Farm stay in Aspromonte over bergamot orange groves at Agriturismo Il Bergamotto
At sunset, when the warm orange Mediterranean sun begins to sink Within the Tyrrhenian Sea, there are one or two hours when the Calabrian coast glows purple. Together with Costa degli Dei and the Riviera dei Cedri, the Costa Viola, or Costa Violeta, is part of a coastline of 250 kilometers which, although it is one of the less famous, is one of the most dramatic in all of Italy, a spectacle easily equal to that of the Ligurian or Amalfi coasts. here between stretches of abandoned construction and acres of bergamot orchards , isolated fishing villages and ancient fortified cities still clinging to the Aspromonte, the mountains seem to plunge into the Mediterranean.
Tell a non-Calabrian that you are going to travel to Calabria and the standard response is an incredulous, eternal and dramatic “ Ma perche? " (But why?) . If the Italian peninsula is a boot comprising the generous thigh of the north and the elegant calf of Lazio and Campania, then Calabria is the toe. The dark and tragic past of the southernmost region of Italy has long been a burden marked by wars, earthquakes, corruption and, most corrosive, the damage caused by Ndrangheta the local organized crime syndicate.
But if Calabria has been visited by more misfortunes than any place should see, its raw beauty, its culinary traditions and the local culture distinguish it today as a place worth seeing. Last summer, Pope Francis visited the region to denounce the Mafia and excommunicate members of the 'Ndrangheta' in a powerful symbolic turning point for a region so deeply Catholic. Now, after decades of isolation, Calabria is finally starting to open up to travelers who find themselves in a totally unknown Italy.
One of the unexpected pleasures and challenges of visiting Calabria is discovering how unaccustomed it is to tourism. A place so far off the Italian tourist track is accompanied by a sense of adventure where the typical lodging is often either a strangely empty resort, or a musty room in someone's home. There is, however, a few notable exceptions, such as the Villa Paola, a restored 16th-century monastery converted into a gorgeous 11-room hotel . Set amidst a garden of jasmine, citrus, and mounds of magenta bougainvillea, it's just outside of Tropea , an ancient fortified city inhabited by some 7,000 people , the most dramatic and beautiful place in all of Calabria.
Everything is related to the sea in the Calabria peninsula
Tropea is a labyrinth of narrow streets and decadent charm . With a cliff on one of the most virgin white sand beaches in Italy, where you can lean out and see the volcanic Aeolian Islands in the distance. Legend has it that Hercules founded the city and over the millennia the comings and goings have been seen of empires. Miraculously spared from the earthquake devastation that affected almost everything else in Calabria, the city has endured . But its days of strategic importance are lost in the past. Caper bushes and prickly pears now inhabit cracks in sidewalks and buildings, slowly widening them over time. Figs fallen from the trees and bathed in the sun litter the stone streets , perfuming the air with the aroma of fermented caramel.
It is during the summer months that Tropea is truly alive . During the day, families flock to its beaches, burrowing into caves under Santa María dell'Isola, a monastery built on a small peninsula at the foot of the city. In the afternoon, it is filled with a happy and southern Italian energy, the bathers they give their passeggiata through the streets , stopping for pizza or ice cream. This is a typical scene of many cities in Italy, however, here, the accents heard in the square are not German, English, or even Northern Italian, but almost exclusively what is heard is Italian. staccato , the Calabrian dialect.
Further down the coast the picturesque town of Scilla is located , where swordfish fishermen wade out to sea leaning over the bows of their boats every morning, with groups of shirtless teenagers carrying their harpoons. As in Tropea, there is a mythical tradition associated with this city , which was named Scylla after a water nymph who transformed into a sea monster. The legend probably refers to her renowned home, the stony point crowned by the village castle , which has wreaked havoc on many ships throughout history.
Local transportation in Tropea
It is in towns like Scilla that one finds the roots of Calabrian cuisine. “When I think of the region, I can taste the brine, the acidity and the heat,” says Carlo Mirarchi, executive chef and co-owner of Roberta's , an acclaimed pizzeria in Brooklyn. Mirarchi, whose father went to the United States as part of Calabria's sizable diaspora, frequently travels to the area for inspiration. A recent visit led him to experiment with sardella , a technique that consists of fermenting small sardines with a large quantity of peppers to form a paste . It is a flavor that is too pungent and humble for most Italians, but in Calabria it is a key element of the huge antipasti platters that are served as starters for every meal.
