Calabria (31/08-7/09/2021)

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The flight to Lamezia (Calabria) makes a short stopover via Brindisi (Puglia). This allows me 25 minutes of window-viewing over the Adriatic, Ionian, and Tyrrhenian Seas. That pleases the traveler in me. So, we skim from heel to toe across three Italian seas.

At Lamezia Airport, I realize I no longer have my iPhone. But after the initial panic, I realize I must have left it in the car at Brussels Airport...

It's already evening, and we drive our rental car to Agriturismo Le Carolee , a completely secluded spot just outside Pianopoli . Despite the late hour, they manage to bring us some food. There are about three or four couples there, enjoying a view of vineyards and greenery all the way to the sea, with even the volcanic island of Stromboli visible in the distance (photo right, center light gray on the horizon).

It's idyllically and slightly sultry, and we meet a lovely Belgian couple, Stef & Veerle, who immediately fall in love, and the feeling quickly becomes mutual. After breakfast outside (the setting is wonderful), we visit Pianopoli. There's absolutely nothing to see, and we have a simple meal at a bar. This is my first encounter with Nduja , the spicy Calabrian sausage specialty. Irresistible. Long live the peperoncini.

We enjoy the peace and quiet, the sun, the view, the pool, and also briefly visit the town of Lamezia Terme with its Norman castle and bustling main street lined with monuments and terraces. At Le Carolee, we are truly spoiled by our hostess, Giovanna, who takes the term "hostess" to heart and proves to be an excellent source of information. We also get to know the owner and learn a lot about the area.

Then we head east, passing below Catanzaro , to the Ionian coast, which we continue alongside for a long time. Our final destination: Agroturismo Villa Vittoria (Guardavalle) . We're given a small house with twin rooms. These days, we've had some bad luck with the weather (rain). The welcome and quality of the food aren't as good as the days before. But we don't complain and enjoy the delicious local Amaro del Capo for just 1 euro per shot.

And who do we meet there? Stef and Veerle! Now it can't get any better, and we'll have many enjoyable (especially) meals together for the rest of the holiday.

We visit the charming center of Stilo, almost impossible to navigate it with a small car, so full of picturesque, ultra narrow streets. The main attraction here is a brisk uphill walk to the mystical, charming little Byzantine church of La Cattolica , perched high on the hillside, towering over Stilo village.

But we're doing it by car. An entrance fee has to be arranged via a QR code, but that doesn't work at all. The church is tiny: four columns, remnants of frescoes, and far-reaching views, but truly wondrous. On the way back, we find a rare roadside restaurant with a rich menu and value for money. This is proven by the exuberant locals having lunch, as there are hardly any tourists here. The summer season has also just ended, and everything on the coast here immediately closed down.

The next day we take the same tour, but towards Bivongi and the Monastero degli Apostoli (ruins) and Monastero di San Giovanni Theristis (Greek Orthodox, 11th century), once again located in a completely remote location. But what strikes us most is that in this utterly apocalyptic environment, where the forest fires were all over the news a few months ago—you can still smell them—the fire stopped right in front of this little church. Then we go via Pazzano all the way to the highest point in a godforsaken area full of pine trees, to the Santuario Madonna delle Stelle . A cavern where you have to descend to worship the Virgin Mary. Very special. Which makes us wonder how people in ancient times even got here. Apparently, that applies to all the ancient religious sites here...

After our three days here, we return to the (other) coast. We travel along winding, rugged roads through the long Le Serre mountain range to Trophea , the pearl of the region on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Halfway along the route, there's the pleasant San Bruno Serre with the Carthusian monastery La Certosa (12th century), but we're not allowed to visit it. We do visit the museum and continue until, after hours of mountainous terrain, the descent to the delightful Trophea-by-the-sea, where we find ourselves literally in the middle of the pleasant and quite charming tourist bustle at the small B&B Don Giovanna .

As we step outside the small hotel, we find no fewer than five restaurants across the street. It's a pleasant place to shop, browse, look around, and enjoy the unique setting. Trophea's center sits atop high cliffs, and then, steeply below, the beach, the lidos, and the peninsula of Isola Bella, dominating the view with the church of Santa Maria dell'Isola . Yes, Mary is everywhere here: in caves, dominating the sea...

Our visit there, and the rest of the village, is a real struggle, with all the climbing and descending, but the experience is so photogenic and stunningly beautiful that we don't regret it. Wandering around the old town also offers plenty of walking and sightseeing, interspersed with drinks at one of the many terraces. On our first evening, we have dinner at a restaurant that has set up tables on both sides of the surrounding streets, just enough space for a walker or waiter to pass. I eat an incredible plate of squid ravioli with burrata and topped with local pistachios. It's so delicious that we return with Stef and Veerle, who also arrived here, to enjoy a large sea bream (1.3 kg) cooked in a salt crust. And they're eager to try the delicious Ciró wines I recently discovered.

Unfortunately, I'm feeling increasingly tired, and much physical activity is out of the question for me. I also have little appetite. Apparently, the post-chemo side effects are only just starting to kick in. Although, it'll probably just be a few weeks of increased fatigue and the occasional knock from the hammer. And so, we'll miss Capo Vaticano , with its magnificent Belvedere, and a visit to the charming and charming seaside resort of Pizzo . We'll also miss a day of island hopping by boat to the volcanic Aeolian Islands of Vulcano, Lipari , and of course, Stromboli . Not enough time. So, I'll end with a photo of it, taken at the end of our street (see photo above with Stef and Veerle).

Calabria isn't Tuscany, and yet it pleasantly surprised us. Fewer pure sights, but a unique character that, in my opinion, carries with it an intense sadness: the mass emigration and flight from poverty, the tranquility and aging—young people continue to leave en masse—and which is why it is eventually becoming a kind of death house.