DAY 1 – ARRIVAL

Arrival in Calabria.

Transfer in hotel 4**** in Cosenza: dinner and overnight.

—

DAY 2 – THE LIQUORICE OF ROSSANO CALABRO

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to Rossano Calabro.

Sightseeing of the “Amarelli” Liquorice Factory and its Museum: very interesting the Amarelli family’s history who obtained this product by extracting this substance from a typical plant which grow up in this area on the Ionian Coast. Inside the Museum there is an exposition of ancient dress from ‘800s, official documents, book, pictures and many old tools that they used to make the liquorice and its products. Lunch at the restaurant.

In the afternoon the guided visit of the Byzantine historical centre of Rossano and its Diocesan Museum, where is the famous Codex Purpureus, a Greek Gospels of the sixth century. Come back to the hotel and overnight.

—

DAY 3 – THE GREEK CALABRIA AND THE BERGAMOT

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to Condofuri, a little hamlet settled in the Greek area near Reggio Calabria: in these places you find all the signs in 3 languages, Italian, ancient Greek and modern one.

We visit a field of bergamot and learn more about this fruit and the extraction of its essential oil. Lunch at Agriturismo with some tasting of this fruit.

In the afternoon we go to Reggio Calabria: we visit the National Archaeological Museum which houses the famous Riace Bronzes, the Cathedral, one of the biggest church in Calabria, and a walk along the promenade which was called “the most beautiful kilometer in Italy” by the famous Italian writer D’Annunzio. Come back to the hotel and overnight.

—

DAY 4 – THE LAVENDER OF POLLINO

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to Morano Calabro, in the Pollino National Park, for visiting the amazing Park of the Lavender: a walk at the botanic garden where you can learn more about some herbs by their colors and perfumes and discover the utility of officinal plants, in particular the lavender. They explain how they extract the essential oil from the plant and the several ways you can use it. Tasting lunch at the agriturismo.

In the afternoon a sightseeing of Morano Calabro which belongs to “The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy“, a Club which selects small Italian towns cut off the flow of visitors and tourists. Come back to the hotel and overnight.

—

DAY 5 – THE SMOOTH CEDAR OF CALABRIA

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to the Cedar Riviera, so called thanks to the presence of this fruit in this area. The cedar, like the bergamot, belongs to the citrus species, less known but very important for the Jewish people: in fact every year in November the rabbis go in this zone in order to look for the best sample of this fruit for their religious rites.

Useful in cosmetic and in medicine, this fruit is very good in cooking and to drink. We visit a field of cedars for discovering the characteristic of this plant which is very low for repairing themselves from the cool wind in winter.

It’s possible to visit also a field of red hot pepper so famous here that every September they organize the Hot Pepper Festival with many food and wine stands, music, shows and more.

Lunch at the restaurant where you can taste some dishes with flavours of cedar.

In the afternoon the sightseeing of Diamante, the village of the “Murales”, more than 300 paints on the walls of the houses in its historical centre.

Come back to the hotel and overnight.

—

DAY 6 – BOTANICS, SECRETS AND ACHEMIES WITH CALABRIA HERBS

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning sightseeing of Cosenza, walk along Corso Telesio, in the old part of the town, with a stop at the medieval Cathedral which is an UNESCO heritage. Then we go on until Piazza XV Marzo where there is the “A. Rendano” Theatre, the Palace of Government and the Villa Comunale, an old park with several centenarians trees.

The second part of the visit is in the modern side of the town along its high street, Corso Mazzini, which is pedestrian and the heart of the shopping. Moreover there is the Open Air museum MAB where there are several statues made by important artists such as Manzù, Giorgio De Chirico, Salvator Dalì, Mimmo Rotella, Sosno. Don’t miss the new “San Francesco di Paola bridge” which was projected by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

Lunch at typical restaurant.

In the afternoon a visit of Vecchio Magazzino Doganale which produces liqueurs made by only the local herbs and fruits: its Jefferson bitter won in the 2018 “The World Liqueur Awards” as the best liqueur in the world and the best herbal. We meet the boss of the company which tells the story of his business, how his idea was born, he lets know more about the characteristic of each herb who finds all around Calabria. Little taste of his liqueurs.

Come back to the hotel and overnight.

—

DAY 7 – DEPARTURE

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to come back home.