Our guest expert in all things Calabrian, Cherrye Moore, has returned to share an insider’s frugal tips for visiting the toe of the boot without breaking the bank.
While it is no secret that it costs un bel penny to visit the bel paese, many places in southern Italy remain a bargain and provide a safe, relaxing alternative for solo travelers in Italy.
I’m head over heels for my adopted home region of Calabria and take any chance I can to share the secrets of this (almost) undiscovered area with my fellow women wanderlusters.
If you have a free weekend and an extra $250, here’s what you can do in central Calabria:
1. Arrival
I’m going to go out on a limb and assume many of you don’t already live in Calabria, so you would have the additional expense of traveling to the area. If you are in one of Italy’s larger hubs, then you can find a flight for less than $100. I typically fly Blu-Express if I’m heading to Rome, but good deals can also be found on easyJet and AirOne.
2. Transportation
Although I normally recommend travelers rent a car for their Calabrian vacations, it is possible to get around southern Italy on public transportation. You will be able to use local bus transport for about $1.25 each way and trains from the capital city of Catanzaro to Pizzo, Tropea, Locri (to name a few) cost between $6.00-$7.00 each way.
If you have an extra $100.00 or so, then consider renting a car but know that most cars in Italy are manual transmission, so if you need an automatic than reserve early.
Once you arrive at Lamezia Terme International Airport in central Calabria, you can pick up your rental car and head to your B&B.
The towering cliffs over the beach at Tropea / Photo: Przemyslaw "Blueshade" Idzkiewicz
3. B&B
As a B&B owner, I’m undeniably biased towards family owned B&Bs and small hotels, but in southern Italy, they are a remarkably better, less expensive option than big hotels. For example, our B&B is between $45.00-50.00 a night for a single room and includes breakfast, free WiFi and private parking.
4. Meals
One of the major reasons people choose to visit Calabria is for the food. Yes, it is exquisitely delicious, fresh and flavorful, but it is also affordable. Plan on spending $15.00 or so for pizza, beer, water … even a bit of limoncello. You’d spend $5.00 or so for Italian fast food or up to $25.00 for dinner with an appetizer, pasta and wine.
5. Entertainment
Once you are here, you’ll find that most of Calabria’s most enticing attractions are free. The beaches are the #1 draw to the region and free beaches can be found everywhere. Even archaeological sites, such as Scolacium and Capo Colonna are free to enter, and castles, such as Le Castella cost less than $2.00 (when there is someone there to take the fee!)
Cherrye Moore is a Calabria tour consultant and freelance writer living in Calabria, Italy. She writes about travel for MNUI Travel Insurance and about living and traveling in Calabria on her site, My Bella Vita. You can also visit her at Il Cedro B&B in Catanzaro.
