Visiting Calabria by camper: recommended itineraries

The itinerary for discovering Ionian Calabria by camper starts from the coast of the Upper Ionian Sea and stops at the equipped rest area of Roseto Capo Spulico, the ‘’Village of Roses and Cherries‘’.

We are in an ancient village on the Ionian Sea, on whose coast lies one of the most important Frederician castles in Calabria. As its name suggests, Roseto has been famous since the Middle Ages for the cultivation of roses, whose petals, according to legend, filled the pillows of princesses. Today, one of the main local crops is a prized variety of cherry, crowned "Italy's most beautiful cherry".

This beautiful location, which is also Blue Flag and boasts an iconic rock on the seashore, the so-called ‘Incudine Rock’ because of its unmistakable shape, offers those wishing to spend their holidays in Calabria in camper a free parking area right behind the castle.

The tour of Calabria by camper continues on the Ionian Sea in the province of Crotone with a stop at Cirò Marina.

A territory of ancient origins, Cirò Marina stands on the area of ancient Krimisa, a colony of Magna Graecia, whose remains are still visible from the Shrine of Apollo Aleo, at Punta Alice, to the Lipuda stream. An area surrounded by centuries-old olive groves and vineyards, the latter cultivated with Gaglioppo, the ancient native vine from which one of the most famous Calabrian wines, Cirò DOC, is made.

Here there are three parking areas dedicated to those who dream of discovering Calabria by camper in all seasons: you can choose between a super-equipped area inside a farmhouse, with 5 pitches, electricity and a garden; an equipped campe area in a private garden with 8 pitches, electricity and use of a small swimming pool for those who choose to visit Calabria by camper in August; or, the equipped camper area at Punta Alice, with 15 pitches on beaten earth shaded by eucalyptus trees, with token shower, electricity, barbecue area and in summer a small internal market with bar.

Visiting Calabria by camper along the Ionian coast means stopping in Cropani Marina (seaside village of Cropani, province of Catanzaro).

Halfway between the splendid Costa degli Aranci and the foothills of the Sila National Park, Cropani Marina offers an unspoilt beach from which one can see the historic centre on the hillside. A maze of alleys articulated around several monumental buildings, such as the beautiful Romanesque-style cathedral (13th century). The other churches and the small local Antiquarium are also worth visiting.  

Campers will find everything they are looking for in the seaside hamlet: a first camper area with 80 pitches in a pine forest by the sea with every comfort: toilets, electricity, an amphitheatre for evening entertainment shows, a public or equipped beach and, nearby, clubs and sports facilities; a second camper area on grass, open all year round and "pet friendly" (free for dogs).

Our tour of Calabria by camper (Ionian coast) ends in the province of Reggio Calabria, on the unspoilt beaches of Brancaleone Marina.

We are on the so-called "Turtle Beach", the area chosen by the Caretta Caretta species for nesting every year. Here you can witness the exciting phenomenon of night hatching and enjoy naturalistic activities and workshops at the Sea Turtle Recovery Centre, one of the most active in the Mediterranean. Brancaleone is also the town where the writer Cesare Pavese stayed, composing some of his masterpieces here in exile. The house-museum is among the places not to be missed along with the archaeological site on the hill of Brancaleone Vetus (or Sperlonga).

Summer campers in Brancaleone can stop directly by the sea, where a 20,000 square metre structure with 150 pitches of 60 square metres (6x10) open from July to September awaits them.

Do you dream of exploring Tyrrhenian Coast of Calabria by camper even in winter? Come and stop in the mountains of the Pollino National Park, in the province of Cosenza.

The town of Frascineto, with an Arbëreshë (Italo-Albanian) ethnolinguistic minority, is waiting to tell you about ancient traditions, Greek Orthodox rituals, traditional clothes, folk dancing and singing that draw on the first communities of Albanians who landed in Calabria. Here you can visit the Albanian Costume Museum and the Museum of Byzantine Icons, as well as explore the unspoilt nature of the Pollino with year-round excursions.

Frascineto offers an always-active camper area, equipped with electricity and nearby premises, just a few steps from the town centre but immersed in a highly evocative naturalistic setting.

We continue our tour of Calabria by camper via Diamante (CS), with its historic centre known as the "City of Murals and Chilli Pepper" and the marina overlooking the island of Cirella, one of Calabria's two small islands.

The name praises two of Diamante's main features: the presence of dozens of murals that make the houses in the historic centre into open-air paintings on the history and traditions of the town; and the not-to-be-missed Chilli Pepper Festival, which every year pays homage to the main food of Calabrian gastronomy, the hot chilli pepper.

There are four camper areas that Diamante offers to fans of the genre: the first, in Cirella, has electricity and shady, well-kept green areas, with a small market inside the structure, a bar and a playground; the second, open all year round and adjacent to a bathing establishment, has stalls on gravel and dirt road, electricity, toilets and showers; the same goes for the camper area in Contrada Riviere; the last of the four, directly on the sea, offers the service only during the summer.

If you have chosen to visit Calabria by camper along the Tyrrhenian coast, you cannot fail to stop along the wonderful Costa degli Dei, in the province of Vibo Valentia.

Among the various equipped destinations, we choose the seaside resort of Parghelia, a favourite with divers and snorkellers. It is a perfect destination for those wishing to explore Calabria by camper in August and explore one of the most beautiful stretches of sea. The bays not to be missed? La Pizzuta and Michelino Beach, counted among the "Maldives of Calabria".

The equipped camper area at Parghelia is located 400 m from the tourist port of Tropea (reachable by shuttle bus for a fee) and offers 35 stalls on beaten earth and gravel, electricity, a sanitary block with coin-operated showers, drinking water directly on the pitch, and a small grocery store a short distance away.

Do you want to spend your holidays in Calabria in camper all year round, winter included? The mountain resort of Serra San Bruno, also in the province of Vibo Valentia, gives you the four-season charm of the Serre Regional Park, a real gem for campers.

The town is famous because it was founded in the year 1000 around the presence of the saint Bruno di Colonia, who founded the Charterhouse of Saints Stephen and Bruno (with adjoining museum) here, still one of the few inhabited ones. The historic centre is a Baroque jewel, with dozens of churches with facades in local granite. From here, trekking enthusiasts can access the Archiforo Wood trails, among those selected in the world for practising silvo-therapy (shirin yokue, ‘bathing in the forest’) at the Frassati Path.

One kilometre from the village, in the farmhouse, there is an asphalt camper area equipped with every service, lit also at night and active all year round.

We conclude our tour of Calabria by camper with a truly unmissable Tyrrhenian location on the Costa Viola: Scilla (RC).

One of the most beautiful seaside villages in Calabria, Scilla is famous because of the sea monster of the same name that churns the waters of the Strait, opposite its mythological counterpart Charybdis. It is also famous for its swordfish, which is eaten here both in gourmet restaurants on stilts, immersed in the sea, and as street food in the typical sandwich. The fishing district of Chianalea, also known as the "Little Venice of the South" is one of the most romantic places in the region. Not to be missed is a visit to the historic centre and the majestic Ruffo Castle that dominates it.

Scilla offers an equipped camper area with stalls on beaten earth and gravel, in a panoramic position on the Strait, 2 km from the town but reachable by shuttle bus.