Calabria - An Undiscovered Haven

When Greek explorers landed on the toe of Italy's boot almost 5000 years ago, they discovered a land densely covered in fragrant mediterranean pines. Being Greek, they had a word handy to describe such an environment - "calab" - literally "dense forest of pine trees" and so the name Calabria came into being.

The vivid azure sea along much of the coast of this stunning region is still rimmed with pine forest today. The sultry evenings alight with rich pine scents and the sounds of insects and birds that make the forest their home. The coastline itself is often dramatic. Between beaches of fine black or white sand, honeyed cliffs of stone tumble dramatically into the foaming waters below.

Perhaps because of its geographical distance from the main hubs of Italian tourism, many of the secluded beaches of Calabria are often deserted during the hot, languid summer months. The crystal blue-green waters lap endlessly on hot white sands and it is quite possible to forget that the modern world is only a hop skip and a jump away. Not that the region deprives visitors of the chance to lounge in the sun in comfort with an ice-cold drink to hand. Beaches such as the Lungo Mare at Praia a Mare are served by beach clubs which provide drinks and sun loungers to the leisure-inclined visitor.

As dusk drops over the sea and the dusky hues spread over the land, many of these beach clubs turn on the lights and the music, and the dancing begins until dawn once more breaks over the shimmering Mediterranean.

If your pleasures run to the more historic aspects of Italy, the Byzantine empire has left it's distinctive fingerprint along this coast. Ruined guard posts dating back to the 9th century still keep silent watch over the sea - centuries of occupation by the Byzantines and Romans alike lost to memory amidst the curling fronds of plants that now grow between the brickwork.

Further inland, more imposing structures such as castles and forts nestle between woods and hills. The ruins are mute to the English speaking visitor - there are few plaques or visitor centres. Even reaching them can mean a scramble and a trek away from the car. Despite this - or perhaps because of it - these spots of historical ruin have a unique atmosphere all of their own that is well worth sampling. Information is available in the towns for the more inquisitive visitor, and the region is served by an excellent range of small museums dedicated to local history.

Italian food is ubiquitous. From high-street pizza and pasta chains, to TV series such as Jamie's Italian adventure, there can be few of us who haven't tucked into a dish of italian origin at some point. What may surprise those of us accustomed to the staple dishes is how much variety has to offer. Calabria in particular, with some of its regional specialities, offers a trip away from the standard Italian fare.

Homestyle Lasagna
One of Calabria's most famous traditional dishes is 'homestyle' lasagna - in which the normal lasagna is replaced with layers of delicate egg noodles. To compliment the fine intermeshing of noodles, Mozarella and tiny meatballs take the place of the more usual bolognese-based sauce.

Oricchiette con cima & spaghetti alle vongole
Typical of the simple, wholesome end of the Calabrian style of cooking is a simple pasta of broccoli and greens served in a delicious but light white sauce. Spaghetti alle vongole is a spaghetti dish also based on a white sauce but studded with a generous helping of the sweet clams that are in abundance in the sheltered bays around the coastline.

Pork
Away from the more industrial North, with its close to the rest of Europe, Calabria nas been traditionally the poor relation. This has led to a tradition in which the most common livestock animal - the humble pig is used to its fullest. There is almost no part of this animal that doesn't feature in at least one dish from the region. Aside from obvious sausages and pasta sauce, Calabrians often spit-roast whole pigs over naked coals.

One thing unique to Calabria is the heavy use of black pepper and peperoncini (a kind of chilli grown only in this area). Sausages and hams are often given a mellow fire with generous use of these ingredients. Indeed, many dishes from with the region are more fiery than you might imagine typical Italian cooking to be.

If you are thinking of investing in Italian property, Calabria represents a significant new area of the market and a real opportunity.

The rich, populous cities of the north have long been saturated with investors seeking to take advantage of the reputation of the Italian lifestyle. Tuscany in particular is the kind of area that looms large in the imagination of buyers and investors alike, and footholds are becoming increasingly hard to find in what has become a very competitive market over the last decade.

Calabria lies a long way from this activity, and in many respects more closely resembles the image of Italy that we are all familiar with. Still largely rural and agricultural, it may lack some of the cosmopolitan feel of more familiar regions but it reflects the timeless facets of italian life. From its rustic eating traditions to the sculpted cliffs of honeyed stone the casual visitor is easily drawn into the lifestyle.

This has made for an interesting climate for investors. Still underdeveloped but with huge potential, the arrival of cheap carriers such as Ryanair into the region has seen a sudden spike of interest. It is unlikely that this will abate any time soon.

Quality developments are coming on stream over the next 5-10 years that should help both meet and stimulate demand, and canny property speculators could do a lot worse than seek an opportunity in one of the many proposed developments that exist along the spectacular coastline.