Top Ten Italy Off-the-Beaten-Path Adventures

In between the Tirrenian and Ionian seas in southern Italy lies a mountain ridge full of natural and cultural anomalies. This is the home of the last surviving pino loricato trees, which grow up to 30 meters tall. The villages around here are inhabited by Albanians who crossed the sea five centuries ago escaping from the Turks. They still speak their language and wear traditional costumes. The spectacular gorges of the Raganello River, 32 kilometers long and 700 meters deep are ripe for exploring. Prehistoric graffiti and the walls of an ancient town are visble in the Romito. The climate here is fresh even in summer, while it's very hot on the coast. In winter snowfalls cover the area.