8-day Calabria tour: Ancient villages, coast, and Magna Graecia

Eight days to walk through villages that shaped Western Europe

An 8-day guided tour of Calabria starting in Lamezia Terme, crossing the region's ancient heartland from coastal Tropea to inland mountain towns. The itinerary moves through Pizzo, Reggio Calabria, Gerace, Stilo, Cosenza, and the Sila mountains, with stops at the Romanesque cathedral in Tropea, the Castle of Ruffo in Scilla, the Sibari Archaeological Park, and the Codex Purpureus in Rossano: a 6th-century manuscript held as UNESCO heritage. Lunch is included. A live guide speaks English, Spanish, or Italian.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Lamezia Terme and Tropea

• Arrive at Lamezia Terme airport
• Transfer to hotel
• Dinner and accommodation

Day 2: Tropea and Pizzo Tour

• Breakfast at hotel
• Depart for Pizzo
• Guided tour of Pizzo Castle
• Visit Church of Piedigrotta
• Free time for lunch
• Return to Tropea
• Visit Romanesque cathedral
• Explore historic center
• Optional visit to Santa Maria dell'Isola
• Dinner and overnight stay

Day 3: Scilla and Reggio Calabria

• Breakfast at hotel
• Depart for Scilla
• Visit Chianalea village
• Visit Castle of Ruffo and Church of San Rocco
• Continue to Reggio Calabria
• Free time for lunch
• Visit National Museum of Magna Graecia
• Admire panorama and Roman Baths
• Visit Greek Fortifications and Cathedral
• Return to hotel
• Dinner and accommodation

Day 4: Gerace, Stilo, and Catanzaro Lido

• Breakfast at hotel
• Depart for Gerace
• Visit medieval village and Romanesque cathedral
• Free lunch
• Continue to Stilo
• Visit "Cattolica" monument
• Travel to Catanzaro area
• Dinner and hotel stay

Day 5: Sila Mountains and Cosenza

• Breakfast at hotel
• Depart for Sila mountains
• Stop in Camigliatello Silano for walk and shopping
• Arrive in Cosenza
• Lunch at agriturismo
• Return to hotel
• Dinner and accommodation

Day 6: Cosenza and Paola

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit historic center of Cosenza
• Admire Piazza Prefettura, Rendano Theater, Svevo Castle
• Walk Corso Telesio to Cathedral
• Cross Calatrava Bridge to Corso Mazzini
• Visit MAB open-air museum
• Free time for shopping or lunch
• Depart for Paola
• Visit Sanctuary of Saint Francis of Paola
• Dinner and overnight stay

Day 7: Sibari, Rossano, and Altomonte

• Breakfast at hotel
• Depart to Sibari Archaeological Park
• Guided tour and visit Sibaritide Museum
• Travel to Rossano Scalo
• Visit Amarelli Licorice Museum and tasting
• Free time for lunch
• Visit Rossano Calabro Cathedral and diocesan museum
• Stop in Altomonte
• Return to Cosenza for dinner and overnight

Day 8: Departure from Lamezia Terme

• Breakfast at hotel
• Leisure time
• Transfer to airport
• End of services

The experience

The route opens in Tropea, where you visit the 12th-century Romanesque cathedral and walk the historic center's panoramic balconies before the option to climb the long staircase to Santa Maria dell'Isola Monastery. From there the tour moves south along the coast to Scilla, where you see Chianalea, an ancient fishing village, and the Castle of Ruffo, then continues to Reggio Calabria. The National Museum of Magna Graecia holds the Bronzi di Riace, two life-size Greek bronze statues recovered from the sea. The city also preserves Roman baths, Greek fortifications, and a cathedral overlooking what Gabriele D'Annunzio called "the most beautiful kilometer of Italy."

Inland, the tour reaches Gerace, a medieval village known for its hundred churches, where the Romanesque cathedral is the largest in southern Italy. Stilo follows, birthplace of the philosopher Thomas Aquinas, with a visit to the Cattolica, a late Byzantine monument unique in Western Europe. The Sibari Archaeological Park shows ancient streets and the Sibaritide Museum. Rossano holds the Cathedral of Maria Santissima Achiropita and the diocesan museum where the Codex Purpureus Rossanensis, a 6th-century Christian manuscript, is displayed. A stop in Altomonte, ranked among Italy's most beautiful towns, breaks the journey before returning to Cosenza.

The mountains arrive on day five: a drive into the Sila range brings unspoiled forest and unexpected highland landscapes. A walk through Camigliatello Silano lets you browse local products, and lunch at an agriturismo offers a taste of authentic Calabrian cooking. Cosenza itself spans a historic center with Piazza Prefettura, the Rendano Theater, Svevo Castle, and the Cathedral, plus the MAB, an open-air contemporary art museum along Corso Mazzini. The final inland stop is the Sanctuary of Saint Francis of Paola, a pilgrimage site tied to Calabria's patron saint. Hotel stays are in 4-star properties. Transfers from Lamezia Terme airport and back are arranged.

What’s included

• Accommodation in 4-star hotels in double rooms for eight nights.
• lunch daily.
• a live guide in your chosen language.
• guided tours of the Castle of Pizzo, the Church of Piedigrotta, Tropea's cathedral and historic center, Chianalea and the Castle of Ruffo in Scilla, Reggio Calabria's museum and Roman sites, the medieval villages of Gerace and Stilo with their churches, the Sibari Archaeological Park and museum, the Amarelli Licorice Museum in Rossano Scalo with a tasting of traditional products, Rossano's cathedral and diocesan museum, Cosenza's historic center including the MAB open-air art museum, and the Sanctuary of Saint Francis of Paola.
• a walk through Camigliatello Silano in the Sila mountains.
• and airport transfer on arrival.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (9 to 85 years) · Infant (under 9)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by VoglioVolare Tour Operator

Is this one for you?Choose this eight-day itinerary if you want a structured route that balances coastal and mountain stops with ancient Greek sites and medieval villages: each day moves you forward without requiring you to plan logistics yourself.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 9).

What is the Bronzi di Riace and where do I see it?

The Bronzi di Riace are two life-size Greek bronze statues from antiquity, recovered from the sea off Calabria's coast. You see them in the National Museum of Magna Graecia in Reggio Calabria on day three of the tour.

Can I visit Santa Maria dell'Isola Monastery on my own, or is it part of the guided tour?

Santa Maria dell'Isola is listed as an independent option in Tropea on day two. The guided portion covers the Romanesque cathedral and the historic center. You can climb the long staircase to the monastery on your own time.

What kind of food do I eat during the tour?

Lunch is included on most days. On day three in Reggio Calabria it is free time. On day five, lunch is served at an agriturismo in the Sila mountains, where you taste typical Calabrian cuisine. Dinners are at the hotel each night.

What is the Codex Purpureus Rossanensis?

The Codex Purpureus Rossanensis is a 6th-century Christian manuscript written on purple parchment and designated UNESCO heritage. It is held in the diocesan museum in Rossano Calabro, which you visit on day seven.