Dalle bianche spiagge ioniche della Costa degli Aranci, partendo da Soverato e attraversando il territorio montano delle Preserre Calabre nel loro tratto più breve, passando per i suggestivi borghi di Petrizzi, San Vito sullo Ionio e Monterosso Calabro, il Cammino Kalabria Coast to Coast, giunge nella pittoresca Pizzo, arroccata su uno sperone tufaceo che si erge a picco sulle dorate spiagge tirreniche della Costa degli Dei.
Il Cammino Kalabria Coast to Coast, è un percorso naturalistico di 55 km, da assaporare a passo lento tra distese di ulivi secolari, filari di vite, campi di grano e fichi d’India, boschi di castagni e faggi secolari, pittoresche pietre granitiche modellate dal tempo e la magnifica oasi naturalistica del lago Angitola. Ma è soprattutto un viaggio emozionale e sensoriale all’ interno di una Calabria lontana dalle consuete rotte turistiche, alla scoperta di quegli antichi sapori e valori che sono le radici di questa meravigliosa Terra, ricca di storia e cultura millenaria e dove il tempo sembra essersi fermato.
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The Kalabria Coast to Coast Trail is a path which starts from the city of Soverato and the white Ionian beaches of the Costa degli Aranci, and ends in the picturesque Pizzo, perched on a tufaceous rock that rises sheer to the golden Tyrrhenian beaches of the Costa degli Dei. It crosses the mountain territory of Preserre Calabre, passing through the suggestive villages of Petrizzi, San Vito sullo Ionio and Monterosso Calabro. The Kalabria Coast to Coast Trail is a naturalistic route of 55 km, better enjoyed at a slow pace among old olive trees, vines, fields of wheat and prickly pears, woods of centuries-old chestnut and beech trees, granite stones shaped by time and the magnificent natural oasis of Lake Angitola. The trail is above all an emotional and sensorial journey, off the usual touristic track where ancient flavors, fragrances and traditions can be discovered. These places in this wonderful land are rich in history and millenary culture and it seems like time has stopped.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Epic trail. What a thrill it was to run across Italy, from the Ionian Sea to the Tyrrhenian Sea. I am thankful for Rosy and the folks who maintain il CAMMINO KALABRIA COAST TO COAST. I'll add some information here about some steps to take before setting out on this trail.
First, check out the official website ( https://www.kalabriatrekking.it/il-cammino-coast-to-coast/ ). There are English translations on most pages in case you don't speak Italian. With any questions I had, the Whatsapp number to the trail's organization was helpful and responsive: +39 351 814 6225.
Before starting out on the trail, register on the website. In addition, go to Kiss Kiss bar in Soverato (the town where the trail begins) and buy your official trail passport (see photo) for 5 euros. Even if you don't want the passport, make the 5 euro donation to the organization that keeps the trail for our use. This is how we can give back. You can donate more if you're in a position to do so. There's a coffee can/piggy bank for additional donations at the Kiss Kiss bar but I had to inquire about it.
The website explains that the trail is designed to be done in three phases for hikers, so you'll see three different maps on the website. I used the other FKT athlete's GPX file instead of using the 3 separate ones that they emailed me when I registered. I recommend following the GPX file from Alessandro Pegoraro who submitted this route, and not my gpx file, as I missed a couple of turns due to some downed trees and inadvertently added on 6 extra KMs and more elevation gain as well.
The trail starts at Soverato, in front of the Soverato big lettered sign along the marina. The trail ends in Pizzo, home of the Tartufo (see final pic), the most amazing dessert. It is perfect for recovery from an amazing day on the trail. In Pizzo, you can also get your passport stamped (at the bookstore) as a memento of finishing the trail.
