Holidays with friends in Calabria: top 5 places to have fun

Do you want an adrenaline experience during your holidays with friends in Calabria? Try rafting in the ‘’Raganello Gorges‘’ State Nature Reserve, a magical place in the Pollino National Park, in the province of Cosenza.

Rafting in the Raganello Gorge means enjoying an evocative naturalistic scenario. The Raganello river cuts a real canyon through the rocky walls, 17 km long: from the Source of the Lamia to the village of Civita, where the characteristic Devil's Bridge stands.

You will be immersed in the places of the Calabrian Arbëreshë communities, from San Lorenzo Bellizzi to Cerchiara di Calabria, ‘’City of Bread‘’ and home to the famous Shrine of the Madonna delle Armi.

Would you like to discover a magical place, set of numerous films, during your holidays with friends? Come and explore the ‘’yellow dunes‘’ of Cutro (the ‘’City of Chess‘’), which have enchanted film directors and writers of all times. Immerse yourself in a lunar landscape between events and sustainable trekking!

The precious ecosystem of the Marchesato Gullies, in the province of Crotone, is a unique experience for every hiker: of clayey origin, furrowed by the Tacina Valley, the Cutro gullies form a series of ‘’knife-edge‘’ slopes; the light tones of the sand and clay are tinged by the green of the Mediterranean dune vegetation. A habitat rich in protected plant and animal species, such as the marsh tortoise and the Cervone.

A perfect experience to share during a holiday with friends, the Marchesato Gullies excursion combines nature and culture through a series of thematic routes of your choice.

There is no self-respecting holiday with friends that does not pass through the Caribbean beaches of Soverato and the Costa degli Aranci, in the province of Catanzaro! Nestled in the Gulf of Squillace, the Regional Marine Park ‘’Baia di Soverato‘’ (or ‘’dell'Ippocampo‘’, because of the precious seahorses on the seabed) is a must for groups of friends who love nightlife and crystal-clear sea.

With its Blue Flag, Green Flag and ‘’pet friendly‘’ beach, which alternates fashionable lidos and clubs with long free stretches with the possibility of camping, Soverato is synonymous with summer fun in Calabria: by day, relaxation, sunbathing and sports and wellness practices (such as the ‘’sun salutation‘’ that rises from the bay); by night, aperitifs that go late, until the following dawn, turning into memorable disco nights, Soverato's seafront is a meeting point in all seasons!

Surrounded by kiosks, gourmet restaurants, discos and gardens, it is the ‘’must‘’ for holiday evenings with friends.

Is your group crazy for paintball? Know that in Reggio Calabria, ASD Delta Force Paintball will welcome you in one of the largest and best equipped paintball areas in southern Italy.

Covering an area of 10,000 square metres, in a natural wooded environment (at the foot of the Aspromonte National Park), the area where you can practice paintball during your holidays with friends in Calabria offers a realistic and compelling game experience: players can immerse themselves in an ideal tactical and strategic context, made up of trees, bushes and natural shelters, as well as a series of obstacles designed to allow for a great variety of games and tactics. One gem above all? The complete illumination of the field, which allows matches to be organised even at night, increasing the suspense.

At the end of the competition, the losing team can treat everyone to an aperitif on the splendid Falcomatà Seafront, with a view of the Straits of Messina, or a group tour of the National Archaeological Museum to admire the Riace Bronzes up close.

Do you dream of a summer sports holiday with friends? The ‘’Costa degli Dei‘’ Regional Marine Park is the destination for you! The Middle Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria in the province of Vibo Valentia is one of the perfect places to practice coasteering in Calabria.

The cliffs to run along are the breathtaking ones of Capo Vaticano, in the municipality of Ricadi, set between three beautiful bays: Tono Beach, Praia di Fuoco and Grotticelle. The names evoke the Caribbean beauty of these locations, characterised by the alternation of fine sand, crystal-clear sea, high cliffs and coves where you can stop in privacy, even by boat.

A variation to propose to your friends? Start by exploring the suggestive Skeleton Cave, from which you can take a dive, and continue along the cliffs until you reach the enchanting Riaci Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean.