Italy is synonymous with certain activities, from beach days to eating pizza and pasta, not to mention all the famous landmarks in Rome, Naples or Milan. But Calabria is a lesser known area, offering all the beauty and magic of Italy without the intense crowds to battle with.
So what should you line up on your Calabria itinerary? Well we’ve put together a list of the best activities you should try on your holiday, but feel free to reach out if you’re curious and want some more details, we’re always happy to help!
If you’re looking to book any of these, we can highly recommend Sognare Insieme Viaggi who run some unbelievable tours and activities throughout Calabria. They were also the team that launched the Calabria Food Fest, something we were honoured to take part in.
Bread Making and Meal at Agriturismo Fassi
The Fassi farmhouse provided some of the best moments of our trip to Calabria. It started with a quick visit to Molino Squillacioti flour mill to see the local grains they grow and the process they go through. We also got a look outside at the gorgeous rolling fields, before heading on to the main hall where we were taught bread making.
On the way, we passed olive trees, prickly pears, as well as the Calabrian chilli, something I hadn’t been aware of, hence why this is really the only part of Italy that does spicy food. We then headed inside to the hall area for the bread making demonstration to start.
The yeast that they use is passed on family to family and they call the process ‘renewing’, meaning you add more flour and more water and those yeast enzymes actually never die. So there are families that use the same yeast for 3-4 generations and every family has their own. They’re also quite protective of it, you couldn’t just show up at someone’s house and ask for their yeast, because everyone has their own bacteria.
After we watched the process, we were all given a chance to make some ourselves, as well as some pasta making. Following this, we sat down at the tables alongside us for our meal, while it was served up buffet style.
This was hands-down one of the best meals of our entire trip, if not the best. It was incredible. The eggplant parmesan gave me a new obsession. The meatballs were so tender. The olives had their pips removed and were so tasty.
I must have gone back up to get more around 3 times, even though I was full after the first plate, it was just too tasty to walk away from. Of course, there was freshly baked bread, but not the ones we had been working on earlier as they would take time to make.
They also served up a number of jugs of red wine, which got us into a merry spirit, before trying a few after meal digestivos.
We then took off towards the petting zoo area. That’s right, this experience isn’t over yet! They had a whole farm area full of animals.
There was a gorgeous little baby goat, alongside a pony. There were goats, as you would expect, along with a horse and a donkey, pigs, geese, tortoises and even a peacock.
Not everyone made their way over to the petting zoo section, but I’d say if you’re a fan of animals then it’s definitely worth it. It was only a 2 minute walk from where we had eaten and it was incredibly cute seeing all the animals up close.
Cheese Making Demonstration At Rotiroti Farm
Have you ever tried fresh mozzarella or ricotta? It tastes so different to what you get at your local supermarket. For a start, it’s warm, while it tastes divine, whereas the mozzarella we get in our supermarkets is rather flavourless.
It was fascinating watching the process of curdling and transforming the milk into cheese at the Rotiroti educational farm.
They also had some really cute kittens running around the farm, while there were plenty of other animals, but I didn’t get the chance to see them as I rushed inside away from the heat.
It wasn’t long after the cheese making that we went through to their restaurant section, where they served us up an amazing lunch. There was a tree growing straight through the eating area room, making it look breath-taking both inside and outside.
Jason, our local friend, gasped in excitement as they brought out Fritelle di fuori di zucco, or courgette flower fritters as we’d call them, which apparently fly off the table normally when they’re brought out.
We therefore didn’t hesitate to grab one and they really did taste amazing, a little bit naughty and a perfect start to the feast.
We were served meats, bread and cheese, including all the amazing cheese that we witnessed being made.
This was followed by a gorgeous mushroom pasta meal. Seriously, the pasta is so nice in Italy, returning to dry pasta will be a shock to the system after all these freshly made goods.
Following this, we were served…What are we on…Our 3rd course I believe…We were served copious amounts of meat. Seriously, how is everyone not humongous? The portions never end in Italy.
