Trip to Calabria … Dreaming of Peru!

It was supposed to be (for us) an epic expedition, beyond the ocean, to discover a people and a place as special as Peru and instead, because of the damned covid, here we are setting off for a trip in dear old Italy (three instead of five), without taking anything away from the extraordinary beauties of our beloved country. So, trying to also break a bit out of the usual patterns, we will dedicate our summer holidays to Calabria, a region that constitutes the tip of the boot and, comprised between two seas (Ionian and Tyrrhenian), turns out to be rich in history and traditions … not disdaining, however, also a little jaunt to the Aeolian Islands archipelago, located for the most part also in front of the Calabrian coasts, but belonging, administratively speaking, to Sicily.

We set off at 9:35 in the morning, on a hot day in early August and a quarter of an hour later we enter the A14 highway at Forlì going speedily south, with the three lanes of the artery flowing, though rather full. Our fear, in fact, is that of getting stuck in traffic, given the red-flag forecasts, confirmed by the other side of the carriageway, completely blocked due to an overturned camper. At 11:00 we are in Ancona and we clock up kilometers without hitches, which certainly cannot be said, again, in the direction opposite to ours, in which a madman threatens to throw himself from a viaduct and has closed the highway, which registers over ten kilometers of queue … We see the guy as we pass … but in the end he will not throw himself. At Pescara it is 12:30 and shortly after we stop for a quick packed lunch.

When hostilities with the asphalt resume we register the passing, around 14:30, near Foggia, in the midst of a fiery Tavoliere delle Puglie, where the thermometer reads, pitilessly, +39 °C … and an hour later we are in Bari. We thus proceed, always speedily, favored by traffic that has almost dropped to zero when, shortly after 16:00, we exit the A14 highway at Taranto and take the Strada Statale 106 Jonica westwards. There's no denying it: everything went smoothly in the challenge against the red flag and we are well ahead of schedule. We thus decide to make an unscheduled stop, in the surroundings of the town of Metaponto, at the archaeological area of Tavole Palatine, where there are fifteen splendid architraved columns of the ancient Doric temple dedicated to the goddess Hera, dating back to the 6th century BC, which we can enjoy exploring the site, open to all and totally free.

We take evocative photos of the columns, arranged in two parallel rows, and then we get back in the car so as to cover the last stretch of road of the day (about thirty kilometers) to the built-up area of Nova Siri Scalo, where we take lodging for the night at the Prima Luce B & B, a quiet and very well-kept little place located on the first heights behind the town. For dinner the girl of the tourist facility kindly books us a table at the nearby Dual Blu restaurant, where we enjoy good dishes, before definitively closing the day, but projected towards the next, which will be the official start of the exploration of Calabria.

The wake-up at the Prima Luce B & B is pleasant, in the midst of the Lucanian countryside, from where, after breakfast, we go down to Nova Siri Scalo for the day's shopping, before giving the go-ahead to today's leg. A few kilometers along the Strada Statale 106 Jonica take us to leave Basilicata to enter Calabria and immediately after we turn inland to reach, a short distance away, the village of Rocca Imperiale. We stop first of all to photograph the fine view over the town, which looks like a corner of a nativity scene, with the houses arranged in a cascade beneath the imposing shape of the Rocca Sveva and then we reach a parking lot near the center, from which we venture along its characteristic alleys.

The village, counted among the most beautiful in Italy and also chosen as a natural set by some famous directors, among whom Pupi Avati, bases its roots in the 13th century, when Frederick II of Swabia had the mighty castle erected there. We thus climb back up, not without effort, the narrow alleys of the built-up area, with interesting glimpses, up to the gates of the castle and then we calmly return to the car to resume the itinerary. From there we continue further inland and to another picturesque village, but immediately we encounter a sign indicating the road to reach it is interrupted due to a landslide, so we retrace our steps towards the coast and then climb back up, a little further on, again onto the mountains.

In this way we first reach the town of Montegiordano and then continue towards our destination, which is the village of Oriolo, also classified among the most beautiful in Italy, but we encounter another sign, indicating the road interrupted due to a landslide … This time, however, we are not discouraged and continue. We are thus rewarded, because in reality one passes and a little later we glide down from above a hairpin road with beautiful views over the town of Oriolo, then going to park near the center. On foot we then go to discover the oldest part of the built-up area, in which stands the mighty Aragonese castle, which we explore palm by palm, among interesting medieval-era environments and vast panoramas over the surrounding landscapes.

Having regained the car, now in the late morning, we then head speedily towards the valley and around midday we arrive, on the shore of the Ionian Sea, near

Today the first chapter of the trip completely dedicated to the sea, and also with very few kilometers to travel … in complete relaxation. After the breakfast offered by the B & B at the nearby bar-pastry shop we hit the road and, after a providential shopping trip, we head north of Scalea along the coast, which in this stretch is high and steep. A little later we thus descend from the heights toward the wide beach of Praia a Mare, facing the stern Island of Dino, where we had been on the occasion of a previous trip. This time, however, we go to the inlet a little further south, but we don't stop here either, because after parking the car at its southernmost point, on foot we climb over a promontory to reach the more secluded beach of Lido i Gabbiani, in the center of which stands the so-called Scoglio dello Scorzone.

There we rent an umbrella with two sun loungers (not exactly cheap) and, relieved of our backpacks, we continue walking along the water's edge, up to the rugged formations that delimit the bay, where, among large boulders, a narrow tunnel carved into the rock opens up. We go through it and arrive at a small inlet, from which the path climbs up a steep spur. In this way we look out from above on the incredible beach of the Arcomagno. This place is truly surprising, because in our life as hardened travelers, thank God, we have had the chance to see so many natural beauties, but we had never come across an azure stretch of water bounded on one side by a classic crescent of sand and on the other by a high rocky wall, in which a scenic arch opens toward the open sea.

