Camping Poker

Learn about Calabria in bygone times with a visit to the Column of Hera Lacinia – the sole remains of a Greek temple at Capo Colonna (25 minutes’ drive), where you can also see relics excavated at the site in the archaeological museum. Also rewarding a visit is the sparkling-white Sanctuary of the Madonna di Capo Colonna (half an hour) nearby, for its revered icon of the Black Madonna. Another place with bags of history is Crotone (also half an hour), where you can tour the ramparts of an impressive castle dating from 840 AD, and have a mooch around another archaeological museum, where the standout exhibit is the Golden Crown of Hera, unearthed at Capo Colonna. The city is also a pleasant spot for an amble along the seafront esplanade and perhaps a chilled glass of local wine in a pavement café. You can also tour one of Calabria’s most celebrated landmarks, the Aragonese Castle of Le Castella (20 minutes). With its origins in 204 BC, this much-restored edifice has a spectacular position on a tiny island connected to the mainland by a thin strip of land.