SLOW FOOD TOUR

DAY 1: BADOLATO

Upon arrival at Lamezia Terme International Airport you’ll be welcomed by your private driver, who will bring you to Badolato. After the check-in at the carefully restored, historic properties in the “albergo diffuso” in Badolato our tour starts right off with an easy walk with your native local guide. He will reveal you Badolato’s culture, architecture, natural and political history and tell stories about the calabrian people and their traditions. Discover little narrow streets and hidden corners that gives Badolato a special charm. Get immersed directly in the life of the locals. Enjoy a delectable Slow Food welcome dinner  at “Catojo dello Spinetto”, a local restaurant in an old cellar where you get to find out more about the itinerary of the slow food tour of Calabria and about the slow food philosophy. Overnight.

DAY 2: BADOLATO

After breakfast meet your private driver and local guide and start the day with a visit to the ancient  Franciscan monastery of “Santa Maria degli Angeli” followed by an experience to “Cirimingiano”, a local winery located up on the hills of Badolato. Enjoy a light lunch with local organic products and wine tasting in a magnificent court yard overlooking the mediterranean sea and the old medieval village of Badolato. After lunch return back to your accommodation.  Time to relax and free evening. Overnight.

DAY 3: GERACE – MAMMOLA

Breakfast and depart to Gerace, a beautiful and intact medieval town, where we’ll visit the majestic Cathedral with three aisles, supported by columns of the temples of Locri Epizephiri. After a nice walk through this wonderfull medieval town we’ll stop at Piazza del Tocco for a special aperitif at the “Gelateria del Tocco”, one of the best ice cream shops in Calabria. We’ll continue to Mammola an old inn land village for a visit to the particular park museum “Musaba”. We’ll  end the evening at “Bacco & Stocco”, a local restaurant where we’ll taste “baccalà fish”. Overnight.

DAY 4: PIZZO CALABRO – TROPEA

Breakfast and departure to Pizzo to visit “Cantine Benvenuto”, one of the four producers who created the association “The winemakers of Angitola” and began to recover the terraces of Pizzo and Francavilla Angitola to bring these fine grapes back to the market. After this experience we’ll move to Pizzo Calabro to explore this charming town with his local church and Aragonese Castle. But a visit to Pizzo would be incomplete without a taste of the famous Tartufo di Pizzo, a cocoa-dusted chocolate-and-hazelnut ice cream bombe, invented in the Calabrian seaside town of Pizzo in 1952. The delicious dome of hazelnut gelato is dusted in cacao to resemble a truffle. We’ll continue to Tropea, considered the jewel of the Tyrrhenian coast. Visit of the old town and free time for shooping some Calabrian specialties to bring back home. Return to your accommodation. We’ll end the evening in Badolato in a local restaurant, where we’ll taste some specialties of the best culinary traditions of Badolato from the home canned preserves in olive oil with spicy calabrian peppers to goat meat raised at the farm, from beans to the traditional homemade pasta. Overnight stay.

DAY 5: SERRASTRETTA

Breakfast and departure to Serrastretta, a village among the Reventino Mountains where we’ll meet a Slow Food Community that will explain us how they saved ancient Calabrian beans and legumes. Hiking through the Reventino Mountains and visit to an old “casella” (an old dryer) where people dry chestnuts to produce “pastille”. Stop for lunch at “Il Vecchio Castagno”,  among the most excellent osterie of Italy according to Slow Food in 2019, where the chef  will talk about slow food cuisine. On the way back to Badolato we’ll stop in Soveria Mannelli for a visit to Lanificio Leo, the oldest Calabrian textile factory that keeps a monumental machine park from the end of the nineteenth century with which production is still carried out. Dinner in a local restaurant and overnight stay.

DAY 6: SCILLA – REGGIO CALABRIA

Today we drive south along the enchanting Tyrrhenian coast to the picturesque small town of Scilla, a beautiful fishing village made famous by mythology as being the home of the monster Scylla. A walking tour of the nearby town of Chianalea will bring us right to Ruffo Castle.  After lunch we will continue to Reggio Calabria for a visit  ofthe National Archaeological Museum, home of the “Bronzi di Riace”, world-famous ancient-Greek bronze warriors that were under the sea until 1972. We will also visit the famous “Gelateria Cesare” that’s over 100 years old, and whose award-winning recipes have been trademarked. We’ll end the evening in Badolato where we’ll taste traditional Calabrian pizza. Overnight stay.

DAY 7: SAN FLORO

After breakfast, we’ll head to San Floro, a charming village surrounded by lush green hills. Here, a dedicated group of young Calabrians has revitalized the age-old tradition of silkworm breeding, making it their primary focus. They’ve created a harmonious blend of craftsmanship, culture, art, and culinary delights. Our journey start with a with a visit to the Silk Museum inside the historic castle. Afterward, we’ll stroll through the Mulberry orchard and wrap up our guided adventure beneath the canopy of a centuries-old pine tree. Here, you’ll savor a lunch featuring locally sourced organic products, celebrating the region’s rich agricultural heritage. In the afternoon we’ll stop for a visit at “Mulinum”, where Stefano Caccavari started thanks to a crowdfunding campaign on Facebook  the largest supply chain in Calabria specialized in local grains. In the early afternoon return back to Badolato and rest of the evening at your leisure to relax. Overnight.

DAY 8: GUARDAVALLE – STILO – BADOLATO, coking class

Breakfast and departure to Agriturismo Villa Vittoria”, a local farmhouse in Guardavalle for a visit at the groves and “Museum of rural culture”.  After a nice walk along the farm we’ll start our cooking class preparing local Calabrian dishes and end with our prepared lunch based on genuine homemade food by Nonna  Vittoria.  After lunch we’ll visit Stilo, a town of ancient origin. The old center houses the Cattolica, one of the best preserved Byzantine churches, the Baroque Church of St. Francesco d’Assisi and the Cathedral, which dates back to the thirteenth century. Return to your accommodation to relax before we will conclude the evening with our farewell dinner at “Catojo dello Spinetto” in the historic center of Badolato with a dinner featuring local specialties and, of course, some Calabrian music.

Day 9: LAMEZIA TERME

After breakfast, it’s time to go back! A shuttle takes you to the Lamezia Terme International Airport by 10 a.m. for your return flight. Arrivederci

**Sequence of activities and excursions may vary. The final itinerary will be given to each guest on arrival day.