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Calabria: Italy's best kept secret
Bianco is close to the stunning Aspromonte national park, sites of ancient Greco-Roman ruins, perfect sandy beaches and the clearest aquamarine waters in Italy. Combine all of this with glorious southern sunshine and it makes Calabria an undiscovered paradise.
Calabria was once a part of the Greek Empire and was then colonised by the Romans, Byzantines, French and Spanish, finally becoming part of the Italian Republic in 1861. Each invading population had a strong influence on the Calabrese culture and cuisine, and that is precisely what makes the region so special and different.
Famous for having the most flavoursome and spicy food in Italy (everywhere you go you will see strings of dried red spicy peppers hanging in shops), the area is also well known for seafood, lamb, capers, figs and olives, all of which influence the local cooking. Calabria is also famous for its cheeses, almond, citrus and bergamot trees and pasta all'arrabbiata, roughly translated as angry pasta, due to the heat of the hot pepper-packed tomato sauce!
The Calabrese People
Like the food they love, the Calabrese people are fiery and warm, open and welcoming. They will adore your children, welcome you into their homes and generally treat you like long lost friends. Traditionally hospitable and eager to share the beauty of the region they live in, you will find yourself making friends quickly and easily - and you won't want to leave! Calabria may be one of Italy's least famous regions, but the toe of Italy has played a large part in Italian culture. The famous tarantella dance originated in Calabria, and famous Calabrians include the late fashion designer Gianni Versace, Charles Atlas (the original world's strongest man) and Hollywood actor Nick Mancuso.
Sport and Leisure
Calabria offers a wide range of activities for sports enthusiasts of all kinds. Blessed with thousands of kilometres of stunning coastline, Calabria's water sports facilities are second to none. Windsurfing, scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing and deep sea fishing are all popular, as is lazing on a sun drenched beach taking advantage of the beach lido facilities.
For diving fans, there are numerous specialist centres where you can learn to dive, or for the more experienced, due to one of the 50 sunken ships, some dating back to the 4th century. Or perhaps you prefer to slide down the rivers in a kayak or canoe, or to float back to earth as you paraglide from high cliffs down to the crystal bluewaters of the Mediterranean sea.
Golf is also becoming more and more popular in Calabria. There are two nine-hole golf courses within an hour's drive of Bianco.: Golf Feudo Montalto in Limbadi and Montechiarello near Reggio di Calabria. There are also plans for a superb golf course to be built in Bianco, right on your doorstep.
There is skiing during the winter months in central Calabria's mountainous region and trekking is popular in spring and summer throughout the region's stunning national parks. Birdwatchers will be in their element as they will be able to see, at various times of the year, black woodpeckers, eagles, peregrine falcons, eagle owls, sandpipers, redshanks and wild duck.
Beach Life
The Calabrian coast is famed for its beauty and is home to some of Italy's most stunning beaches. Lidos are unique to Italy and you will find yourself being offered services such as beach chair and umbrella rental, a bar service, babysitting and play clubs for children and all kinds of beach games as part of the Lido experience in Calabria. Of course, you can just take off and find some hidden, private coves for pure relaxation.
Festivals and Celebrations
The Calabrians are fond of celebrations, and throughout the year there are many religious feasts and festivals in Bianco. Some of the most popular include the Calici di Stelle on August 10th, when the town celebrates its wine and hosts a wine tasting festival for everyone; the Fiaccolata a mare on August 13th where the men of Bianco head to the beach with flaming torches of fire; August 15th sees the Scesa procession of the Madonna di Pugliano move through the town to be followed by a spectacular firework display, and on December 29th, the whole town feasts on the Sagre delle Zeppole and again on New Year's Eve. In between those dates, you'll find numerous music festivals, outdoor theatrical offerings in the main piazza as well as sporting events like the national triathlon trials and a children's soccer tournament.
The Sicilian Connection
Calabria is right next to Sicily and trips via ferry to Messina are cheap and easy. Sicily is an amazing island where you can visit ancient ruins, climb Mount Etna, shop in the glamorous boutiques of Catania and indulge yourself in Sicily's famous gelato (ice cream) bars or eat traditional Sicilian cannoli desserts in cafes. In fact, a day trip to Messina is an absolute must for fans of ancient Roman, Greek and Byzantine history - and is also the perfect starting point for those who want to see Mount Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes.
Getting to Calabria
Travelling to Calabria has been made much easier now that Ryanair flies directly to Lamezia Terme airport from London Standsted. Flights currently leave three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and depart from Standsted at 06.10, arriving in Calabria at 10.05am. Lamezia Terme is about 1 1/2 hours drive from Bianco and the airport has plenty of car hire desks. There are also trains from Lamezia Terme to Bovalino and Bianco, which take around 2hrs 45 minutes. The train station at Lamezia is about two kilometres from the airport.
For more information on flights, visit www.ryanair.com and www.sacal.it (for Lamezia airport information) and www.trenitalia.it (for train timetables and online booking).
There is also the option of flying to Rome with Easyjet, British Airways and Alitalia and getting a connecting Alitalia flight to the regions capital Reggio di Calabria or to Lamezia Terme. Check with www.alitalia.com for flight deals. Please remember that Easyjet flies to Rome Ciampino and flight to Calabria leave from Rome Fiumicino. Thomson Holidays are also planning to introduce direct flights to Calabria in summer 2007 from five regional UK airports.