Amazed, we go down to the small beach and there we stop to enjoy a swim that is nothing short of original, then we stay to delight in the incomparable view of the Arcomagno, but also in the panoramas to be enjoyed, along the coast, along the daring path that comes from the south, often closed for safety reasons. Shortly before noon the splendid but tiny bay among the rocks, despite covid and crowding, is overflowing with people, so we slowly head back toward the beach of Lido i Gabbiani, where, after a pleasant and very long swim immersed in the azure and transparent waters that lap it (despite the dark seabed), we have lunch protected by our precious umbrella.

We then spend the afternoon in complete idleness, practicing the most classic beach life, almost until evening, when, now at the end of the day, we return to the nearby Arcomagno, to savor the spectacle of the sunset (again in the company of many other people), with the solar disk descending right in the center of the arch … the cherry on top of a beautiful, but also hot day, the latter a condition that from tomorrow, given the forecast, will change, but, let's hope, not too much. The more than positive experience of the sunset at the Arcomagno made us late, so, once back at the B & B, we go out for dinner well past 21:00. A delay that is then amplified by the Sicilian restaurant Vularie, which we entrusted ourselves to. In this way we get up from the table almost at 23:00 and right afterward we go straight to bed, toward the next stop along the roads of Calabria.

As forecast, the morning promises to be a cloudy one … not ideal, but at least it's not raining and, above all, we don't have a beach day planned. We leave Scalea shortly after 9:00 and head south along the coast for about fifty kilometres to the town of Paola, where we stop to take a look at the Sanctuary of San Francesco di Paola, the region's patron saint, clearly deeply venerated judging by the large car park for the faithful, where we leave our car. The sanctuary, located behind the town in a green valley flanked by a stream, has its roots in the 15th century, when Francesco's first followers began to gather there. From that era, the original oratory remains, located underground, but not accessible due to covid, as is the so-called "zone of miracles".

So we content ourselves with photographing the facade of the basilica and, after a quick visit to its interior, we return to our vehicle to resume the itinerary. From Paola we begin to climb towards the mountains, in the direction of the regional capital, Cosenza, where large clouds are gathering. Once we've passed through a long tunnel, however, to our surprise, the weather changes and we find ourselves in the sun, under a lovely blue sky … so much the better! Having thus passed near the city, we begin to gain altitude again, following the signs for the Sila National Park, established to preserve areas of great environmental interest within the largest plateau in Europe, among peaks that brush two thousand metres in height.

The SS 107 Silana-Crotonese road is closed for works, however, so we have to make a long and winding detour to reach the higher areas of the park, where one of the main points of interest is located, namely the Giants of the Sila Reserve, which, managed by the FAI (Italian Environmental Fund), guards a magnificent centuries-old forest. Around 12:30 we park near the area and walk towards its entrance to visit it.

We then immediately set off along the paths and wooden walkways that wind among true monuments of nature: 58 colossal larch pines, planted in the 17th century by the Mollo barons, then owners of the estate, reaching almost 45 metres in height and two metres in diameter, and which can be considered the last majestic testimony of the ancient Silva Brutia, celebrated by Latin writers … Certainly, less than half the size of the giant sequoias of California, but still a remarkable achievement, both for Italy and for the whole of Europe. Doing so, in less than an hour we complete the splendid tourist route through the forest, very well structured compared to the decay of other areas of the park, and then we return to the car to have lunch with our usual sandwiches.

We then resume our journey, beginning to descend from the plateau in the direction of the Ionian side of Calabria, and after about 25 kilometres we arrive in the intricate town of San Giovanni in Fiore. We call it intricate because, despite the sat nav, we struggle quite a bit along its narrow streets before reaching the interesting Florense Abbey, one of the largest religious buildings in the region, whose origins date back to the 13th century, when the Florense monks had it built in Romanesque style, replacing the previous church, built by the founder of the order, Gioacchino da Fiore and destroyed by a fire.

We pass through the Gothic portal to admire the single imposing and bare nave, before descending to the crypt, which houses the remains of Gioacchino, then we go outside to see the elegant apse and, nearby, a scenic Norman arch dating back to 1200, which is somewhat the symbol of the town. Having taken to the road again, we continue to descend from the Sila and after an endless series of bends we arrive in sight of the village of Santa Severina, of very ancient origins, also called the "Stone Ship", due to its position atop an enormous tufa spur. We park right below the mighty Norman castle and from there, on foot, we devote ourselves to exploring the village (one of the most beautiful in Italy, and rightly so).

First of all we see the small Church of Santa Filomena, an interesting example of Byzantine-Norman architecture, dating back to the 11th century and consisting of two overlapping chapels, then we reach the "Campo", the name by which the inhabitants of Santa Severina call their square, due to its use as a parade ground in antiquity. Facing onto this vast, elongated and irregular space are all the most important buildings of the village, starting with the beautiful Cathedral of Santa Anastasia, erected between 1274 and 1295, whose interior is particularly decorated, but also the small Baptistery of Santa Severina, the only Byzantine example that has come down to us still intact, circular in shape and with four appendages.

On the diametrically opposite side of the Campo, meanwhile, stands the imposing outline of the castle known as Carafa, but also of Roberto il Guiscardo, the Norman king who ordered its construction in the 11th century. The manor is the undisputed symbol of the town and one of the most complex and beautiful military works in all of Calabria, surrounded by mighty crenellated walls and composed of a central keep with four corner towers, which we visit inch by inch, also savouring the views of the surrounding landscape, which stretch as far as the coasts of the Ionian Sea. Towards 18:00 we thus satisfactorily complete our visit to Santa Severina and shortly afterwards we take to the road for the final leg of the stage.

