The northwestern part of the Calabrian coast, from Scalea to Diamante, is the main gateway to this beautiful but sometimes overlooked region of southern Italy.

Most tourists skip it to go to Tropea and the famous Coast of the Gods, and the suburbs of Scalea aren’t that nice, but I think it’s a mistake to leave too soon.

Look beyond the hideous (and often unfinished) holiday homes of middle-class Neapolitans; You will find a place worth spending most of your time.

Connected to Naples and Rome further north via the high-speed Trenitalia network, Scalea railway station is an excellent entry point for most tourists heading to Calabria.

I spent over a week in the area, taking shelter in the quaint hilltop village of Santa Domenica Talao. With the help of a few friendly locals, I wandered around to get to know this unsung but beautiful area.

If you decide to do the same, rent a car or e-Bike.

This is my complete guide to everything you need to see and do in Calabria’s Cedar Coast.

The coastal beauties of San Nicola Arcella

Less than 10 km from Scalea, the village of San Nicola Arcella is located in a beautiful horseshoe bay with crystal clear turquoise waters.

This beach is a rocky wonder, with the ledges at the edges of the bay forming an amphitheatre.

Here lies the undeniable beauty of the Grotta del Saraceno (Saracen Cave), where the iconic Arcomagno is located. This natural stone arch is placed like a guardian in front of arguably one of Calabria’s best beaches.

Overtourism is used to cover up what is happening there, especially in August. To check it out, there is now a €3 ($4.80) entrance fee and visits are limited to 30 minutes from 8am to 8pm.

It takes about 15 minutes to walk from the beach and over the arch to reach a hidden cove for swimming.

But San Nicola Arcella is not just a beach. Dramatically situated on a seaward promontory, Crawford Tower was part of a system of coastal protective beacons. It was purchased by Francis Marion Crawford, a wealthy American author of the first horror stories, who visited the bay with his boat and rented the tower. He lived in the tower and wrote in the last years of his life.

During July and August, travelers can join one of the guided sunset tours by writing to [email protected] or going to the information desk in town.

Piazza Altieri is the center of nightlife from 7pm. Aperitifs, taglierinas and drinks are served at the bar and bistro Qce’ce. You can even stay upstairs at B&B Suitetti in the annex building.

Finally, don’t miss Palazzo Principi Lanza, the former summer residence of Prince Spinelli Lanza of Scalea. Dino Island (one of Calabria’s two offshore islets) is perched on a cliff with views of the Crawford Tower, the coast of the seaside town of Praia a Mare, and Policastro Bay, which stretches all the way to Naples.

A nice place for cocktails, dinners and guided tours (which can also be arranged via the email address I provided).

Street art and obscenity in Diamante

The seaside village of Diamante, at the southern tip of the Cedar Coast, is famous for its beautiful wall art and has made its mark as the Calabrian center of local peppers.

The Museo del Peperoncino (Pepper Museum) in Maiere, 4 km from Diamante, is in a duke’s palace and has nine rooms telling the history of peperoncino and what is done with it.

The Peperoncino Festival is held annually on the second weekend of September and brings 200,000 visitors. Participants take part in a variety of challenges, including an eye-watering peperoncino eating challenge.

Diamante’s mural craze began in 1981 with the aim of revitalizing the town. There are many large murals on Via Pietro Mancini, where the mansion is located. One depicts Italian police. A large native face by the popular Neapolitan artist Jorit is engraved on the facade of Diamante’s townhouse. Nearby is an apartment complex whose front walls are painted with a giant seated woman.

Walking from the main road towards the Main Church (Immacolata Concezione) takes you through a labyrinth of small streets full of character, with hanging flower pots and dozens of other murals.

Luxury living in Santa Domenica Talao

Located on a hilly ridge, about 10 km inland from the coast of Scalea, the town of Santa Domenica Talao is scenic and quiet. It probably has the best vantage point in the valley and overlooks Cedar Beach.

This is probably why, in the baroque times of the 16th century, Prince Spinelli of Scalea founded the town, encouraged by the fresher climate.

The central Church of St Giovanni was built first and the town developed around it. Not much has changed since then. The church has an interesting crypt from its original 16th-century foundations, containing human skulls and bones and various realistic Nativity scenes.

The town is also famous for its cuisine.

The most surprising place I visited is Vigreen, a sustainable, vegetarian, vegan-friendly trattoria nestled on a hillside. It has an organic farm and an open-air theater where many cultural activities can be held, from alternative music to theatre, spoken word and dance. It’s cheap, too: €25 ($40.70) per person for a three-course meal and nightly shows.

The town is near Kartodromo, one of the largest go-kart racing tracks in the region.

Archeology and rafting in Papasidero

Beyond Santa Domenica Talao, the Calabrian part of Pollino National Park beckons.

The adventurous can walk the Sentiero dei Monaci (Monk’s Path) along the hills between the villages of Papasidero and Orsomarso. This 6 km long track contains frescoes from the 10th and 11th centuries. There is a view of the Madonna delle Grazie Church and the forest here.

Papasidero has a long and even quite sad history, as the plague hit this area hard. The Chapel of St. Sophia, probably of Basilian origin, features vibrant frescoes featuring saints from that period.

But the star is the Santa Maria di Costantinopoli Reserve, partially carved into the rocks in a super scenic setting on the Lao River. It has two bridges. The Ponte della Rognosa below is a reminder of the times when the sanctuary was used as an isolation hospital (lazaretto) during times of plague. Above it is the stone bridge donated by local-born businessman Nicola Dario in 1907 and still in use.

There are many rafting operators in Papasidero offering white water rafting descents on the stunning gin-clear Lao River. They raft through the river canyon and stop at its most secret corners for as little as €40 ($65) per person.

Romito Cave, eight kilometers from Papasidero, is an important archaeological site with preserved paleolithic carvings of aurochs (a type of prehistoric buffalo).

This work, dated between 12,000 and 14,000 years ago, is considered the best example of the artistic realism style of the period. It was discovered in 1960. The following year, six bodies were unearthed there, shedding light on burial techniques of the period. This is explained in the small museum (with English subtitles) near the mouth of the cave.