Pasta Making & Meal In Dasa
Dasa is a small commune of inland Calabria, located between the famous coasts of Tropea on the West and Monasterace Marina on the East. There is such a charm to this small village, with friendly locals and a growing list of activities thanks to Pasta Grammar, the local YouTube stars.
As well as pasta making, they also run cheese making classes, but it was the pasta experience we got to enjoy on the day. On top of this, you’ll also get a tour of the flour mill. At the end of your class and tour, you will sit down for a meal, of many portions, so make sure to work up that appetite.
The amazing chefs serving the food did such an unbelievable job. All the ingredients are locally sourced, unsurprisingly, cooked to perfection. From fresh ricotta, to sausages, the salty curujicchi plus amoretti at the end, it was all so exquisite.
Honestly, I wish I could have stuffed my pockets with all the desserts, I had to buy some amoretti from the market the next day to take home with me.
Of course, there was also a helping of pasta, as you want to eat what you have been working on (albeit I’m not sure our cuts would have made the grade, we might need a bit more practice).
Eat In The Gardens Of Tropp
Found up the hills in Montepaone, Tropp is an amazing pizzeria that uses fresh and locally sourced ingredients with so many tasty options, from the Calabrian to the Neapolitan (with anchovies), all of which were gorgeous.
But they also have a number of other food options, from Pipi e Patati (Calabrian peppers and potatoes, a favourite dish from our trip) to a salty cuzzopozzi.
You can also book a beer tasting session, as they have their own micro-brewery here, with a range of unique tasting beers. I’m a big fan of trying the local beers where ever I go and love finding micro-breweries, so this was right up my alley and a nice surprise on the day.
We also got to enjoy a cooking class on the day from the amazing nonna Barbara, who we also got to see again at the Calabria Food Fest. She taught us numerous dishes, my favourite being the potato croquette.
Relax on the Spiaggia Caminia Beach & Eat at Blanca Cruz
When it comes to beaches, this was certainly one of the most beautiful we’ve seen, while it also wasn’t too overcrowded, which was a pleasant surprise. However, we did go on a Monday morning, therefore I can’t speak for how busy it is on the weekends.
You can swim around to some small caves, or you can climb over the rocks, but it’s much easier swimming around. Don’t worry if you’re not an overly confident swimmer, you technically can tiptoe in the water near the rocks.
You can also hire out pedalos, a fun way to see more of the coastline while keeping yourself dry, but I prefer to dive in and cool down. I also saw some paddleboards which I’m sure you could hire out for the day.
After a good couple of hours swimming, we headed to the nearby Blanca Cruz beach restaurant. The first course was a beautiful blend of seafood, apologies for the photo as I was too tempted to dive in before remembering to take a snap.
The second course was an amazing seafood pasta dish, the first of many I had on this trip and I’m certainly not complaining!
Party at the Spox Beach Club
Located along the coast in Soverato, the Spox beach club was so lively, regardless of which day of the week it is and the time of day. But the biggest day you have to be there for is Sunday, when it’s completely booming and the drinks are flowing.
You’ll notice the ‘zona romantica’ sign outside the bar, an example of the humour they have throughout Spox, including some bizarre posters in the bathroom.
You can also book a table to eat here, while we ate an incredible lunch, which included a huge pasta dish being served up for us all.
If you want to see the full meal, then check out our Instagram reel showing the huge table set out for us and all the tasty food they made.
Visit The Soverato Market
Whether you’re looking for a nice souvenir to take home, a gift for someone (definitely check out the amoretti biscuits) or some cured meat to bring home, this is a great activity. Open every Friday, you want to get here nice and early to properly explore and try everything.
All of the stand holders are incredibly friendly, while they’re happy to offer a sample before you buy something.
One of my regrets was not picking up some Nduja, as the ones you can get back in England just don’t taste as good.
All of the food is organically grown, meaning no pesticides or chemical fertilisers. You’re getting healthy ingredients fresh from the farm, straight to your plate.