If you ask a non-Italian to mention the most beautiful Italian landscape the answers may vary from the rolling hills of Tuscany, to the canals of Venice or the ancient ruins of Rome. Few people will say the rugged mountains, clean coastline, small villages and mouthwatering cuisine of Calabria. Calabria is a well-kept secret. The area has remained undiscovered enough to make visitors feel like adventurers in a new world.

Calabria was once part of the Greek Empire, and it shows in the names of some of the cities that derive directly from the Greek language and also in many of the historic treasures. After the Greeks, Calabria was colonized by many other powerful populations like the Romans, Byzantines, Lombards, French and Spanish, finally becoming part of the Italian Republic in 1861. Each population had a strong influence on the culture and cuisine of Calabria and that is precisely what makes the area so special and different.

A hidden paradise surrounded by the clearest water Italy has to offer, Calabria is an undiscovered region rich in powerful flavors. This idyllic land is filled with many species of trees that range from bergamot and citron to lemon, palm, oleander, almond, chestnut, fig, olive, and pepper trees. These natural elements are used as important ingredients in the local cuisine.

Calabrian cuisine is among the most flavorful and spicy food Italy has to offer, abounding in seafood and vegetables. The most commonly cooked fish are swordfish and tuna, which are mainly caught on the western coast. Bottarga, or preserved tuna roe, is a local specialty and features prominently in many traditional dishes.

The abundance of sheep in the area is the source of Calabria's various lamb dishes and some of its many cheeses. Calabria is also famous for its caciocavallo, a cow's milk cheese that is good raw but even better grilled alongside some vegetables. Eggplant and peppers are cooked in sauces, pickled, grilled, or fried as an appetizer, main course, or side dish.

If you are a pepper lover and are traveling through Calabria, order a peperonata, a stew of peppers and meaty local capers. Chili peppers are dominant and used in everything from cured meats to pasta. Particularly famous are Calabrian spicy sausages, or soppressata, which are excellent appetizers or sandwich fillers. Figs, chestnuts, and almonds are mainly used in desserts like Fichi Ripieni (Stuffed Figs), a specialty of Cosenza that tops dried figs with cocoa, almonds, and other nuts. These few ingredients are essential to local cooking and are the basis of many flavorful dishes.

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