guide. It is not run by the Region of Calabria, a municipality, a museum or a park authority. Prices and hours are the ones published for 2026 at the time of writing, so check them again before you go.
Where to go in Calabria
The main pages of this guide, from the coast to the mountains.
Tropea
Beach below the cliffs, the old town and the church on its rock.
Capo Vaticano
Sandy bays, a viewpoint near the lighthouse and boat trips.
Scilla
Chianalea, the castle and the strait.
Pizzo
Castello Murat, the church carved into the rock and the tartufo ice cream.
Reggio Calabria
The Riace Bronzes, the promenade and the ferry to Messina.
Sila National Park
Lakes, forest and why the Giganti are closed.
Beaches
Twelve beach sections from the 2026 Blue Flag list.
Things to do
Fifteen experiences from castles to alpine lakes.
Tours compared
Boat trips, city walks, tastings and excursions.
Calabrian food
'Nduja, chili, Tropea onions and the tartufo.
Where to stay
Six areas compared by location.
Lamezia Terme Airport
Bus, train and car hire from the airport.
Our picks: Calabria tours
A boat trip to Capo Vaticano, Reggio's old town with the museum, and a wine tasting inland.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Organic wine tasting with a Calabrian buffet
An introduction to organic wine production, six wines and a buffet of Calabrian specialties under olive trees.
Check availability →Reggio Calabria old town and Riace Bronzes museum tour
Three hours with a licensed guide: a walk through the old town and a visit to the National Archaeological Museum. Check on the booking page whether the museum ticket is covered.
Check availability →
Capo Vaticano boat trip with snorkeling
A guide, mask and snorkel, life jackets and insurance. An aperitif with snacks and a drink are included; hotel transfer is not.
Check availability →Tours and day trips in Calabria
Boat trips along the Costa degli Dei, city walks, tastings and excursions into the Sila, with live prices and availability.
What to know in autumn 2026
Changes that older guides do not have. Status as of 20 October 2026.
The Giganti della Sila forest is closed
The Italian heritage foundation FAI suspended visits to the forest after trees fell. Its notice of 24 July 2026 is still shown and no reopening date is given. Casino Mollo was described as open separately. Do not plan a visit to the forest.
Sila National Park →Tropea parking rules are on hold
The town announced the suspension of its new parking regulation and parking plan until 21 October 2026. Read the signs when you arrive, and do not assume that parking is free or that new rates apply.
Tropea →Restoration outside the Reggio museum
Work on the exterior of the building began on 28 September 2026. The museum says that the rooms are used as normal.
Reggio Calabria →Summer extras have ended
The extra airport buses ran until 6 September 2026, and so did the added weekend night trains via Tropea. Santa Maria dell'Isola in Tropea is closed in the winter months.
Airport and transport →Getting to the coast from Lamezia Terme
How to reach Tropea and Pizzo from the airport by bus and train.
There is no train station at the airport
The rail operator describes the trip as a bus from the airport to Lamezia Terme Centrale and a train from there. The bus stop is on Viale Rodolfo Imbrogno, about 50 m from the arrivals exit.
The bus part costs €1.80
The bus leg of the combined ticket is €1.80 one way, on top of the train fare you choose. The city bus line 90 also runs between Lamezia Terme Centrale and the airport.
Then take the coastal line
Pizzo and Tropea lie on the coastal line from Lamezia Terme Centrale. Check the current timetable before you go, because summer and winter schedules differ.
The full details are on the page about Lamezia Terme Airport.
More independent southern Italy guides
Separate guides from the same team, each focused on one region.
Basilicata
Matera and the Sassi, Maratea, Craco and the mountain villages.
Capri
The Blue Grotto, boat trips, Anacapri and ferries from Naples, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.
Torre Guaceto
The nature reserve near Ostuni and Brindisi in Puglia: beaches, snorkeling and the marine reserve.
Calabria: frequently asked questions
Where should I stay in Calabria?
It depends on what you want. Tropea and the Capo Vaticano area suit a beach trip with boat excursions. Scilla and Reggio Calabria suit a shorter stay with sights and the strait. The Sila suits forest and lakes, but not a beach holiday. The page on where to stay compares the areas.
When is the best time to visit Calabria?
There is no single answer. Boat trips and many opening times follow the season, and Santa Maria dell'Isola in Tropea is closed in winter. The Sila plateau lies above 1,300 m on average and has a cooler climate than the coast. Read the weather page and check the schedule of each place you plan to visit.
Which airport should I fly into?
The region lists three commercial airports: Lamezia Terme, Reggio Calabria and Crotone. For Tropea, Pizzo and Capo Vaticano, Lamezia Terme has a bus link to the railway station at Lamezia Terme Centrale. Check which routes serve your home airport before you book.
Can I visit the Giganti della Sila?
Not at the moment. The forest is closed after trees fell, and the notice of 24 July 2026 is still shown. No reopening date is given. The lakes and the visitor center at Cupone are covered on the Sila page.
Is the sea safe for swimming?
Calabria has 27 Blue Flag municipalities in 2026. For the 2025 season the regional authority reported 649 sampling points and described 97% of the monitored waters as suitable for bathing. That is not a daily guarantee, and local bans apply. In Reggio Calabria, for example, the city listed several sections with a bathing ban for the 2026 season. Read the notices on the beach.
Is this the official website of Calabria?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It is not run by the Region of Calabria, a municipality, a museum, a park authority or any tour operator.