Located at the southernmost point of the mainland of Italy, Calabria, or Calabria in Italian, has an area of about 15,000 km² and about 2 million inhabitants. The coast is 780 km long and the Strait of Messina separates Calabria from Sicily. Calabria is covered by many mountains, for example Aspromonte with the 1955 m high Cocuzza, two other mountains Sila and Serre and in the north the massif of Pollino. It has the highest mountain, Serra Dolcedorme, 2267 m high. Some rivers, dried up in summer, cross the area, only the Crati carries water all year round. Those who love nature will discover beautiful natural landscapes in the interior of Calabria, with forests, lakes and waterfalls. For sun worshippers and water sports enthusiasts, there are many small towns along the two coasts with clear waters and sandy bays.
Those who come here not only to sunbathe and swim can visit the cradle of Magna Graecia culture and ancient settlements, or visit churches, monasteries, castles and palaces where ancient customs are still practiced today. The bronze statues of Riace, testimonies of Magna Graecia, have left their mark on this area. The statues, representing two warriors, are known all over the world and are considered ancient classical Greek sculpture. The national parks attract visitors with natural wonders such as the tree monuments of the Sila, the wildlife of the Serre and the rocks of the Aspromonte. Among the 100 most beautiful beaches in the world is the beach of Capo Vaticano, with 100-year-old trees, fine sand and crystal clear water where you can observe the fish with the naked eye.
With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, the region is one of the sunniest in all of Europe. On the west coast, on the Tyrrhenian Sea, there is a subtropical climate with little rainfall all year round and the warm Scirocco brings spring-like temperatures from Africa even in winter. The east coast, on the Ionian Sea, also has a hot climate with little precipitation. At higher altitudes it is much cooler and in winter snow falls up to 1200 meters. Average temperatures are between 7°C and 15°C in January, depending on the region, and 30 - 35°C in high summer July and August. Water temperatures from June to October vary between 21°C and 26°C and there are nine to eleven hours of sunshine a day from June to September.