This is a region of sun-bleached sand lapped by Maldives-worthy water. And it’s embroidered with pastel-coloured fishing villages. It offers all the beauty of Liguria’s Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast, but without crowds and with decent places to say from just €60 (£50).
Find uncrowded beaches in Calabria (Photo: Getty)But not for long – flight search sight Skyscanner has earmarked Calabria as one of its trending destinations for 2025 after seeing an increase in searches of 541 per cent in the first six months of 2024. Ryanair – which already serves the Calabrian city of Lamezia Terme – has recently launched flights from Stansted to Reggio Calabria, right down at the toe of the region.
Tropea has buildings in shades of lemon and orange (Photo: Aldo Pavan/Getty)
I found the train was the easiest, cheapest and most scenic way to travel.In one leisurely trip, I visited two of Italy’s official “Most Beautiful Villages” – Tropea and Scilla – enjoyed a beach stay at Capovaticano Resort and Spa, excellently priced out of season, and gorged on a hazelnut cream-filled ice cream, known as tartufa di Pizzo, in the charming castle-topped town of Pizzo.
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I had mapped out my journey in advance and bought tickets online, so I knew the train times (they are infrequent) and didn’t have to battle with capricious ticket machines at the stations.
The crumpled carriages enthusiastically pumped out air conditioning, strained up to precipitous villages plugged into the cliffs, then plunged down again to almost touch the Tyrrhenian Sea.
At my first stop, Tropea, teetering buildings in various shades of lemon and terracotta peer over a cliff edge, looking down on a ribbon of white sand below.
And for sunset views followed by a decadent set menu heavy on the local ingredients (and incredible wines), Da’ Minimi Restaurant (four courses for €75) was a favourite at the palatial Villa Paola hotel.
Out of season prices are reasonable (April rates start at €157 (£131), more than doubling in July and August) and with express spa treatments from €50 (£42), it was a welcome splash of luxury.
Tropea is reminiscent of the Cinque Terre villages (Photo: Getty)Rounding the headland to Chianalea, famous for its swordfish, I found a higgledy-piggledy collection of cobbled lanes, flower-filled balconies and stone houses lapped by the sea.
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My final train journey took me north again, depositing me in Pizzo, a short hop from the airport but retaining a sense of remote beauty. It’s a steep climb to the village itself (although there is an electric minibus and tourist train, too), but Palazzo Paladini rewarded me with a sleek suite where original tiled floors and warped wooden beams take a back seat to the sea views.
The sunsets here are sensational. And the gooey hazelnut and chocolate tartufo even more so. It was the perfect treat to finish a leisurely off-season adventure.
Getting there and aroundRyanair flies from Stansted to Lamezia Terme and Reggio Calabria with one-way fares from £29.
In Calabria, one-way train fares start at €3 (£2.50), bookable through thetrainline.com. Stations advertise taxi numbers on information boards, from €5 (£4).
Staying thereAnanea Tropea Yachting Resort has B&B from €120 (£100).Capovaticano Resort Thalasso Spa has B&B from €157 (£131).Signora Tita B&B, in Scilla, has doubles from €65 (£54).Palazzo Paladini, in Pizzo, has self-catered apartments from €67 (£56).
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