Say Buongiorno to Italy’s dark horse 🐴

The ‘toe of the boot’ has a bad rep thanks to mafia antics and earthquakes but with miles of unspoilt beaches and remote national parks, Calabria gives Italy some edge.

Yep it’s stop-in-your-tracks-rub-your-eyes-beautiful.

Capo Vaticano is all about diamond clear water, dramatic cliff faces and sand softer than your nan’s talcum powder.

This area’s considered sacred and mysterious. Ancient fortune tellers and priests travelled to the Cape to predict futures based on the flights of birds. Spooky. 🔮

The best way to get around is by car. Hire one here, then bomb through hillside villages and coastal towns like a regular Baby Driver.

Don’t miss the dreamy villages of Tropea and Scilla.

Eat til you’re fatter than Don Corleone.

Calabria’s home to the official world’s best food. Well according to locals and American food bloggers so it’s pretty much a fact.

It’s all about family recipes that’ve been handed down through generations, like 'penne calabresi' and homemade capunti dishes using local, fiery chilli peppers.

The family behind Villa Marinella Restaurant make everything down to the prosciutto, using the surrounding farmland to rear animals and grow ingredients.

Try a selection of prima dishes and (if in season) the gnocchi alla crema di zucca.

The whole region is still mostly untouched by tourists - not a kindle or selfie-stick in sight. Go now before they catch on.