Italy info

With the longest coastline of any inland region of Italy, Calabria just may be Italy's best kept secret. What makes Calabria such an intriguing region to visit is that even though they have such an extensive coastline filled with white sandy beaches the region as a whole is approximately 91% hilly or mountainous.

Calabria is located in southern Italy and makes up the toe of Italy's "famed boot." Calabria is bordered to the north by the region of Basilicata, to the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, and to the east and south by the Ionian Sea. Sicily, which is located to the southwest, does not quite touch the tip of Calabria but it is just a stones throw away.

Calabria currently has 409 comunes residing in the following five provinces: Catanzaro, which is the regional capital, Cosenza, Crotone, Vibo Valentia, and Reggio di Calabria. The region ranks 10th out of 20 in total area. According to ISTAT (Italy's National Institute of Statistics) as of 2006 Calabria has a total population of 2,004,415, which also ranks them tenth. One fact that many people may not know about the region is that the southern portion of Calabria was called Italia and that it's inhabitants were called Italians. When the Romans conquered the area and started to unify the peninsula the name continued on until the entire area took on the name Italia.

There is much to learn about the region of Calabria. From its vast history to its various traditions and customs this guide will help you uncover all the charm and beauty that this region has to offer.