Villa 50 - the Italian Pearl
Excursions and attractions
Calabria has something for everyone. If you like history and cultural experiences, you do not have to drive far, and if you want to experience nature - the sea and mountains are only a stone´s throw away.
Popular trip - Scilla
The The old fishing town Scilla has about 5,000 inhabitants. During the summer, there are many visitors on the beach enjoying the view to Sicily and the Aeolian Islands with their active volcanoes. Scilla is more or less split in two. A central part with residential areas and administration, and a harbor area (Marina di Scilla) med Roffu Fort, the beach, lots of shopping possibilities and nice restaurants and cafes.
Scilla is on the west coast of Calabria – 123 km from Badalato.
The Roffu castle is in Scilla. The castle was built by the Duke of Calabria about 400 years B.C. It was built to ward off pirate attacks. The castle has since been used as a lighthouse, a hostel and a monastery.
Soverato
Scoverato has about 20,000 inhabitants and is about 12 km from Villa Collina. The town is especially renowned for it’s many cozy shops and specialty stores with fashionable clothes, shoes etc. – but especially the local market is a big attraction. The market takes place very Friday, from early morning until just over midday. The market is on the boardwalk, it is big, and you can find everything, fresh fruit and vegetables, textiles and fixtures and fittings for the home. Remember to visit the small side streets, where you will find the special stores and cozy restaurants the locals frequent.
If you are interested in good Italian wine, Soverato lies in Calabria’s Catanzaro Province. Calabria has at the time of writing this, no less than 12 DOC awards for their wine. Catanzaro Province has quite a few wineries worth a visit e.g. Librandi (librandi.it), Cantina Lento (cantinelento.it/English/home.HTM (close to Lamezia Terme). If you are south of Badolato, then visit Bivongi Province – including Cantina Sociale Bivongi, or Cantina Lovarato (cantinelavorata.it/English/main.html).
Explore Calabria -
by bike, on foot and by car
There are a lot of mountains in Calabria and it is a great place for cycle enthusiasts, or if you just want to enjoy spectacular and untouched nature.
Some of the mountains are steep, raw and tough with deep ravines, while others are soft and forested
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There are no less than three national parks in the Calabrian mountains, Pollino, Sila and Aspromonto, and more than 16 nature reserves. The mountains have a rich fauna, e.g. Wolves and eagles. Here is also a rich flora of flowers and trees, e.g. different types of oak, pine and maple. The mountains start right outside our door.
Volcanoes - Stromboli
Stromboli is an active volcanic island north of Sicily. The volcano has been in constant eruption for the last 2,500 years and is today the most active in Europe. There are daily eruptions – down to every 10 minutes. The volcano can be climbed accompanied by a local guide.
Stromboli is a small island with about 400 inhabitants. To get to there, you have to take a “shortish drive” to Milazzo in Sicily, then take the ferry to Stromboli town. There are ferries from Stromboli to the nearby islands, and Napoli.
Dejligt sted - dejlig ferie
- Sicily – only 2½ hours by car
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Trekking
- Tennis
- Diving
- Fishing
- Wine tasting
- Rafting (Papasidero)
- Picnics in forests and mountains
- Waterfall at Bivogni
- Church in the grotto at Stilo
- Stromboli, the active volcano ( takes a whole day)
- Museum visits and archeological digs
- Local markets every week: a small one in Badolato on mondays, and a big one in Soverato on Fridays.
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