{"id":26041,"date":"2026-07-05T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/colorfest.it\/?p=26041"},"modified":"2026-07-14T09:11:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T07:11:39","slug":"calabrian-villages-a-3-day-itinerary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/colorfest.it\/en\/borghi-calabria-itinerario-3-giorni\/","title":{"rendered":"Villages to visit in Calabria: a 3-day itinerary"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Villages<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I villages to visit in Calabria<\/strong> They are among the most beautiful in Italy and are spread across three different landscapes: the Tyrrhenian coast<\/strong>, the Ionian coast<\/strong> and theinland<\/strong> Apennine. This guide suggests a 3-day itinerary<\/strong> based at Lamezia Terme<\/strong>, designed for those coming to the Colour Fest 14<\/strong> and wants to extend their trip by exploring Norman cathedrals, Byzantine chapels and villages perched above the sea. The festival takes place on the\u201911, 12 and 13 August 2026<\/strong> on Falcone and Borsellino promenade<\/strong>, the Riviera of Sunsets<\/strong>: three days of concerts and three days to explore the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lamezia is the ideal starting point for this tour: it is situated almost in the centre of the region, has an international airport and is just a few hours\u2019 journey from both the Tyrrhenian<\/strong> whether it is the Ionian Sea<\/strong>. The three routes described below can all be completed in a day, either returning in the evening or staying overnight along the way. Here\u2019s how to organise them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day 1: Tyrrhenian coast \u2014 Pizzo, Tropea, Capo Vaticano<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Soveria<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first day is devoted to Coast of the Gods<\/strong>, the stretch of Tyrrhenian coastline running from Lace<\/strong> a Nicotera<\/strong> and it is one of the most spectacular in the Mediterranean. It starts from Lamezia<\/strong> heading south. First stop Pizzo Calabro<\/strong>, perched on a tuff cliff overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea: here you can visit the Aragonese Castle<\/em>, where he was imprisoned and shot Joachim Murat<\/strong>, King of Naples, and the famous is enjoyed in the square truffle of Pizzo<\/em>, artisan chocolate and hazelnut ice cream with PGI status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We continue towards Tropea<\/strong>, nicknamed the The Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea<\/em>. The historic centre, with its circular layout, overlooks the sea from five panoramic terraces: the most picturesque is the\u2019The Balcony of Sighs<\/em>, at the end of Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Below, on a rocky outcrop, the Shrine of Santa Maria dell'Isola<\/em> dominates the Rotunda Beach<\/em>, one of the most photographed in Italy. When it comes to food, don\u2019t miss the Tropea red onion PGI<\/strong>. Lunch in the city centre, then in the afternoon we head down to Capo Vaticano<\/strong>, in the municipality of Ricadi: coves with white sand and water as clear as in the Caribbean, with the beaches of Caves<\/em> e Tone<\/em>. From Lighthouse Viewpoint<\/em>, at a height of 124 metres, on clear days you can see the Strait of Messina<\/strong> and the Aeolian Islands<\/strong>: the perfect spot to watch the sunset, before heading back to Lamezia<\/strong> in the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Day 2: Ionian coast \u2014 Gerace, Stilo, Bova<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Belvedere<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On the second day, the landscape and atmosphere change completely: we move on to the ion<\/strong>, rougher and wilder, where the villages tell the story of the long season Byzantine<\/em> e Norman<\/em> in Calabria. First stop Gerace<\/strong>, a Norman town perched 500 metres above sea level and nestled amongst Italy\u2019s Most Beautiful Villages<\/em>. The heart of the village is the Cathedral<\/strong>, consecrated in the 1045<\/strong>: at 1,690 m\u00b2, it is the largest in Calabria, built partly on bare rock and supported by a Byzantine crypt in the shape of a Greek cross with twenty-six columns. All around are narrow streets lined with craft shops and stately homes, and the 16th-century Gate of the Sun<\/em> and the remains of the Norman castle<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We continue towards Stylus<\/strong>, the City of the Sun<\/em> which was the birthplace of the philosopher Tommaso Campanella<\/strong>. Here you will find the Cattolica di Stilo<\/strong>, a small Byzantine chapel built between the 9th and 10th centuries on the slope of the Monte Consolino<\/em>: Greek cross plan, red bricks, five small domes and frescoes depicting the Christ Pantocrator<\/em>. Historians regard it as the finest example of Byzantine religious architecture in the region. The final stop is Bova<\/strong>, the cultural capital of Grecanica Calabria<\/strong>, which is also one of Italy\u2019s Most Beautiful Villages: here, the elderly still speak the Greco-Calabrian<\/em>, an archaic variant of Greek closely related to the dialects of Crete and Cyprus. Don\u2019t miss the Co-cathedral<\/em>the San Leo Sanctuary<\/em> and the Museum of the Greek-Calabrian Language<\/em>. Overnight stay in Locri<\/strong> o Soverato<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Day 3: inland \u2014 Sila, Soveria Mannelli, Civita<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On the last day, he heads up towards the\u2019inland<\/strong> in the Apennines, where Calabria reveals its mountainous and tranquil side. First stop Soveria Mannelli<\/strong>, a hamlet of the Sila<\/strong> known for two outstanding features: the Leo Wool Mill<\/em>, founded in 1873<\/strong>, the region\u2019s oldest textile mill, now a design hub and corporate museum where the nineteenth-century looms can still be seen; and the publishing house Rubbettino<\/em>, which prints a significant proportion of Italian books here. Lunch, then the afternoon in the Sila<\/strong> in its own right: the lakes Ampollino<\/em> e Arvo<\/em>, the centuries-old pine forests and the fresh air of the plateau, perfect for a break from the August heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a fourth day available, you can venture further north, to the foot of the Pollino National Park<\/strong>, up to Civita<\/strong>: village arb\u00ebresh\u00eb<\/em> (Italian-Albanian) one of the best-preserved in the region, with its characteristic kasbah-style houses, striking chimneys and the gjitonia<\/em>, the neighbourhood of narrow streets and courtyards typical of Albanian culture. From here, you can reach the spectacular Raganello River<\/em> with its gorges. I\u2019m heading back to Lamezia<\/strong> In the evening, ready for the concerts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An overview of the villages on the route<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here is a summary of the stops over the three days, which will help you plan your journey by car from Lamezia Terme<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n