Bleisure in Calabria
Sunset at Cirò Marina
Bleisure in Calabria
The Calabria region is suitable for bleisure tourism due to its accommodation facilities located in settings that can combine work with leisure. Located in bucolic spots or overlooking the sea they are the ideal place for meetings, conventions and corporate travel. The landscape in this region make it suitable for multiple experiences: from aquatic to mountainous, from sports activities to orienteering and barefooting.
For corporate guests wishing to travel with the family, Calabria is the leading region for child-friendly beaches and third for Blue Flag beaches. With its three National Parks, canyons, waterfalls, lakes, and adventure parks, Calabria also lends itself to adrenaline sports and team-building experiences.
On the Costa dei Saraceni the city of Crotone and the towns of Capo Rizzuto, Le Castella and Cirò are considered the most important tourist destinations. This is where most of the tourist and accommodation facilities are concentrated along with the enormous historical and archaeological heritage made up of castles and museums. This area of Calabria is known for its wines, sandy beaches, medieval villages and the presence of one of the most important centres of Magna Graecia, an archeological marine park submerged in water but clearly visible to those who love to dive. The promontory of Capo Colonna, entirely covered by the remains of the Temple of Hera Lacinia is an out of town mecca for the Kroton (Crotone) area. The current excavation area covers 30 hectares of land (within the walls of Roman era) and 20 hectares of woodland and Mediterranean scrub. The figures of Pythagoras (at the time of the Italiot League) and Hannibal (who departed from here to return to Carthage) are linked to this place. Furthermore, on the Costa dei Saraceni, there is one of Italy's largest Marine Protected Reserves, the Marine Protected Area of Capo Rizzuto.
Among the main centres to visit there is certainly Santa Severina which has been awarded the title of one of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages. Its historic centre, perched on a tufa spur, dominates the Neto Valley and is distinguished by the encased structure divided into two districts, Grecìa and Ludea, and surround the main architectural symbols of the town: the Norman Castle and the Cathedral of Sant'Anastasìa with its Baptistery, the latter being the oldest Byzantine monument in Calabria. Another not to be missed town also awarded the title of one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy is Cacurri. This medieval centre is also famous for the homonymous Literary Prize born thanks to the Caccuriani Academy.
Top 5 Bleisure experiences
- Wine tasting: a complete tour to discover the enological Calabria, with tasting in the vineyard, among the scents of the grapes, enjoying dishes designed to complement and enjoy the peace of nature.
- Excursion by dinghy to admire the characteristic coves of the Isola Capo Rizzuto Marine Protected Reserve and the Aragonese fortress, with a wine aperitif and typical Calabrian products enjoyed on board.
- Cooking class with a starred chef, with the preparation of a 3 course meal and tasting at the end of the experience.
- Private Tour inside the Capo Colonna National Archaeological Park + Private Boat Tour in the Marine Protected Area of Capo Rizzuto with snorkelling, sea-watching and diving experience to view underwater archeological sites.
- Full-day orienteering experience. Within an adventure park located in the Sila National Park, orienteering activities will be organized through various disciplines such as individual running, horse riding, or mountain biking. This new sport is practiced using tools such as compasses and maps and the objective is to find numbered reference points positioned along the route, which must be guessed on the basis of clues provided in advance.
Fun facts
- The fortress of Le Castella, probably of Magno-Greek origin, stands on a small peninsula jutting out into the sea located in the Marine Reserve of Isola Capo Rizzuto, and is "the only castle in Europe in the middle of the sea".
- Calabria is one of the favorite regions for kitesurfing. On the Costa dei Saraceni, the meeting point for kitesurf enthusiasts is at the end of the bay of Steccato di Cutro, in the province of Crotone.
- One of the most evocative places in this area is the Calanchi di Cutro. The first to bring this suggestive place to national attention was Pier Paolo Pasolini in the 1950s, shooting many scenes of the film The Gospel According to Matthew and describing the gullies shaped by nature as "imagined by Kafka".