Calabria is a seaside region with a mountainous soul, stretching along a ridge covered with Mediterranean scrub and conifers, snow-capped peaks where winter sports can be practised and clearings cultivated or devoted to grazing, from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Ionian Sea. The only region in Italy to host 3 National Parks on its territory, Pollino, Sila and Aspromonte, Calabria offers mountain lovers the purity of an uncontaminated nature: a heritage to be discovered on foot, by bike or on horseback along the many Paths and Cycle Routes, starting with the Calabria Parks Cycle Route. Discover all the equipped and mapped trails (recognised by MiC, CAI and the Regional Register of Trails of Calabria), stopping in small towns to discover traditions and typical mountain products.
In addition to its National Parks, Calabria offers the charm of the Serre Regional Nature Park, which covers 18,000 hectares across three provinces and also includes the WWF Lake Angitola Nature Reserve, a nesting and migration site for various species of Mediterranean birds.
- Pollino National Park - covers 32 municipalities in the province of Cosenza, its symbol is the Pino Loricato and it boasts several UNESCO Geosites.
- Sila National Park - its symbol is the Sila Wolf and it extends between the provinces of Cosenza, Catanzaro and Crotone (Sila Grande, Sila Piccola and Sila Greca). Among its forests one breathes "the best air in Europe", certified by a team of expert biologists.
- Aspromonte National Park - covers the province of Reggio Calabria and it offers UNESCO Geosites with surprising shapes (Valle delle Grandi Pietre), as well as several thematic trails, such as the literary ones dedicated to the writers Corrado Alvaro (Literary Park of the same name) and Edward Lear (English Path).