Doing so, in no time we reach the town of Le Castella where, in the first outskirts, we take accommodation for two nights at Hotel Il Corsaro and where, in the evening, we go out for dinner in the centre, at Ristorante III Millennio. Here we dine well, with a lovely view of the nearby Aragonese castle, but not outdoors, because in the meantime a strong wind has picked up, which then prompts us to head back to base fairly soon, nevertheless concluding another lovely chapter of the holiday.

Today's forecast is for extremely changeable weather, but when we get up a magnificent blazing sun is shining. We have breakfast at the hotel and then set off for Capo Colonna, the easternmost point of Calabria, about 25 kilometres from Le Castella. Along secondary roads with little traffic, in no time at all we reach the cape, where, first of all, we visit the archaeological park of the same name, completely free, thanks to the usual Italian disorganisation. Here are the ruins of the ancient Temple of Hera Lacinia, which was one of the most important sanctuaries of Magna Graecia, from the Archaic period until the 4th century BC … Ruins is indeed the word, because of all that remains only a single, albeit evocative, column still stands proudly facing the Ionian Sea … the rest is just traces of walls and foundations.

Nearby there are also a historic lighthouse, of 19th-century origins, and a decent Archaeological Museum, in theory worth a visit, but in practice closed due to covid. We then drive to the actual cape, where the characteristic medieval church of Santa Maria is located, flanked by a watchtower dating back to the 16th century, which we observe briefly before heading towards the more beach-oriented part of the day. We retrace our steps southwards for a handful of kilometres and then turn towards the coast to reach Marinella Beach, within the Capo Rizzuto Marine Protected Area. Having parked the car along a dead-end road, we continue on foot along the left side of the bay until we reach a sandy point, protected by some natural rocks: a lovely spot, with calm and transparent sea, where we intend to spend at least the rest of the morning.

We immediately enjoy a swim, while the sky gradually fills with increasingly threatening clouds, until, around midday, a storm brushes past us, passing a little to the north and causing almost all the bathers to flee. We, however, hold out and rightly so, because shortly afterwards the sun starts shining again. Later we have lunch and around 14:30 another storm arrives, which this time really seems to be heading towards us, so we gather up all our gear and head briskly towards our car … Good intuition, because we get in dodging the first drops and as soon as the doors are closed a violent downpour breaks out. So we set off southwards, under the pouring rain, in search of a drier … beach, which is not easy, but possible given today's highly variable weather. Along the way, in fact, it stops raining and when we arrive at the chosen Le Cannella Beach a lovely sun is shining.

Having parked the car nearby, we go and settle down on this vast stretch of sand, with reddish sand (like cinnamon, indeed) and bathed by clear and inviting waters, the best one could wish for to round off the day properly. We immediately enjoy a pleasant swim and shortly afterwards, once again, a storm brushes past us, passing slightly to the north, before definitively giving way to the sun. In this way, with a bit of luck too, we reach the evening positively, when, after feasting on an excellent dinner at Tipico e Piccante (a little restaurant with excellent local products), in the centre of Le Castella, we return to spend the second and final night at Hotel Il Corsaro, which has fully served its purpose.

In defiance of the uncertain forecast, when we open the curtains a lovely sun is shining instead. So we have breakfast and check out, leaving our suitcases in storage, which we'll come back for in the afternoon, then we head, a very short distance away, towards the beach of Le Castella. Once we've parked the car, however, we don't go straight to the sea, but towards the centre of the town, so as to photograph the splendid Aragonese Castle, which stands on a small island facing the town, surrounded by turquoise waters and connected to the mainland by a thin isthmus of rocks. The current fortress, built in the 15th century, rests on foundations dating back to Magna Graecia, a stronghold that over time was also used by the Romans and by Hannibal while he was beating his retreat.

The castle, however, never hosted the local nobility; in fact it served a purely defensive function and, often attacked by the Turks, remained inhabited until the early 19th century, when the inhabitants moved to the mainland, giving rise to today's village. The visit to the manor, set in a magnificent context, is however short-lived, because it's closed for restoration and therefore only visible from the outside, so we can soon devote ourselves to the nearby and beautiful beach. Having reached the beach, we grab a good spot to plant our umbrella and immediately run into the water to enjoy a long swim, while the morning slips away pleasantly.

Towards midday, however, quite a few clouds start building from the west and a little later we have lunch on the beach, staying put, but in vain, because around 14:00 it starts to rain, first a few drops and then increasingly heavy, so we flee in haste and flurry, limiting the damage, but once we reach the car we look at each other disconsolately and short of ideas for the rest of the day. We try moving, fifteen kilometres further north, to another beach, that of Cavallucci, with reddish sand like Le Cannella, but it's soaked with rain and darkened by the clouds, which have no intention whatsoever of clearing. At this point we have no choice but to return to the hotel to collect our suitcases and then set off early for the transfer leg that will take us to the end of the stage.

Under incessant and at times torrential rain we go along the Ionian coast towards Catanzaro (the regional capital) and, having passed the city, we prepare to cross Calabria at its narrowest point, to head back in the direction of the Tyrrhenian coastline. In this way we leave the bad weather behind us, finding the sun and blue sky again. Having reached the sea near Lamezia Terme, we follow the A2 motorway south for a handful of kilometres, to Pizzo Calabro, where we exit to follow the signs leading to the famous resort of Tropea.

