We woke up after having had a good sleep and slept in a comfortable bed. We started the day with a delicious buffet breakfast served at the bed and breakfast with fresh and hot croissants, certainly having just purchased them from the baker.

The first stretch - After having greeted the owner of the B&B by exchanging a few words and the most incredible thing was that I was accommodated in the same place where a cycling friend Stefania Steppo who had also traveled the perimeter of Italy years ago had also stayed in the same place, just a coincidence! After sending Steppo a text message she told me to say hello to her owner.

The second stretch - After leaving the town of Mileto we took the road SS18 which runs in the rugged inland mountains, with spectacular views  and zig and zag roads. The road then descends, passing through the Rosarno, a town on a hill overlooking the port of Gioia Turo, with views of the coast having stunning palm beaches on the Costa Viola, The road then climbs up to 550 m then descends again approaching the coast passing through the towns of Bagnara Calabra.

The third stretch - After passing Bagnara Calabra we stopped in a park near the main road that Arturo already knew, telling me that there would be a panoramic view of the Strait of Messina. After he had prepared lunch for me too, I went to admire the panoramic view.

The fourth stretch - After leaving the park we continued cycling passing the small village Scilla

A BIT ABOUT SCILLA'S JOURNEY

Chianalea di Scilla (also called the little Venice of the south), is a lovely and picturesque fishing village discovered by chance overlooking the sea of the Costa Viola at the mouth of the Strait of Messina where the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas meet in Calabria. It is characterized by narrow cobbled streets and wonderful corners with houses with facades and each block is separated by paths leading to the sea. Obviously you can't pedal a bicycle but if you just carry the bicycle by hand you can still see incredible angles!

Beyond this there is a beautiful walkway overlooking Castello Ruffo, which overlooks the beach. It is a fairytale place and every corner was a real visual surprise and always different!

The fifth stretch - After having enjoyed an ice cream sitting on a bench on the seafront of Scilla and having enjoyed the view that surrounded us, we continued to cycle on easy terrain and increasingly closer to the sea and then arrived Villa San Giovanni is a port city and a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria. This town has stunning beaches and rugged inland mountain and nestled along the coast and is a ferry route connects Sicily and finally Reggio Calabria, a coastal city in southern Italy, separated from Sicily by the Strait of Messina.

The fourth stretch -  The last ride with Arturo the big farewell - From this point my travel friend Arturo had taken the ferry to Sicily and after a hug and obviously I thanked him for everything he introduced me to, from his fantastic dinners, from the explanations of herbs in the meadows and plants and much other things I didn't know and the experience of sleeping in places that I certainly wouldn't have done alone. I really spent some fantastic days with him, and then we spoke Italian, his Italian is well spoken, a simple person who loves nature and his bicycle.

And from a final goodbye I would have continued alone but without forgetting it, thank you for the text we would have sent each other. And we would probably have seen each other again at the international cycle tourism fair in Frankfurt (July 2024) where he knows people like the owner of the famous ORTLIEB panniers, a friend of his who sponsored his travel bags etc for years and also other sponsors such as the ToutTerrain German made bike and other bicycle parts or clothing. Or who knows, maybe another cycling trip together!

The sixth stretch - I had started pedaling alone again just as I had started my journey and continued to travel along  the State Road 106 Jonica (SS 106) on always continuing on the Costa Viola and finally arrived in Reggio Calabria” the tip of the “boot” in Italy. It is a coastal city in southern Italy, separated from Sicily by the Strait of Messina. From Reggio Calabria onwards I had already cycled the Ionian coast on another trip I had made. And obviously I found some changes and I won't find many others in the next few days.

The Ionian Sea : THE REGION OF CALABRIA

And now I will pedal on the Ionian side of Calabria. And here's some INFO:

Calabria's Ionia coastline is predominantly flat, much wilder, much less developed, and has beautiful long white and often uncrowded beaches, compared to the Tyrrhenian side of the peninsula.

The seventh stretch - After leaving Reggio Calabria on the Ionian Sea I cycled on the State Road 106 Jonica (SS 106) which crosses the "four coastal areas" which are: the first Area Grecanina , then The Costa Gelsomini, the Orange Coast and The Saracen Coast and then continuing north Isola of Capo Rizzuto, home to the most important Marine Reserve in Calabria and then Ciro Marina where the Carafa Castle stands on a rock.

Description of the Coastal Areas:

•  Area Grecanina is located at the gates of the city of Reggio Calabria there is the "Area Grecanica" which extends along the Ionian sea. It is where the Calabrian Greek-Grecanic dialect of the province of Calabaria has been preserved.

•  Costa dei Gelsomini or Riviera dei Gelsomini (90 km), which is the name of the coastal area of the province of Reggio Calabria and takes its name from the cultivation of the jasmine plant (it was collected by women and sold to export to other countries), today you can see in the gardens of villas etc., In this stretch of coast they are characterized by wide and sandy beaches that alternate with cliffs and is home of the turtle marina Caretta and are very widespread on the coast where they have found their natural environment to nest.

• Costa degli Aranci (about 75 km) and the name refers to the fact that orange and other citrus trees grow in the area.

• Saracen Coast took its name from the historical age of the ancient Greeks located in the upper Ionian Sea of Crotone (60km)

• The Coast of the Arcei  (57km) on the Alto Jonio Cosentino, the area of northern Calabria.

The seventh stretch - While I was cycling somewhere along the seafront of Reggio Calabria I had met the local police (there was a road closed due to some work), two very nice people named Carla and Enzo who gave me advice for my next destination. A thousand thanks!

The eighth stretch - Then I  Left reggio Calabria and I passed the coastal towns of: Ravagnese, San Gregorio, Pellaro, Bocale, Lazzaro, Riaci Capo, Saline Joniche and the last stop of the day at the beautiful seaside town of Melito di Porto Servo is right on the toe of Italy.

The last leg - This evening I stayed at the Hotel Tito Serranò in Melito di Porto Servo and is  located in the central area. This wonderful family-run Hotel is located not far from the beach and it was empty with few staff and few customers obviously it was low season and I was lucky it was open. They also had a restaurant but I don't think it was open so I took a walk around the area and there were restaurants open but I preferred to buy food in a market and then I had quietly had dinner in my room. And after my usual evening routine I fell asleep thinking that I had already traveled half of Italy and from today I would continue north with new adventures!

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