If you travel within the region of Calabria make sure that you are not on diet!. The local cuisine is very tasty and made with local fresh products.

With this in mind we  asked the Accademia della Cucina Calabra to highlight for us a typical menu, and this is what they said:

'Firstly, let's start with a mix of local salumi and cheeses such as 'nduja, ...

This pasta recipe is only for people who enjoy spicy food and chilli peppers. In fact, the pasta sauce is made with tomatoes and the calabrese 'nduja salami. It is a winter dish, very savory. rustic and perfect for a quick lunch accompanied with good Cirò red wine.

ingredients

maccheroni pasta, 'nduja salami (a spoon or two), bacon, onion, 1 tinned tomatoes, parmesan cheese or pecorino cheese, olive oil, salt

A great alternative to ice cream is sorbet, or water ice, which is also called granita and can be flavored with various fruit syrups. It is a fabulous drink which contains no milk or eggs, but just water and sugar and is very refreshing o a hot summer day.

In Rome, these water ices are called 'grattachecca' because the ice is scratched from a block of ice. Nevertheless, when you think granita, Sicily tends to come to mind. I know friends from the island who are very severe in judging the quality of a granita which they insist must be flavored with almond milk, coffee and be accompanied with a brioche.

The English writer Edwar Lear in the diary of his Italian journey made from July to Agust 1847 mentions that his host in the province of Reggio Calabria offered him snow mixed with wine. The ice from the high mountains of Calabria was used to preserve the food and make refreshing drinks throughout the summer

The Costa Viola is a stretch of beautiful coastline in the province of Reggio Calabria looking out towards the Aeolian Islands. It is so called due to the particualr hue of the reflections of the water perhaps due to the many small beaches or rock formations tumbling into the sea.

The main localities to visit are Villa San Giovanni, Scilla, Bagnara Calabra and Palmi.

Scilla is well known for the famous saying '(to be) between Scilla and Cariddi' which means a very delicate situation indeed as, according to Greek mythology. the two were terrible monsters who stood in front of each other at opposite sites of the Straits of Messina. They used to devour ships which got too close

As part of the SIAFT (Southern Italy Agrifood and Tourism) invitation, we had the opportunity of a guided walking tour of both the old and new parts of the city of Cosenza. The tour took in the Arnone Palace, Piazza XV Marzo, Corso Telesio and a visit to the Cathedral, as well as the outdoor MAB Museum.

Cosenza sits in a wonderfully green valley at the confluence of the River Crati and River Busento. Overlooking them both, and each other, are the Churchs of San Domenico and San Obono. You should start your tour here. The former boasts a carved wooden ceiling dating from 1600 in the Oratorio del Rosario while the Chapel of San Matteo is dedicated to the Madonna della Febbre.

The best way to visit the Area Marina Protetta Capo Rizzuto, or Protected Marine Area of Capo Rizzuto off the Crotone coast in Calabria, is by strapping on your scuba diving gear and dropping beneath the surface.

The second best way is to keep your clothes on and step aboard a glass bottomed boat which will take you on a guided tour.

About 42km of the sea off the coast is protected and divided into three zones. Zone C is partial reserve where only underwater sea fishing is not permitted. Zone B is the general reserve where bathing, underwater guided tours and general shipping of no more than 5 knots is allowed. Zone A is the total reserve and there are 3 such zones near Capo Colonna, Capo Cimiti and Capo Bianco.

Every sea activity is off limits, as well as diving, although guided snokelling tours to the view the submerged columns off Capo Cimiti can be requested.

The magnificent fortress of Le Castella is located on the eastern end of the Gulf of Squillace in the province of Crotone. To be precise, in Isola di Capo Rizzuto looking out over the protected marine reserve of the same name. You don't need much imagination to see the Aragonese soldiers locked in combat with Turkish pirates five centuries ago.

The main structure dates back to the Angevin period. The giveaway is the cylindrical tower which juts out over the walls. Yet, the ancient Greeks did build some defensive walls in the shallows many years before. Pliny, in his Naturalis Historia, mentions various little islands such as Dioscuri, Calipso, Tiris, Meloessa and Eranusa. These collectively may be the origin of the name Le Castella.

The 'viddaneddha' is the Reggio Calabria version of the mysterious tarantella dance. It originates in ancient Greece and involves different rituals and symbolic performances.

In the past the tarantella offered the possibility for a man and a women to court in a very rigid society. The man gave prominence to his strength with harmonious and vigorous gestures while the woman assumed an attitude by making long trails of her flapping dress.

The woman would also take up the posture of the 'amphora' by placing her hands on her hips to emphasize her curves and demonstrate her fertility.

Not to be confused with Reggio Emilia, Reggio di Calabria on the shores of the Straits of Messina in South Italy, was founded in the second half of the VIII century B.C. by the 'calcidesi' from Eubea who left their native Greece seeking fortune abroad. Rhegion, soon joined Naxos and Zancle (Messina) to become the centre of trade, political and military power of the Magna Grecia.

It wasn't all an upward curve however and the colourful ancient history of the city features power struggles between the despot Anassilao and his sons, battles between Sparta and Athens, destruction by Dionisio in 387 B.C. (who deported the inhabitants to Siracusa) and Roman occupation from 270 B.C. following the Punic Wars.

The cuisine of the province of Crotone is neatly split between upland cheeses and coastal fish dishes. Look no further than the old town of the provincial capital for some fantastic sea food dishes.