In the late afternoon, but in any case well ahead of schedule, we thus arrive on the first hills behind Tropea, in the hamlet of Gasponi, at the B & B Le Mulinare, which will host us for the next ten nights and therefore until the end of the trip, then, later, we go to dinner, near the village of Caria, at the spartan Ristorante Torre Galli and there we eat very well too, thus patching up a rather troubled day.

The weather really doesn't seem to be giving us any respite, because another day of great uncertainty is forecast, in fact, around 9:00 a strong storm breaks out, which then gradually subsides. In this way, however, all the planned plans fall through and the backup ones kick in. By car we set off towards the regional capital Vibo Valentia, about twenty kilometres away, and there we head straight to its Norman Castle, probably built on the vestiges of the ancient Acropolis of Hipponion, atop the hill overlooking the town. Inside it also houses the National Archaeological Museum named after Vito Capialbi, the man who in the 19th century gathered the first finds testifying to the life of the city, from the Greek settlement of Hipponion to the Roman colony of Valentia.

We thus immerse ourselves for over an hour among Corinthian ceramics, ancient coins, votive statuettes and bronze helmets, as well as the museum's main exhibit, namely a precious gold leaf bearing an inscription in Doric dialect, then we go out into the open air, where in the meantime the sun has started shining again … for how long, though, who knows. Optimistic, at the end of the visit we nevertheless head in the direction of Tropea, also called the "Pearl of the Tyrrhenian" and located in the heart of the so-called Coast of the Gods, a place of ancient legends and thousand-year-old stories. It is said, in fact, that Heracles founded it, on his return from Spain and from his feat of the Pillars of Hercules. Here we park almost in the centre and by the sea, which today is rather rough.

Trusting, however, that the sun will hold, we rent an umbrella and two sun loungers, then, after a quick lunch, we devote ourselves to visiting Tropea, leaving our things on the beach. First of all we climb, via a steep staircase, to the town's most famous little church, that of Santa Maria dell'Isola, present in all the most famous views of Tropea and located atop a tufa spur. Its roots go back to antiquity, but the current building, surrounded by gardens offering fine views over the town and the beautiful sea around it, preserves very little of the original structure, having been completely rebuilt in Gothic times. Shortly afterwards, via another steep set of steps, we enter the historic centre, located at the top of a broad, flat rocky cliff, from which you can enjoy exceptional views over the stretch of sea in front.

A stroll along narrow and characteristic alleys then leads us to discover the very central Piazza Ercole, the most important in Tropea, surrounded by interesting buildings, but also the Cathedral of Maria Santissima di Romania, a fine example of Norman architecture dating back to the 13th century, which however we find closed. Having later returned to the sea and our umbrella while it's still early afternoon, we immediately run to cool off in the waves, then we go exploring caves and crevices along the coast below Santa Maria dell'Isola and in this way we pleasantly reach evening … an excellent result, considering it was supposed to be a day of bad weather! … Only the sea wasn't the best, being rather rough, which instead greatly amused little Leo.

To round off the evening we go to dinner earlier than usual at the nearby Ristorante Il Giardino, because Leonardo wants to watch the football match in which he enjoys himself much less and Juve meekly exit the Champions League … Better in this case to make light of it and think about the rest of the holiday.

Having learned of the (rightful) sacking of Mr Sarri from Juventus, we set off for a first part of the day of a purely cultural nature… a well-chosen programme of visits, in fact the weather isn't expected to be good, so, beach-wise, we won't be missing anything. Our goal is the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria, for which we have a booking (due to covid) for 10:20 this morning. So we set off from Gasponi around 8:30 and after thirty kilometres and an endless series of ups and downs, which make us lose a lot of time, we finally get onto the A2 motorway heading south.

On this smoother stretch we make up most of the delay, until the Villa San Giovanni exit, where we find ourselves stuck in a queue for traffic heading to the ferry for Sicily … a queue, all things considered, acceptable because in the end we emerge without too much trouble from the jam and shortly after 10:00 we park on the seafront of Reggio Calabria, a stone's throw from our destination. Punctually we present ourselves at the entrance, to devote ourselves to visiting Calabria's best-known museum, born from an idea dating back to the early 1900s to create a great museum hub dedicated to Magna Graecia and inaugurated in 1959. More recently, in 2016, it was reopened after a closure for restoration, with a new, important reorganisation, which develops, in chronological order, from prehistory to the Romanisation of Calabria.

In this way we start from the second floor and the section displaying the oldest finds, including those from the Grotta del Romito, which we saw in person in the early days of the trip. We then descend to the first floor to immerse ourselves in the testimonies of Magna Graecia, where the section dedicated to sanctuaries stands out, displaying magnificent decorations and some surprising sculptural groups, such as the so-called Cavaliere di Marafioti and the Dioscuri Castore and Polluce, all from the Doric temple of Locri Epizefiri. On the mezzanine floor, finally, we observe the finds from the Roman period.

But the visit to the museum culminates with the room housing the famous Bronzi di Riace, two true masterpieces of 5th-century BC bronze work, found in 1972 in the waters of the Ionian Sea facing the town of Riace … There's no denying it, they are beautiful and for a while we remain, moved, contemplating their perfection, in an environment perhaps too dark, but probably suitable because light could damage them. In the same room are also the so-called Bronzi di Porticello: two heads of exceptional workmanship called of Basel and of the Philosopher, but the latter is missing, because it's on loan to a temporary exhibition. Satisfied with the experience, we head for the exit, but we get stuck inside the museum, because in the meantime a furious storm has broken out, making us wait about an hour before it subsides.

