So what is Calabria? Calabria is as much as place as it’s a state of mind.

I found this post somewhere a few days ago on an Italian website and I decided to translate it in English and improve/extend it a bit, since I think this represents Calabria extremely well. Calabria is probably one of the most beautiful places you will ever visit. I say this with complete confidence. I traveled most of the world, and I still come back to Calabria to feel wow’d by its raw beauty. The region has many different “reputations” depending who you ask. It’s what makes this land so mysteriously beautiful.

On a trip, a tourist asks another fellow tourist:

Where are you from?

The tourist responds:

I am from Calabria, Italy.

The man then says:

The region of crime, of the ‘ndrangheta (mafia), of the unemployed, thiefs etc.?

The tourist from Calabria with a peaceful tone says:

Are you Sir part of the ‘ndrangheta?

The tourist answers:

No, I am not. Why do you ask?

The man from Calabria says:

Because if you were into sports you would have instead identified me and my Calabria with sports legends like Gennaro Gattuso, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Francesco Cozza, Francesco Panetta, Simone Perrotta.

If you were a musician you would have identified Calabria with Rino Gaetano, Mia Martini, Loredana Berte’, Sergio Cammariere, Mino Reitano…

If you were into travel you would have identified Calabria by the fact that it has the most beautiful kilometre of Italy as per D’Annunzio, by the Riace bronzes, the Sila national park, the most beautiful beaches in Europe, the Pizzo castle were Murat was kept hostage, the timeless beauty of Tropea, the unique smell of Bergamot, the deliciousness of nduja & Calabrian wines.

If you were more informed you would identify Calabria with incredible people like Pitagora, Corrado Alvaro, Tommaso Campanella, Mattia Preti etc.

Do you know what Calabria IS?

Calabria IS where neighbours and family are the same thing

Calabria IS where every meal with friends & family is a party

Calabria IS where on Sunday you stop at the local pastry shop to get “pasticcini” before going for lunch at friends.

Calabria IS where I meet you in the street and I hug you like we are brothers

Calabria IS where kids still play in the streets

You seem to only focus on the aspects of Calabria that put it in a bad light. I would only like to say that Calabria is a lot more than what people like you like to portray it as.

Us, people from Calabria, are honest, intelligent, hardworking, warm, and proud of this land. I wish for you to one day visit Calabria, I promise it will change you.