Against the advice of most Northern Italians we’ve met, we headed deeper south to discover the heritage of much of the Sunraysia district, and to taste the amazing food and hospitality we’ve read about.
Within moments of crossing the border into Reggio Calabria (on our way to its city of the same name) we passed on the autostrade the blacked hollowed remains of a car bombing. Silence ensued as we wondered if it had, in fact, been the best idea to drive right into the heart of Mafia territory. Stunning panoramas, beautiful mountain driving and a wonderful evening Passeggiata confirmed that it was, and the rest of our short stay in Reggio proved very pleasant. Seeing all of the locals come out and take a stroll together in the late afternoon right through to the night time, and in sufficient numbers to informally close the main street, is quite a sight.