Located in the southwest of Italy,
Calabria is the toe of the Italian boot! We
find it extraordinary that given it's unbelievable
riches it still remains relatively unknown to this
day. The nature, people, history and traditions create
a unique Calabrian feel, not forgetting the incredibly
diverse and delicious kitchen of the region. This
is all due to the various cultural influences that
have shaped it's history. Fortunately, the days of
the great conquerors are in the past and the local
people are happy to offer a genuine, warm welcome
and friendly attitude to visitors. It's not
unheard of to get picked up by total strangers and
be offered a cup of coffee, home-made biscuits, wine
or 'friselle' (a delicious local flat bread with olive
oil and peppers.)
Southern Italy
The old Italian traditions and cultures are seen
in the south of Italy. The way of living is very
different when compared to countries of northern
Europe.
Lifestyle
Food is a very important element in the daily Italian
lifestyle. The kitchen is one of the most important
areas within a houseshold. Due to the climate, people
from the north of Europe tend to live more indoors
and great importance is given to the interior of
their homes. Instead, life in Italy is
predominantly outdoors and less attention
is paid to the interior of homes.
Opening hours
In some parts of southern Italy, the people are still not used to tourism. If you happen to be there during spring or autumn months, you might find most of the stores, cafes or restaurants closed. The Italian summer vacations are mainly in the months of July and August. In general, the opening hours of the stores are from 9.00-13.00 hrs and from 16.00-20.00 hrs. The museums and churches are mostly open between 7.00-12.00 hrs and 16.00-19.00 hrs.
The stores and museums are closed on mondays.
If you happen to find a closed museum or church, you can always
inquire with the local inhabitants. There is also a possiblilty
that a museum would especially open it's doors just for you.
Just remember that if you decide to visit a church or a museum,
make sure that you are properly dressed; avoid walking in
shorts or naked shoulder.
Traffic
In general, the roads in all of the south of Italy are reasonable. The main roads and the highways are mostly kept in good conditions. For the usage of the highway though, you will need to pay toll. There are also secondary roads but, it is not adviseable to use them.
Since 2003, when you drive during the day time, the lights
must be turned on at all times (day and night.) If
you happen to make an emergency stop, like changing a
tire wheel, you will need to wear a safety vest so you can
be visible to others. If you fail to comply with these rules,
you might get fined.
Food
A lot of attention is paid to food in the south of Italy.
People tend to eat full meals two times a day. At lunch
and dinner, people get served abbundant amount of food.
This is just part of the old Italian tradition. The
cusine is based on simple and tasty dishes. As for the vegeterians,
there are enough varities of food to choose from. The morning
breakfast is simple: coffee with warm milk and some Italian
'Cornetto' which is a sweet croissant. You have to keep
in mind though that not all the restaurants are open before
and after summer seasons.
TIP:Sandwiches can be prepared at local supermarkets.
Swimming Pool Unlike the most Italian people, for the most northern Europeans, taking a dive in the swimming pool in the early spring or late autumn months is normal.
