Car Hire: Take advantage of the special easyJet inflight rates. Visit the Europcar desk on arrival or call +39 0968 51541.

Airport Transfer: Pre-book your door-to-door transfer with easyJet’s transfer partner, Holiday Taxis—from home to the airport, then city or resort (easyjet.holidaytaxis.com).

Taxi: The fare to the city centre is about €20. Drivers wait outside the airport (Tel. +39 0968 51722).

Bus: Routes 4 and 5 go to the city centre. Tickets: €0.77 (www.lameziamultiservizi.it, Italian only).

Rusticherie Mediteranee
( Centro Commerciale Due Mari, Maida. Tel. 0968 751 305 )
Off the SS106 motorway from the airport, this spot is great for a quick slice of pizza and other street food like arancini—tasty fried rice balls.

Ristorante Bar Pizzeria Pietrasanta
( Via Serra Località Bella. Tel. 0968 29525 )
Situated in the rolling Calabrian hills, with a great view of the Gulf of Sant'Eufemia, this restaurant serves typical local dishes featuring kid, veal and porcini mushrooms.

Taverna Kerkira
( 217 Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Bagnara Calabra. Tel. 0966 372 260 )
This 35-seat Greek restaurant honours Calabria's heritage as a melting pot of Mediterranean culture, featuring Greek plates such as tzatziki, as well as Italian fare, including farfalle with mullet and eggplant. Bookings are essential. Closed on Sunday.

La Locanda di Alia
( 55 Via Ietticelli, Castrovillari. Tel. 0981 46370 )
With rave reviews from The New York Times and La Repubblica, this may be the best restaurant in Calabria. Try the onion and egg soup with mushroom crostini and the candele pasta with Calabrian 'nduja sausage.

Antico Borgo Ristorante Pizzeria Albergo
( 9 Via Perugini. )
Happy hour starts at 5.30pm every night, with €3.50 cocktails, delicious snacks and excellent pizza.

Caffé Mediterraneo
( Via D Assanti, Squillace. Tel. 0961 912588 )
One of the most popular gathering spots for artists in the area, this great jazz and blues club is located about 50 kilometres from Lamezia.

Samart
( Via Rettifilo Bagni. Tel. 0968 53459 )
Irish in style, Samart is one of the largest and most beautiful pubs in Calabria, featuring live music and great cocktails late into the night.

If you're interested in antiques from Calabria, you'll find great deals on everything from textiles to furnishings and tools at Cose Antiche di Brasca Paola (8 Via Crati. Tel. 0968 448 556).

Many southern Italian establishments still adhere to the practice of closing for a few hours in the middle of the day and many restaurants don't open for lunch, so plan ahead accordingly.

Piazza Italia, in the Sant'Eufemia area of Lamezia Terme, is where to go if you enjoy a bustling atmosphere. It is full of up-market shops, restaurants and cafés, and is great for people-watching.

At the end of this month, the Calabrian version of Carnevale comes to Castrovillari in the Cosenza province, complete with a parade, colourful masks and the International Folklore Festival with a focus on Brazil (26 January-5 February).

Scalea – Named after the hundreds of steps that weave through the village, Scalea is one of the prettiest areas and hottest property spots in Calabria. Boasting gorgeous beaches and great views of the Tyrrhenian Sea, it's about 120 kilometres from Lamezia.

Italy gets its name from the Italic tribe that inhabited Calabria. It was only later used to refer to the whole country.

Compiled by Michelle Fabio/bleedingespresso.com