Couples holiday? Here are 5 romantic places in Calabria

A tour of romantic places in Calabria cannot fail to start from the Tyrrhenian village of Belvedere Marittimo, in the province of Cosenza. This delightful seaside resort, in addition to its Aragonese Castle, one of the most imposing fortresses in the region, is famous for the Capuchin Convent, where the authentic relics of St. Valentine, patron saint of lovers, are kept. That's why Belvedere, the "Village of Lovers" or "City of Love", is the perfect place to start any couple's holiday in Calabria! In addition to visiting the village and making the customary pilgrimage, if you choose Belvedere Marittimo in the summer, you can enjoy the sea, beaches, equipped lidos and the most romantic summer event ever: "Note di Fuoco - Fireworks Festival", three days dedicated to fireworks over the sea.

The second stop on the itinerary of romantic places in Calabria is located in the province of Crotone. Known throughout the world as the film set for the TV series Sandokan, the town of Le Castella, in Isola Capo Rizzuto, has always been a location for major international cinema productions and fascinates couples in love who want to take a photo with the castle on the water in the background: the 15th-century Aragonese Castle. Here, among stories of pirates who give their name to the entire stretch of coastline (Costa dei Saraceni), you will have the opportunity to take a trip on a glass-bottomed boat and admire the colours of the marine flora and fauna that inhabit one of the largest Marine Protected Areas in Europe. The highlight of the trip? Sipping an excellent glass of Sant'Anna DOC wine on board while waiting for the sunrise over the Ionian Sea!

Let's stay on the Ionian coast but move to the province of Catanzaro to spend a weekend in Soverato, in the so-called "Bay of the Seahorse" (Regional Marine Park). Among the romantic places in Calabria, Soverato offers you the experience of a Caribbean-like sea, Blue Flag and Green Flag, which can be enjoyed almost all year round thanks to the microclimate of the Gulf of Squillace and the Costa degli Aranci. The perfect destination for a couple's holiday in Calabria, here you can fill your days with nature excursions, sailing trips and visits to nearby villages, ending them in the centre of Calabrian nightlife: the Soverato Seafront, with its trendy bars, where you can stay out late from aperitif time until sunrise over the bay.

The "Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea" cannot be left out of the "top 5" romantic places in Calabria: Tropea, on the splendid Costa degli Dei in the province of Vibo Valentia. Home to lovers seeking fiery sunsets and unforgettable views, such as the one overlooking the Shrine of Santa Maria dell'Isola, but also tastings based on Tropea Red Onion PGI and boat trips from spring to autumn to discover the sea caves set in the cliffs. A concentration of 'picture-postcard' beauty, it is no coincidence that it has been awarded the Blue Flag among The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. Discover it at a leisurely pace, strolling through the narrow streets to the splendid Cathedral of Maria Santissima di Romania (12th century), a jewel of Norman architecture.

The couple's holiday in Calabria ends on a high note, in the province of Reggio Calabria, in the Costa Viola resort known as the little "Venice of the South": Chianalea di Scilla. A tiny fishing village, where the sea enters the narrow streets and boats are moored literally under the houses; where you can dine in characteristic restaurants on stilts, immersed in the water, admiring the sunset tinged with purple. Among the romantic places in Calabria, Scilla is the legendary setting of Scylla and Charybdis, depicted in the Belvedere di Piazza San Rocco, where the fearsome sea monster takes the form of a beautiful mermaid. Don't miss the enchanting Ruffo Castle, with its lighthouse set inside. How about a candlelit dinner? Based on local swordfish, one of the most delicious products of the Costa Viola.