At almost 13:00 we finally regain our car and with it we immediately set off south along the coast of the Strait of Messina, with the outline of Etna emerging forcefully, among the clouds, in the nearby and confused Sicilian coastline. Doing so, after about thirty kilometres and just before Melito di Porto Salvo, we turn inland to reach the ghost village of Pentedattilo, while luckily the sun has started shining again. Having reached where the road ends, we have lunch with our sandwiches and then go to explore the village, which takes its name from the shape of the rock on which it stands, similar to a gigantic stone hand (penta and daktilos, that is, five fingers).

The village, abandoned by its inhabitants for migration reasons and due to continuous natural threats, offers truly evocative views, but one must be careful, because decay is taking excessive hold and perhaps a serious recovery programme would be advisable, before it's too late. When hostilities with the asphalt resume, we retrace our steps towards Reggio Calabria. We pass it and, after about ten kilometres, we leave the A2 motorway for the town of Scilla, an epic place that was the home of the monster of the same name, opposed to the Sicilian Charybdis, at the mouth of the Strait of Messina, but also a historic town, whose roots lie in the geography of Magna Graecia.

Here we first devote ourselves to Piazza San Rocco to see the bay of Marina Grande (or of the Sirens) from above, dominated by the massive outline of the medieval Castello dei Ruffo, then we go down to the sea to spend the rest of the day on the beach. We find a parking spot for our car with difficulty and then go to carve out a bit of space along the stony shore, bathed by blue and transparent waters, but still a little rough due to the unstable weather … Weather which, however, no longer plays up and allows us to reach the evening pleasantly.

From Silla, finally, another hour of driving is needed to return to Tropea, so we arrive a little late and go to dinner, near the B & B, well after 21:00, at Ristorante La Casareccia, packed with locals, it being Saturday night, then we go straight to bed, because tomorrow morning, as planned, an early start awaits us that will take us, in the heart of the Tyrrhenian Sea, to the Aeolian Islands.

The alarm goes off at 6:00 and promptly we get ready to set off for the excursion, organised by us, which will take us, for the next two days, to discover the intriguing archipelago of the Aeolian Islands: seven fragments of volcanic land scattered in the eastern Tyrrhenian Sea, off the coasts of Calabria and Sicily, but falling within the province of Messina and therefore, to all intents and purposes, Sicilian. Shortly after 7:00 we are at the port of Tropea and, having collected our tickets, we board the motor vessel of Savadori Navigazione, which at 7:45 sets sail for the island of Stromboli, the easternmost, but also northernmost, of the Aeolian Islands, which extends for about 12 square kilometres and includes the volcano of the same name, one of the most active in the world, rising 926 metres above sea level.

After about 1 hour and 30 minutes of navigation we land on the island where, as soon as we disembark, we say goodbye to all our travelling companions, because they will take part in a shorter excursion returning the same day, while we will follow another route. We take a few photos of the imposing volcanic cone, which every now and then puffs and is topped by the classic plume of smoke, but also of the black beach at its foot, and then we board the Liberty Lines hydrofoil which, passing by the islands of Panarea, Salina and Lipari, takes us to the first real destination of our journey within the journey, namely the island of Vulcano.

Vulcano … the name says it all, not for nothing are its roughly 20 square kilometres due to the merging of several craters and in Greek mythology this land was believed to hold the forges of Hephaestus, god of fire and blacksmith, who had the Cyclopes as his helpers. Later the Romans renamed the god Hephaestus with the name Vulcan and consequently the island was so called … and it is from here that the terms volcano and volcanism derive. The island is fascinating, dominated as it is by the imposing outline of the Gran Cratere, which would be worth climbing on foot, but it takes about three hours and we only have half that time available.

As soon as we disembark, we then observe the famous mud pool of Vulcano, which we would have liked to bathe in, but which we knew was closed … due to covid? … No, due to a preventive seizure … Probably one of the usual Italian messes! So we capture a few shots and then continue to the nearby Acque Calde Beach, located right in the stretch of coast in front of the pool. Here, in the blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, just a few metres from the water's edge, an exceptional natural phenomenon occurs: some fumaroles emerge, in fact, from the shallow seabed, heating the water and creating some primordial Jacuzzis, which let us enjoy an experience that is nothing short of unique and pleasant. A shame that time flies, soon forcing us back to the beach, to have lunch and to head, shortly afterwards, towards the port and the appointment with the hydrofoil.

How annoying though, there wasn't even time to go and see the very black Spiaggia di Levante and then, after rushing to reach the pier, we learn that the Liberty Lines ferry is late … by almost half an hour. In the end, a little annoyed but satisfied, we then tackle the Bocche di Vulcano, the 750-metre-wide stretch of sea that separates us from the nearby island of Lipari, the largest (37 square kilometres) and most populous of the archipelago, where we will stay for the night. As soon as we disembark we go to the nearby Pit Stop Car Rental to hire a car with which to do a quick tour of the island, discovering its main points of interest … and shortly afterwards we set off, in a decent Fiat Panda, northwards along the coast.

In this way we pass through the town of Canneto and shortly afterwards we arrive, at Porticella, at the area where the famous Lipari pumice quarries were, active since the 13th century and definitively closed in 2007, in order to avoid further serious environmental damage. There we go to photograph the singular beach, bathed by blue milky waters, due to the pumice dust, and surrounded by dilapidated mining structures, which are indeed an interesting testimony of industrial archaeology, but are in a truly dreadful state and would require urgent safety measures.

After this unusual visit we resume our circumnavigation of the island, rounding the northern side of Lipari and then climbing in altitude along a road that moves away from the coastline, with the panorama stretching over almost the entire archipelago: from Stromboli to Panarea, then the nearer Salina and, in the distance, towards the west, Filicudi and Alicudi.

