Wellness weekend in Calabria: 3 relaxing proposals

There is nothing better than a wellness weekend in Calabria to detoxify from city stress and regain the right psychophysical balance.

From the sea to the mountains, from thermal spas to historic villages, Calabria is the ideal setting for those who want to escape from the city, whether alone, with family or with a group of friends.

Here are three relaxation proposals in Calabria, from the Ionian to the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Lakes of Sibari and Thermal Baths

A weekend at the Lakes of Sibari, in the municipality of Cassano all'Ionio in the province of Cosenza, is an experience that combines sea, sports nature and wellness for young and old.

This location on the Calabrian Middle Ionian constitutes a unique ecosystem. The result of an avant-garde engineering project, the Sibari Lakes Oasis is composed of a series of reservoirs built in the mid-1970s, when the sybaritide area was still a swamp.

A stone's throw from the important Archaeological Park and National Archaeological Museum of the Sibaritide, on the site of the ancient Magna Graecia Sybaris, the lakes now represent a nautical-swimming centre of great tourist appeal.

The wide, sandy beach, together with the Mediterranean maquis along the Crati River, are the natural elements enhanced by the special "sea-beach-water mirror" ecosystem connected by a large canal parallel to the coastline and equipped with a marina.

A system that accommodates residential and multi-purpose areas, with the possibility of a relaxing holiday for the whole family, without giving up sports and water activities, especially boating and sailing.

Just a stone's throw away, the Terme Sibarite complete the wellness holiday in Calabria with access to cosmetic and curative treatments for all needs.

Pools of Cassiodorus and Costa degli Aranci

The second proposal for a relaxing holiday in Calabria takes us to the Gulf of Squillace, still on the Ionian coast but in the province of Catanzaro.

The stretch of coastline known as the Costa degli Aranci between the cities of Catanzaro and Soverato (both Blue Flag locations) boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in Calabria.

Those who wish to immerse themselves in the total relaxation of a "sea-view holiday" are spoilt for choice between sandy coves and suggestive rocks that draw caves to be explored.

From north to south, we meet Catanzaro Lido, marina of the regional capital, and Squillace, perfect beaches for the services (including the marina of Lido), clubs and comfort they offer families, characterised by wide sandy shores.

Between the two, we recommend a visit to the National Archaeological Park of Scolacium (site of the Greco-Roman colony) and the Castle of Squillace, on top of the present-day village.

In Copanello di Stalettì, the Pearl of the Ionian Sea, you can take a dip in the warm waters of the ancient Vasche di Cassiodoro, once used by Cassiodorean monks for fish breeding and now true wellness pools.

A little further south, the beaches of Caminia and Pietragrande alternate a tongue of sand with cliffs, whose asperities give rise to the wonderful Grotta di San Gregorio. The bay is framed by unspoilt wilderness, a paradise for divers and snorkellers.

Montepaone's wide golden shoreline is connected to that of Soverato, a locality known as Baia dell'Ippocampo for the presence of seahorses.

Capo Vaticano, between sea and relaxation

The third and last proposal of sea and relaxation in Calabria takes us along the Tyrrhenian Sea, on one of the most fascinating stretches of the renowned Costa degli Dei, in the province of Vibo Valentia.

It is precisely the gods that seem to have designed the uncontaminated nature of these places, in the municipality of Ricadi, also chosen as a "buen retiro" by the writer Giuseppe Berto, whose house-museum (Casa Berto, hence the literary festival of the same name) can now be visited.

Fine sandy coves and breathtaking cliffs characterise a landscape overlooking the blue, rich in wild vegetation and vegetable gardens.

Diving enthusiasts should not miss the seabed at Formicoli, where you can admire an expanse of granite boulders rich in marine fauna, and the extraordinary views from the fine white beaches of Grotticelle, Riaci and Tono.

Some of the sea caves can only be reached by swimming or by boat, others can also be reached on foot, following the steep paths that lead to small oasis of serenity.

Over all reigns the Capo Vaticano Lighthouse, an unchallenged lantern that from a panoramic peak signals the right way for sailors.