The other key aspect of Calabrian cuisine is chili peppers. fresh or dried , they can be found hanging in windows or stalls along roadsides. Northern Italians are generally averse to hot spices, but not the Calabrians, perhaps because the Saracens introduced chili to Italy via Sicily. A menu in a typical Calabrian trattoria reads like parts of Dante's hell: pizzas, pastas and antipasti are described as alla purgatorio, diavolo and infernale . It is the pepperoncino, spicy and earthy, that provides Calabrian cuisine with its explosive drama and ensures that the food here, typified by its most famous export, the 'nduja, the spicy sobrassada-like spreadable sausage, is unlike any other. whatever else you find in Italy.
Bergamot (its scented flavor gives Earl Gray tea its distinctive aroma)
And if chili is the flavor of Calabria, then bergamot is its fragrance . As with Madagascar vanilla or Damascus rose, the quality of this orange variety depends on where it comes from. No one is quite sure how this citrus fruit, famous for scenting both teas and lotions, took root here on this dry, narrow coastal strip between the sea and the mountains; but he did, and it flourished. In the first months of winter, the scent of its flowers fills the air with a smell so sweet and thick that it becomes intoxicating..
Then there is the character of Calabria itself, which is often just as spicy as the cuisine. Vilified by strangers and prey to Ndrangheta , Calabrians can sometimes be suspicious and skeptical of strangers. So it is particularly surprising to receive such a warm welcome from the organic winemaker and olive oil producer Robert Ceraudo , who welcomes visitors to Dattilo, his vineyard in Crotone, the poorest region of Calabria on the Ionian coast, with a hug.
The Santa Maria dell'Isola monastery built on a hill above a beach in Tropea, with the volcanic island of Stromboli in the distance
The road to Dattilo Filled with decrepit factories and rusting power plants, it is one of the least attractive places in all of Italy. But the oasis of Ceraudo it is a sample of the raw beauty of Calabria, and very importantly it is proof of how relatively quickly an area can be rehabilitated. the stone canteen and bed and breakfast Agriturismo Dattilo they are set amidst 1,200-year-old vineyards and olive groves whose distinctive golden-brown color complements the glow of the hills in the afternoon light.
Ceraudo is helping revive the region's winemaking tradition by investing in gaglioppo Y magliocco , centuries-old local grape varieties, and, according to him, making wines that are said to have been drunk by the first Olympic athletes. At prestigious fairs in northern Italy, Ceraudo is often the only exhibitor from Calabria , but his wines have won accolades for their special flavor, including the most prestigious award in the Italian industry, a Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses) designated by the prestigious food magazine Gambero Rosso.
Roberto Ceraudo, a Calabrian producer of organic wine and olive oil.
WHERE TO SLEEP
** Agriturismo Dattilo :** These simple accommodations are part of a farm-like complex where the old production of wine and olive oil is being recovered . You can also enjoy an acclaimed canteen (Contrada Dattilo, Strongoli, Crotone; from €80).
** Agriturismo Il Bergamotto :** warm and affable hospitality, honest cooking is one of the bases in this property of rustic and remodeled farms, located in the middle of a bergamot plantation (Via Provinciale, Amendolea neighborhood, Condofuri, Reggio Calabria; from €60).
** B&B La Veduta :** This charming bed and breakfast in three bedroom hovering above the sea in the fishing village of Scilla (Via Annunziata 67, Scilla, Reggio Calabria; from €120).
**Villa Paola:** Elegantly remodeled, this clifftop monastery offers some of the best accommodation in Calabria and it is an ideal base to explore the region (Contrada Paola, Tropea, Vibo Valentia; from €250).
A woman in the pool at Villa Paola
WHERE TO EAT
To the Pinturicchio: Tucked away in an alley, this trattoria serves local classics like pasta fileja alla 'nduja and grilled swordfish with lemon and capers (Via Dardano, Tropea, Vibo Valentia).
The Bergamotto: don't miss the scented sweets with the aromatic essence of bergamot in this pastice shop lit up with neon lights (Piazza San Francesco da Sales 4, Gallina, Reggio Calabria).
Il Normanno: its rustic and earthy menu changes daily , based on the strong tradition of povera cucina (Via Real Badia 37/39, Miletus, Vibo Valentia) .
Downtown Osteria: Located on top of a hill above the fishing port, this cozy restaurant specializes in swordfish, octopus, sardines and sea urchins (Via Orto Monaci 6, Scilla, Reggio Calabria).
* This report is published in number 86 of the Condé Nast Traveler magazine for July-August and is available in its digital version to enjoy it on your preferred device.
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Seafood is served baked, fried, boiled... at Al Pinturicchio Tropea