Grand Tour of Calabria & the 5 Senses 2026-27

Day-by-day itinerary

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1. 1Day 1Rome – Corigliano Calabro – Rossano “Codex Purpureus Rossanensis”…

   540 km. Departure from Rome – lunch on your own – arrival in Corigliano Calabro in the afternoon – guided visit of the town (the historic center with the Ducal Castle raised by Robert Guiscard in the Norman period) – we then continue to Rossano, one of the most important Byzantine centers in Calabria – guided visit of the town (the Diocesan Museum, home to the famous Codex Purpureus Rossanensis, a UNESCO-listed treasure, and the historic center) – visit to the Giorgio Amarelli licorice factory and museum, with a tasting – arrival at the hotel – dinner at the hotel – after dinner, walking tour with your tour leader – overnight stay.

2. 2Day 2Rossano – Sila National Park – San Giovanni In Fiore – Cosenza, 160 km

   Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Sila National Park, one of the most beautiful natural areas in Italy – stops in Camigliatello Silano and San Giovanni in Fiore (the most populous town in Italy lying above 1,000 meters, with the Florense Abbey and the Capuchin Fathers’ Convent), and at Lake Cecita and Cupone, where you can admire the local flora and fauna – lunch at a traditional restaurant – free time for shopping – arrival in Cosenza in the evening – dinner at the hotel – after dinner, Cosenza by night: walking tour with your tour leader – overnight stay.

3. 3Day 3Cosenza – Pizzo Calabro – Tropea “the balcony over the Tyrrhenian Sea”…

   Vibo Valentia, 150 km. Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning, guided visit of Cosenza (the old town, the cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the castle – exterior visit) – we then continue to Pizzo Calabro – visit to the Aragonese Castle and to the splendid rock-hewn church of Piedigrotta – tasting of the famous artisanal tartufo gelato – lunch at a traditional restaurant – we continue to Tropea for a guided visit of the cathedral and the historic center, with a stop at the belvedere, a stunning balcony over the Tyrrhenian Sea – tasting of traditional red-onion specialties at a local producer – in the evening, check-in at the hotel in or near Vibo Valentia – dinner at the hotel – after dinner, Pizzo Calabro by night by private coach with your tour leader – overnight stay.

4. 4Day 4Vibo Valentia – Scilla – Reggio Calabria – Bianco – Roccella Ionica…

   220 km. Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning, visit to Scilla (the ancient fishing village of Chianalea and Monte Sant’Elia) and to Reggio Calabria (guided visit of the National Archaeological Museum with the famous Riace Bronzes, and a stroll along the seafront, celebrated as the most beautiful kilometer in Italy) – lunch at a traditional restaurant – in the afternoon we continue along the Ionian coast – stop in Bianco and visit to an estate specializing in the nectar of the gods, the highly prized Greco wine – visit to the vineyard and cellar with a tasting of Greco accompanied by pastries and dried fruit, surrounded by the floral scents of the season – arrival in Roccella Ionica or Siderno in the evening – dinner at the hotel – free evening, tour leader at your disposal – overnight stay.

5. 5Day 5Locri – Gerace “the Norman and Byzantine town” – Siderno Superiore…

   60 km. Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning, guided visit to the archaeological excavations of Locri Epizephyrii – we then continue to Gerace, the medieval citadel – guided visit of Gerace aboard a little train (an ancient monumental village full of picturesque alleys, churches and noble palaces, with the cathedral, the Church of San Francesco, the castle – exterior visit – and a visit to an artisan workshop) – tasting of delicious granita in Piazza del Tocco – visit to a local farm with its own olive mill and a small herd of Aspromonte black pigs – traditional lunch built on heirloom recipes – in the afternoon, excursion to Siderno Superiore – guided visit of the ancient village, which dates from the 10th century (splendid old palaces such as Palazzo Falletti, the Baroque Palazzo De Moia and Palazzo Englen, and the charming Church of San Nicola) – tasting of local specialties and local wine drawn straight from the barrel in age-old cellars – return to the hotel in Roccella Ionica in the evening – dinner at the hotel – free evening, tour leader at your disposal – overnight stay.

6. 6Day 6Mammola “an island of good food” – Casignana “the finest mosaics”, 110 km

   Breakfast at the hotel – full-day guided excursion – departure for Mammola – visit to the Santa Barbara Museum of Contemporary Art, which every year draws hundreds of artists from around the world to its exhibitions and cultural programs – we then continue into the village of Mammola, where time seems to have stopped – stop at a small producer specializing in the artisanal ammollo dello stoccafisso, the traditional soaking of stockfish – traditional lunch at a local restaurant where stockfish is prepared in a variety of ways – in the afternoon, visit to the remains of the Roman Villa of Casignana, richly decorated with mosaics – return to the hotel in Roccella Ionica in the evening – dinner at the hotel – after dinner, a folk show in traditional Calabrian costume – overnight stay.

7. 7Day 7Serra San Bruno – Stilo “La Cattolica” & Bivongi, 130 km

   Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning, guided visit of Serra San Bruno (the abbey – exterior visit – the museum and the enchanting park) – traditional lunch at a farmhouse, with a menu built around local wild mushrooms – in the afternoon, guided visit of Stilo (the Byzantine citadel with the famous Cattolica) and of Bivongi (transfer by jeep to the celebrated Greek Orthodox Monastery of San Giovanni Theristis) – return to the hotel in Roccella Ionica in the evening – dinner at the hotel – free evening, tour leader at your disposal – overnight stay.

8. 8Day 8The Jasmine Coast – Altomonte “one of the most beautiful villages in…

   Italy” – Rome, 700 km. Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Altomonte – guided visit of the town (an ancient medieval village with a great many historic buildings, and the Church of the Consolation) – tasting of traditional liqueurs – lunch at a traditional restaurant – departure for the return journey – arrival in the evening. Please note: the scheduled visits may be rearranged among the various days depending on museum opening hours or operational requirements, but the program itself remains unchanged.