Expore Italy: Calabria

This tour will focus on the naturalistic aspects of Calabria, characterized from a geomorphological point of view, by being a "mountain in the middle of the sea" ... indeed, mountains in the middle of the seas! Because in truth the three great mountain massifs that characterize Calabria have different origins and compositions, just as the two seas are profoundly different from each other.

The geomorphological peculiarities determine the Calabrian crops and cultures, creating a multiform and multifaceted region from every point of view: the barren and rocky mountain territory of the Pollino becomes a forest in Sila, the rocky coasts of the Tyrrhenian become expanses of sand on the Ionian, the typical crops of cold mountain areas alternate with the botanical gardens of the valleys. A wealth of resources is changing in every corner, reflected in the food and wine productions that alternate the poor dishes of the mountain tradition with the sumptuousness of the great fish cuisine in the sea areas. And when the mountain and the sea meet, they give rise to unique specialties, such as “Sardella,” sea fish preserved in the mountains!

The cultures, the rites, the traditions…sometimes remained unchanged over the centuries, as in the closed and inaccessible territories of the Pollino area, where apotropaic and arbreshe rites still resist. (Assandria del Carretto) Also, traditions of unique wine production methods (passito muscat of Saracena); sometimes open to the world, welcoming, with that welcome that the center of the Mediterranean, cradle and path of all great civilizations, can give…….It's time to start the journey between two seas and three peaks: open your eyes to wonder.

Enjoy $200 off if you are a current student at Speakitaly NYC.