Following a narrow detour we then reach one of the highest points of the island, where the Chiesa Vecchia di Quattropani is located, known and called as such by all the locals, which is actually the Sanctuary of Maria Santissima della Catena, an ancient place of worship erected in the second half of the 16th century … Nothing architecturally sublime, but the simple geometric lines of this small white building stand out magnificently against the grandiose panorama embracing the entire archipelago, making the place a privileged balcony over the Tyrrhenian Sea. Having taken to the road again, heading south, we also reach the so-called Belvedere di Quattrocchi, whose toponym was born from the tradition implying the need to have four eyes to fully appreciate the spectacular view, open onto the jagged coast below and the Island of Vulcano in the distance.

Having taken the obligatory photos, we then return towards Lipari town and, having also stopped to see the curious Church of the Annunziata, faced by a long tufa staircase, we head towards the southernmost tip of the island, where the Geophysical Observatory is located. Already from the car park the view is remarkable, but it is by following a short path through the Mediterranean scrub that it becomes stupendous. You arrive, in fact, at a vertiginous stretch of coast, overlooking the Faraglioni di Lipari below and the opposite Island of Vulcano, all in the warm light of late afternoon … a splendid experience, surely the best of our short tour of the island.

Having regained the observatory, we finally go to return the car, happily completing the sightseeing tour, and shortly afterwards, on foot, we head towards the centre of the town in search of our accommodation, which is in the very narrow Vicolo Montesanto. We thus take accommodation in the friendly apartment "Il soffio di Eolo" and then go out for dinner, nearby, at Marina Corta, at Ristorante Nenzyna, and here we eat well, but it will be the most expensive meal of the trip.

On waking in the apartment "Il soffio di Eolo" there's no trace at all of the god of the winds, because it's infernally hot, and moreover Leonardo isn't feeling well at all and perhaps even has a slight temperature. Immediately the cursed covid comes to mind, but then we lean towards a simple cold, so we give him a timely paracetamol and then kick off the new day. Having gone down to the street, we first devote ourselves to the alleys of the historic centre of Lipari, walking among interesting views as far as Marina Corta, which offers one of the most characteristic views of the city, then we climb up to the fortified citadel: a complex of buildings constructed on the volcanic rock about fifty metres high, overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea.

This was one of the first inhabited places on the island and the entire archipelago, with settlements dating back to the Neolithic and therefore to about six thousand years ago. Over the course of history, the bulwarks of numerous civilisations then followed one another on the site, from Greek to Roman, from Norman to Spanish. Here is also the Cathedral of San Bartolomeo, the main place of worship in Lipari, but it's still closed, so we devote ourselves to the nearby Aeolian Archaeological Museum, which collects, in various sections, exceptional finds, especially Greek and Roman, from the excavation campaigns in the archipelago.

They take our temperature and, all clear, for almost an hour we immerse ourselves in the vast collections, spread over three buildings around the cathedral, interspersed with the cathedral itself, which in the meantime has opened its doors, with its beautiful frescoed vault and the evocative Norman Cloister … There's no denying it, Lipari's fortified citadel oozes history from every pore and as evidence there are also the numerous archaeological excavations visible in the area. Having completed the visits, we descend from the stronghold passing through the vestiges of the medieval castle, then we go to the apartment to collect our backpacks and with those we head quickly to the port to continue our itinerary.

Around 11:00 we thus board the Liberty Lines hydrofoil which, passing by Salina, in just under an hour takes us to the Island of Panarea, the smallest (3.34 square kilometres) and lowest of the archipelago, but also the oldest, geologically speaking. Having disembarked at the small port, we do some shopping and then, with a small electric taxi, we get a lift, along the island's narrow roads, almost to its southernmost tip, to the beach of Cala Zimmari, the only sandy one on Panarea … Here, however, we don't stop.

On foot, in fact, we cross the bay and, after stopping for lunch in the shade of some shrubs, we continue along the high and rocky coast, in infernal heat and among splendid panoramic views, as far as Capo Milazzese where, at the top of a scenic cliff, are the remains of a Bronze Age village and, further down, the beautiful Cala Junco, characterised by large pebbles, bathed by inviting crystal-clear sea. Having devoted all the necessary time to the place, we then return to Cala Zimmari to have a refreshing drink and a much-desired swim, but also to stay in the water for as long as possible, until almost 15:00, when we get ready to return, again by mini-taxi, to the island's port. There we find the Savadori Navigazione vessel again, left there yesterday morning, which at the end of this adventure will take us back to Tropea, and at 16:00 sharp we set sail, heading north-east.

In this way we pass alongside the rocky islets of Spinazzola and Basiluzzo and at 16:45 we disembark again at Stromboli. This time, however, we don't stop on the beach, but walk up towards the centre of Scari (San Vincenzo), the island's main inhabited nucleus, as far as the church of the same name, from whose square in front the panorama stretches, in the distance, over the Strombolicchio rock, and there we stop to rest.

Then we extend our walk to the house that hosted, in 1950, the director Roberto Rossellini and the actress Ingrid Bergman, during their love affair on the sidelines of the filming of the film that bears the island's name, then, around 18:30, we go to have an early dinner at the pizzeria Da Luciano, in anticipation of boarding by 20:00 … because the best of the day is yet to come! … At the scheduled time we indeed set sail from the port and, passing alongside the vertiginous cliffs of Strombolicchio, we arrive, in the warm light of sunset, in front of the sciara del fuoco of Stromboli which, we reiterate, is one of the most active volcanoes on the planet.

