Visit Calabria - Tourism and travel tips for your vacation or weekend.

Anytime is perfect to plan your next summer holidays! 
There are countless places worth visiting, but if what you are looking for is a beautiful place with a warm climate, amazing food, many places to have fun in and, of course, incredible beaches, think no more because Calabria, a region in the south of Italy, is waiting for you.

Calabria is more often than not referred to as the Caribbean of Europe, and that is because the weather in this region is amazing most of the year and because there you will find some of the best beaches in the whole of Italy and, why not, in the whole of Europe.

One of the most popular beaches is in Caminia, a little town which is located in a city called Catanzaro. This beach is not particularly popular between tourists, which will give you the chance to enjoy it, without having hundreds of people around you. This undeveloped beach is free and there aren't any particular activities you will be able to practice there, but the lack of amenities is completely made up thanks to the incredible surroundings, like some beautiful dramatic cliffs. Also, the fact it's pretty quiet makes it an ideal place if you are traveling with children.

There is the Diamante Beach in Cosenza. Diamante means jewel in Italian, so you can only imagine how beautiful it is. This beach is more popular and, despite not being a free beach, you will have a great time there. You will get the chance to relax in one of the many cafes around, from where you will enjoy some of the most beautiful sunsets you will ever get the chance to see. But if you are hoping to find something more adventurous, you are in luck because you will be able to practice sports, such as windsurf, scuba diving and, of course, water skiing.

In Cosenza there is also Praia A Mare, where you will find its main attraction: Dino Island. There are six impressive sea caves there that shoot underwater lights that illuminate the turquoise waters, a sight you won't be able to enjoy in many other places. In Dino Island you will find some free beaches and some others where you will have to pay, but the important thing is you will enjoy them all. There, you will also be able to practice scuba diving, para-gliding and trekking, but you will also be able to relax if that is what you are looking for.

But if you are hoping to find a great beach where you want to meet new people and have a few drinks, you should pay a visit to Scalea. Its unspoiled beaches range from soft to rocky sands and they are fully equipped with bathing areas. But there are also many different water sports you will be able to practice there and many different dishes you will get the chance to try out in the restaurants surrounding the beach. And, most importantly, you will find many bars with a wide variety of drinks where you will meet lots of new people to have fun with.

Calabria is split between mountains and coastal plains, and in inland areas the pig plays a huge role in the cuisine.

Many families keep their own animal, and if you're lucky enough to be invited to visit around slaughter time, you'll be treated to a huge feast of fresh pork meat followed by long salami and ham making sessions. The pig's wild cousin the boar is hunted in the mountains, and the meat from this often makes its way into stews alongside the plentiful fungi and chestnuts that grow in the autumn.

You'll also see lots of sheep and goats which are kept mainly for their milk and cheese. Where the mountains meet the sea, the land is very fertile and with the hot climate fruit and vegetables grow in profusion. Citrus fruits are one of the main products, including the bergamot orange which is perhaps most familiar for giving Earl Grey tea its distinctive aroma, but is also candied locally to use in desserts.

Other widely grown vegetables which regularly find their way into Calabrian dishes include aubergine, tomato, and the sweet red onions from Tropea. As you'd expect, seafood is readily found in the coastal areas, with swordfish being a celebrated food during spring and summer. Food festivals abound, with different villages celebrating different products, from sausages in Castrovillari in February through to chestnuts in Acri in October.

Ciro DOC is the main wine produced in Calabria, and is available in red, white and rose, and legend has it that this was the wine served to Olympic champions in Ancient Greece. A speciality wine of Calabria is the white Greco di Bianco DOC, made from dried grapes and quite strong and sweet.