A Hidden Gem in Southern Italy
When you think of Italy, it’s easy to picture the usual suspects like Rome, Florence and Venice – or even Naples and Sienna. We have visited them all and they are awesome, yet somehow familiar.
But every so often, we find ourselves in a place that we have no prior knowledge of and that feels like it’s still a bit of a secret.
Aspromonte National Park in Calabria is one of those rare finds .
It’s pretty wild, dramatic, and breathtakingly beautiful, especially in autumn. After years of traveling, it takes a lot to surprise us.
This place certainly did, and in the most wonderful way.
Location, location, location!
Located in the toe of Italy’s boot, Aspromonte National Park stretches inland from the coast of Calabria and rises into an impressive mountain range.
The park is part of the Apennine Mountains, but the landscape here is uniquely shaped by its proximity to the sea, giving it an unique quality.
Think steep ridges, deep gorges, and sweeping views all the way to Sicily on a clear day.
Getting here takes a bit of effort.
There is no quick way to get there at the moment and we spent a few hours getting a bit lost on the winding roads that took us through olive groves, open fields and the occasional sleepy hill towns.
But even that was worthwhile as the scenery was absolutely stunning!
Apparently a more direct route is planned from the coastal city of Reggio Calabria to Gambarie, which will be both a good thing and a bad thing – depending on your tolerance for crowds of people!
The park covers over 600 square kilometers and was recently recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark, thanks to its unique geology, biodiversity, and cultural heritage.
Amazing Autumn Colours
We visited in late autumn, when the forests were putting on a show of colour.
The air was cool and crisp and the summer crowds were long gone. It felt like we (almost) had the place to ourselves, with mostly just the sound of birds and rustling leaves keeping us company.
Aspromonte is a patchwork of dense beech and pine forests, rocky outcrops, and remote villages.
One of the most memorable moments for us was driving up through the twisting roads of the park and, at one point, being able to see both a sea of autumn colour stretching out below us as well as the blue of the Tyrrhenian Sea, with Sicily beyond that.
An amazing sight.
Things to See and Do in Aspromonte
The park has over 100 marked trails, ranging from easy strolls to challenging mountain hikes.
One of the more interesting of these trails is the Sentiero Italia (Italian Path). This is in fact a long-distance trail that runs the length of Italy and passes through the park. Obviously not for the fainthearted or unfit!
Mountain biking, quad biking, skiing – it’s an outdoor enthusiast’s dream location.
These guys came past us as we were parked on the side of the road having lunch. Looked like great fun!
Aspromonte is also a UNESCO Global Geopark, and is full of fascinating rock formations and ancient geological features, including fossils, waterfalls, and deep canyons.
Practical Stuff
The park is a big place.
It covers something like 640 square kilometers, so you need to plan what you want to see, or do, carefully and allow time for navigating small and twisty roads.
Public transport is scarce so you will need to go by car. Hiring one is probably the best option as it gives you a lot more flexibility to explore the region.
And if you are coming from the coast, bring a jacket. It gets cold up there 🙂
Space and Solitude
Aspromonte gives you a sense of space and solitude, even if it’s not very far from the bustling Mediterranean coast
Even better, it’s not polished, packaged or over developed.
And long may it stay that way!