In fact, shortly afterwards an explosion causes a small jet of lava to burst out … fantastic! … Then another burst and another … Then a long pause, apparently endless, but just as the motor vessel was about to leave the scene, lo and behold, a clamorous and unexpected fourth explosion and even a fifth! … Mission accomplished and an unequalled experience to treasure, which leads us to ideally thank Stromboli for the pyrotechnic display offered! Now all that remains is to return in complete darkness to Tropea and along the way, on a warm night of San Lorenzo, we also enjoy the spectacle of shooting stars. Finally, shortly before 23:00, we enter the port of the "Pearl of the Tyrrhenian" and an hour later we conclude, utterly exhausted but happy, this intense two days of visits to the Aeolian Islands, which we will never forget.

After the two fervent Aeolian days, at least a couple of decidedly calmer ones await us. Having had our usual breakfast in the room, we set off east along the coast and after about thirty kilometres, having passed the chaotic town of Pizzo Calabro, we stop by the roadside to go and visit the curious Chiesetta di Piedigrotta, carved into the tufa during the 17th century for a vow linked to a shipwreck, but later enlarged and decorated with statues carved from the bare rock starting from the late 19th century, thanks to three generations of local artists: Angelo, Alfonso and Giorgio Barone.

The little church, with its simple facade facing the sea and its interiors scattered with statues in seemingly random order, is truly very particular and evocative, only the car park where you leave your car to go and visit it is a scandal: five euros, for the whole day or even just for the half hour needed to see the church … After the only cultural experience of the day, we then retrace our steps towards Tropea and, having reached the locality of Zambrone, we stop, also finding it not a little difficult to park.

From there we then descend, by way of a steep and dusty path, to the Scoglio del Leone Beach below (or Paradiso del Sub), which seen from above is decidedly scenic, with the rock shaped like the king of the forest easily identifiable and the splendid colours of the sea around it, but once we get down there we realise it's unbelievably packed, an absolute meat market, in the face of covid and social distancing. Perhaps a little reckless, however, we don't give up and, once we've with difficulty carved out our tiny vital space among towels and umbrellas, we immediately run to cool off in the waves of some very beautiful, but not the most beautiful, water, perhaps due to the too many people. On this beach, considered among the most alluring of the Coast of the Gods, we spend the whole day, perhaps spending more time in the water than on the shore, given today's heat.

Around 17:00 the place becomes more liveable and so we stay another two hours, desperately seeking a bit of tranquillity, to be combined with the beauty of this stretch of coast, then we make our way calmly back to our B & B. For dinner we finally return to Ristorante Torre Galli, with the very likeable Giuseppe and his wife Carmela, eating very well again and promising to repeat it all at least a third time, before the end of the holiday.

Mission Capo Vaticano, a renowned place and the westernmost point of the Coast of the Gods, which boasts some of the best beaches in all of Calabria. At the usual time we set off from the B & B Le Mulinare and shortly after 9:00 we are already on the panoramic terrace positioned above the cliffs of the cape, from which the view, despite being against the light, is splendid. From there, however, we can't help but notice the beach below, where we should be going, already full of bathers, so much so as to counsel us to change our plans. We then move to another viewpoint, from which we can see the paradisiacal beaches of Capo Vaticano, accessible only from the sea, then we head decidedly towards other shores.

We drive a handful of kilometres towards Tropea and then, near the town of Santa Domenica, we go down to the sea in the direction of Riaci Beach, near which we find parking with difficulty, also paying a high price for it (18 euros!). We then rent an umbrella and two sun loungers at the nearby beach establishment, these too steep: 40 euros! On the plus side, the sea in front of us is splendid: a veritable swimming pool, whose call we simply cannot resist. After a long swim we go exploring the nearby Scoglio Grande, the rocky formation that characterises the western end of the bay, where we're positioned … Eroded by waves and the elements

We leave shortly after 8:30 from the B & B for a day that is, in some way, an alternative to the beach, and we head briskly toward Vibo Valentia. After passing the provincial capital we then continue inland and, gaining altitude, we pass through the hidden villages of Soriano Calabro and Serra San Bruno, then after an endless series of curves we cross the Passo di Pietra Spada, at 1350 meters above sea level, and from there we glide once again toward the Ionian Sea, which already from the locality of Stilo, where we make a stop, can be glimpsed in the distance.

In this historic village of the Calabrian Serre we stop to see, above all, the beautiful Greek-Byzantine church called La Cattolica, dating back to the 10th-11th centuries and considered one of the most remarkable Calabrian monuments, depicted on page nine of the Italian Passport, but also awaiting inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Built on the slopes of Monte Consolino, this small religious building is topped by five scenic cylindrical domes, covered in tiles, and its interior, on a square plan and Greek cross, is divided into nine equal parts by four ancient columns, with the walls bearing the remains of some valuable frescoes. We immortalize it all and then treat ourselves to a short stroll along the maze of alleyways of old Stilo, before returning to our car to resume the itinerary.

In this way we complete the descent toward the Ionian Sea and, once we reach the coastal profile, we follow it north along the Strada Statale 106, but only for about 15 kilometers, up to the turnoff inland for the village of Badolato, a medieval borgo whose historical and architectural recovery is known throughout the world. In the 1970s and 1980s it was in fact declared "for sale" as a provocation, because over time it had progressively emptied out … and it partly worked because in this way many foreigners were attracted to the place, who undertook its restoration, triggering the resulting rebirth.

Along the road we stop, just before the village, in an area equipped with picnic tables, to have lunch, with a view that ranges on one side over Badolato and on the other over the Ionian Sea in the distance, then we go up to the main square and from there we go exploring the streets of the center (partly restored, but still in need of numerous building interventions), up to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, located in a panoramic and solitary position, on a ridge just east of the built-up area: downhill all the way there, but on the way back, obviously, uphill … what an effort! But it was worth it.

