In the evenings, when the sun is setting and Stromboli, the volcano, seems to float above the sea to the west, vacationers gather at the observation points of Tropea. This city, perched atop steep cliffs, presents a microcosm of Calabria. This part of the southern "toe" of Italy is a place promising an easygoing life and all the pleasures of Mediterranean cuisine.
Mind the mafia
But one should be prepared for a few unpleasantnesses. In Calabria, nobody can totally evade the Ndrangheta - the mafia clans who can make life difficult for people in ways that one does not expect. If the garbage piles up uncollected on the streets, then people simply shrug and say "smafia." Those driving on the southernmost stretch of the A3 highway between Vibo Valentia and Reggio Calabria must reckon with roadworks along the way, sites where the building work has been going on for decades now. The criminals stole the money budgeted for the work. A similar picture emerges on the narrow and steep country roads going inland from Tropea or along the coast to Capo Vaticano or to Pizzo. At one point, construction began many years ago on a tunnel through a mountain. Construction work stopped somewhere in the middle of the mountain.
Drives through the Calabrian countryside are nonetheless rewarding. Visitors love the scenery of the many remote villages and beautiful mountainous landscapes. The serene town of Nicotera, south of Tropea, for example, is well worth a visit. From high up, there is a magnificent view stretching along the coastal plain between Rosarno and Gioia Tauro, Italy's largest container port. To the north, the small city of Pizzo offers many narrow alleyways that please the eye, plus great breaks on the main market square. In any of the cafes there you can sample tartufo, an ice cream dessert. Pizzo lays claim to having invented this tasty delicacy.
Foodie paradise
Tropea is a city with a large selection of restaurants ranging from simple fare to exquisite dining. Red onions seem to show up in everything, whether it be pizza toppings, the pasta sauce, in salads, or atop slices of bread. The onions, known as cipollas, have a mild taste. Woven together in a braid, the onions are also a favourite souvenir to take home. Besides the beaches of fine sand and the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean, Tropea offers a further rewarding distraction. In good weather, each morning a small fleet of excursion boats will head out to the Aeolian islands, about 70 kilometres to the west.
Visiting volcanoes
The best excursion will be a combination of stopovers on the islands of Lipari, Vulcano and Stromboli. Vulcano features a picture-book volcanic crater. Visitors suffering from rheumatism or psoriasis like to take mud-bath treatment there, with the air smelling of sulphur. Also a rewarding experience is a bus excursion on the main island of Lipari. At the most scenic lookout point, there is a simple food stand serving up a mouth-watering antipasti snack: bruschettas topped by the island's famous capers.
Finally, the island of Stromboli lures visitors if for no other reason than to see the setting of the film of the same name and to see the house used by actress Ingrid Bergman and director Roberto Rossellini. One shouldn't expect too much excitement from the volcanic activity on the island. The volcano's eruptions take place every 15 to 20 minutes but as a rule aren't all that spectacular.
