Kalabria coast to coast, the path from the Ionian to the Tyrrhenian Sea

Have you ever thought of crossing Calabria on foot from sea to sea, from the Ionian to the Tyrrhenian, at its narrowest point?

Know that you can do it on your own or with the expert guides of the "Kalabria coast to coast" Path, who will accompany you on a highly suggestive sea-mountain itinerary.

Backpack on your shoulders, off you go!

"Kalabria coast to coast" Path

Walking across Calabria from one coast to the other, enjoying the sunrise over the Catanzaro Ionian Sea and the sunset over the Vibonese Tyrrhenian Sea, is an experience to be had at least once in a lifetime.

The "Kalabria coast to coast" Path, among the official and mapped Calabrian Paths, offers you the opportunity to start from the white Ionian beaches of the Costa degli Aranci, in particular from the renowned seaside resort of Soverato, Blue Flag in the Bay of the Hippocampus, and reach the equally famous Costa degli Dei with arrival in Pizzo Calabro.

The path passes through a very picturesque hilly hinterland, touching little-trodden but authentic villages, such as Petrizzi, San Vito sullo Ionio and Monterosso Calabro, for a total length of 55 km over 3 intermediate stages, to be savoured at a slow pace, amidst cultivations of centuries-old olive trees and vineyards, prickly pears, chestnut and beech woods sloping down to the sea, passing through the WWF Naturalistic Oasis Lake Angitola.

Here, everything tells of a rural and hospitable Calabria, which welcomes the walker in special resting and accommodation points, far from the usual tourist routes and discovering the ancient flavours and values that are the identity roots of this land.

The stages: what to see along the path

The "Kalabria coast to coast" Path starts from the beautiful seaside resort of Soverato, in the province of Catanzaro, and its equipped seafront promenade and cycle path overlooking the Gulf of Squillace in the stretch known as Bay of the Hippocampus, due to the abundant presence of "seahorses", an endangered Mediterranean species.

Also known as the "Pearl of the Ionian Sea" for its sandy shore and Caribbean sea, Soverato shows its most ancient face in the hillside village of Soverato Superiore, with the Church of the Addolorata displaying the precious Pietà by sculptor Antonello Gaggini.

From the top of the hill, the remains of the medieval site of Old Soverato are visible, with the ruins of the settlement destroyed in the 1783 earthquake, and the Charles V Tower, near the panoramic road that runs alongside the Botanical Garden.

From Soverato, one climbs the ridge of the hill in a westerly direction and reaches the first intermediate stage of the walk: Petrizzi. This small town, which still overlooks the Ionian Sea, is characterised by the beautiful palace that today houses the Town Hall and the ancient Porta 'e Jusu (southern gateway to the town). Also worth visiting is the Church of the SS. Trinità, a stately chapel in Baroque style. The name of the village, which not by chance means "Flower of Stone", is linked to the traditional working of granite.

Continuing along the "Kalabria coast to coast" itinerary, one reaches the nearby town of San Vito sullo Ionio, also in the province of Catanzaro. Founded by the Normans, San Vito sullo Ionio is an agrarian centre devoted to the cultivation of the centuries-old olive trees that shape its landscape. Near the Beltrame stream are the remains of the ancient castle and a series of mills.

The third stop along the route is Monterosso Calabro, formerly in the province of Vibo Valentia, in the lush Serre Vibonesi area. Probably linked to the Ruffo family of Calabria, Monterosso offers several historical and artistic testimonies, including the Rosario and Carmelo churches, the ruins of the Addolorata Church (Condolima), the Lion's Staircase and several noble palaces. Not to be missed is the Filanda Massara building, once linked to the traditional art of silkworm breeding and now an important Museum of Rural and Artisan Civilisation.

An integral part of the Monterosso area and of our coast-to-coast itinerary is the WWF Naturalistic Oasis Lake Angitola, an artificial basin created for water needs, which today is a true oasis for lake flora and fauna, especially for Mediterranean migratory birds, which nest here and make an annual stopover. Lake Angitola falls within the Serre Regional Natural Park.

We then reach the final destination of the walk, the seaside village of Pizzo Calabro, a veritable terrace on the Tyrrhenian Sea.

We are on the legendary Costa degli Dei, just a stone's throw from Tropea, in the medieval village known throughout the world for the Tartufo di Pizzo - the delicious homemade ice cream to be enjoyed strictly in the town's central square (Piazza della Repubblica) - and for the tragic end of King Gioacchino Murat, who was shot after a brief imprisonment in the dungeons of the Aragonese Castle (or Murat Castle).

From Piazza della Repubblica, the last leg of the "Kalabria coast to coast" Path can only end at the marina, with a refreshing dip followed by an aperitif overlooking the sunset, not before visiting the picturesque Piedigrotta Church, carved into the tuff by local fishermen following a miraculous apparition.