Once we regain our vehicle we head back toward the sea, continuing north along the coast and, after passing the locality of Soverato, we descend to the vast Spiaggia di Caminia … Here we struggle a bit to park, but then we can enjoy a good two hours of sun, tranquility and crystal-clear waters, before taking the road back to Tropea. From Caminia it takes a good hour and a half to cross Calabria once again. So we arrive at the B & B Le Mulinare around 20:00 … Just in time for a shower and then out to dinner, nearby, at Ristorante Il Giardino, concluding a positive day.

With the vacation now irremediably drawing to a close, we leave, after breakfast, for the nearby village of Zungri, built at the top of a steep cliff, on whose slopes lies the so-called Rupestrian Village of the "Sbariati", dating, approximately, to the Byzantine era. First we visit the modest Museum of Peasant Civilization and then we go down along the path that leads to the settlement, spread over an area of about three thousand square meters and arranged on several levels of the large rocky ridge, housing more than fifty caves used as dwellings, which give an idea of how these populations had organized themselves to overcome the environmental conditions of the time. We wander for a while among the ancient cavities, discovering original perspectives, and then we retrace our steps, to head toward the sea and thus toward the purely seaside part of the day.

From the heights we descend thus, in the immediate vicinity of Tropea, to the locality of Parghelia to go to the well-known Spiagge di Michelino. We park near the small railway station and then from there we tackle the road and the long staircase that leads to the two beaches, which from above, but also from below, are equally beautiful, washed by an azure and transparent sea. Unfortunately, however, they are far too full of bathers. Not by chance are we in the peak week of summer, covid or no covid. We nevertheless manage to carve out our own vital space at the water's edge and from there we begin to enjoy the place, consuming swim after swim.

We also go snorkeling, seeing truly many fish, and in the afternoon, with Leo, I go exploring west of the bay, beyond the so-called Scogli della Ringa, to set foot on a third beach, in some way secret and semi-deserted, the cherry on top of an exalted place, beach-wise speaking. In this way we pleasantly reach evening and later we return to dinner at our favorite place, Ristorante Torre Galli, and we feel so good there that before leaving we tell Giuseppe to book us for tomorrow evening too, when we will have the last dinner of the trip.

And here we are at Ferragosto of this absurd 2020 and at the last full day to spend in Calabria … a beautiful vacation, mind you, but if I think that today was supposed to be the first day of the long-desired trip to Peru … well, my anger rises like crazy! Given the super-holiday day we decide to leave a little earlier than usual and then, once settled, not to move again until evening. So we head directly to Capo Vaticano and, in practice, from there we resume the program modified last Wednesday. We park near the locality of Grotticelle, then, on foot, we go to take a spot in a beach establishment of the nearby Spiaggia Salamite, the closest to the cape and so called for the lizards that populate it (the salamite, in the local dialect).

The bay is washed by the "usual" azure and transparent waters, perhaps peppered with too many rocks, which penalize swimming a bit … on the other hand the lizards are decidedly scarce, indeed, absolutely absent. Shortly after 10:00 we rent a pedal boat and with it we go exploring toward the otherwise inaccessible beaches of Capo Vaticano: first the more distant Praia i Focu, so called because fires used to be lit there, as a reference point for fishermen, and then the Spiaggia 'A Ficara (for the presence of an old fig tree), both beautiful. On the latter we also try to disembark, but due to the swell and on my own I can't pull the pedal boat ashore.

We content ourselves then with taking a few photos and having a swim in the crystal-clear waters of the cape, among whose rocks, according to legend, resided an oracle (Manto) who offered prophecies to sailors and navigators before facing the wrath of Scylla and Charybdis, then we calmly return to Spiaggia Salamite. Meanwhile, however, the seabed may have shifted a bit; in fact, several posidonia debris has come ashore, dirtying and making the sea in front of us less inviting … too bad because in part this spoils the last scraps of vacation for us. We have lunch and then spend, without praise or blame, the last afternoon at the trip's completely seaside destination, at Spiaggia Salamite … Fortunately we can then make up for it later, with the umpteenth, excellent and last dinner offered by Giuseppe and Carmela at Ristorante Torre Galli.

The time has come to face the long journey home, in fact a good 950 kilometres of road await us, to be covered, among other things, on a day with red-flag traffic. We leave Gasponi shortly after 7:00 in the morning and 45 minutes later we take the A2 motorway, Salerno-Reggio Calabria, at Pizzo Calabro, heading north. By doing so, shortly after 9:00 we leave Calabria behind us to enter, temporarily, Basilicata and a little later Campania. In fact at 10:40 we are in Salerno, from where we then take first the A30 and then the Autostrada del Sole, along which we do find a bit of traffic and some queues, but nothing dramatic. Around 13:00 we stop, at a service area near Rome, so as to have lunch and refuel, before resuming grinding out kilometres.

Once past the capital, at Orte, we leave the A1 to tackle the E45 expressway, which takes us past the vicinity of the city of Perugia a quarter of an hour after 15:00 and, another hour later, over the Passo del Verghereto, to thus re-enter Romagna. The journey then concludes happily, at 17:07, in front of the gate of our home. Without thinking about what it should have been without the damned covid, all in all, it was a beautiful holiday which, accompanied by so many beauties, both historical and natural, helped us find a bit of serenity … the only flaw being the too many people, a constant of every trip, in Italy in August … All with the hope that the good Lord will soon give us back the whole world to do what we like most, that is, to travel … freely!