Map of Calabria: towns, coasts, airports and distances

Calabria is a narrow, mountainous peninsula about 250 km long – the toe of the Italian boot, with the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west and the Ionian to the east. On a map everything looks close, yet driving from the northern edge of the region to Reggio Calabria takes three and a half hours on the motorway, and Tropea to Gerace – 50 km as the crow flies – takes more than an hour and a half. Below you will find a map of the main towns, the provinces and coasts, and tables of real road distances.

Map of Calabria

How to read the map:

• triangles mark the three airports: Lamezia Terme (SUF), Reggio Calabria (REG) and Crotone (CRV),
• navy dots are provincial capitals, red dots the towns and sights we write about on this site,
• the orange line is the toll-free A2 motorway, the backbone of the region: in the north it runs inland through Cosenza, and from Lamezia southwards closer to the Tyrrhenian coast,
• the light brown line is the SS106 Jonica, which runs the full length of the Ionian coast.

For a description of each place, see Things to do in Calabria: 25 places worth the trip.

Where Calabria is

Calabria occupies the southern tip of the Italian peninsula. To the north it borders a single region, Basilicata, and it is separated from Sicily by the Strait of Messina, just over 3 km wide at its narrowest point.

The shape of the region has practical consequences. The sea is never far away, but getting from one coast to the other means crossing mountains. The one exception is the Isthmus of Catanzaro: from Lamezia Terme airport on the Tyrrhenian side to Catanzaro Lido on the Ionian takes about half an hour on the fast SS280.

The five provinces

You will see the province codes on number plates and in addresses: CS, KR, CZ, VV, RC.

The coasts and their names

Stretches of the Calabrian coast have their own tourist names. They are worth knowing, because they turn up in accommodation listings and on road signs.

The Tyrrhenian Sea (west) – a rockier shore, with cliffs and coves:

• Riviera dei Cedri – the north, from the Basilicata border to around Paola: Praia a Mare, Scalea, Diamante. The name comes from the citron (cedro), a citrus fruit grown here for centuries.
• Costa degli Dei (Coast of the Gods) – from Pizzo through Tropea to Capo Vaticano and Nicotera. The best-known stretch, covered in our guide to the beaches of the Costa degli Dei.
• Costa Viola – from Palmi through Bagnara and Scilla to Villa San Giovanni, at the mouth of the Strait of Messina.

The Ionian Sea (east and south) – long, wide beaches, less development and fewer tourists:

• Costa dei Gelsomini (Jasmine Coast) – around Locri, Siderno and Roccella Jonica; Gerace sits on a hill about 10 km inland from Locri.
• Costa degli Aranci (Orange Coast) – the Gulf of Squillace, with Soverato and Catanzaro Lido.
• Costa dei Saraceni – around Crotone, with the Capo Rizzuto marine reserve and the castle of Le Castella.
• Costa degli Achei – the Sibari plain and Rossano in the north-east.

For help choosing, see our round-up of the beaches of Calabria.

Mountains and national parks

The middle of the region is filled with mountains – plains make up only about a tenth of Calabria. Four massifs run from north to south:

• Pollino – on the border with Basilicata, with the region’s highest peaks (over 2,200 m) and the Bosnian pine, pino loricato. The Pollino National Park is the largest national park in Italy.
• Sila – a vast forested plateau east of Cosenza, with the lakes Arvo, Cecita and Ampollino. Ski lifts operate here in winter.
• Serre – a lower, densely wooded range between the Isthmus of Catanzaro and the Aspromonte, with the charterhouse of Serra San Bruno and the Marmarico waterfalls.
• Aspromonte – the southern tip of the peninsula, with the summit of Montalto (1,956 m) and the Greek-speaking villages around Bova.

Airports and distances from them

Calabria has three passenger airports. Lamezia Terme (SUF) handles the most routes – it sits in the middle of the region, right on the A2 motorway. Reggio Calabria (REG) is the best starting point for the south, while Crotone (CRV) has only a handful of routes, mostly domestic. We describe the current flight network in our guide to getting to Calabria.

Road distances and driving times without stops (OpenStreetMap/OSRM, October 2026). In August, add 20–30 minutes on the coast roads.

From Crotone airport it is about 15 km to the city and to Le Castella, just under 60 km to Catanzaro (an hour’s drive) and just under 90 km to Camigliatello Silano on the Sila plateau (about 1 h 25 min).

Distances between towns

Four roads worth remembering:

• The A2 “Autostrada del Mediterraneo” – toll-free, running from Salerno to Reggio Calabria via Cosenza and Lamezia. In the south it is almost nothing but tunnels and viaducts.
• The SS106 Jonica – the only road along the Ionian coast. Single carriageway for long stretches and running through the middle of towns; average speeds are well below those on the A2.
• The SS18 Tirrena Inferiore – the old road along the Tyrrhenian coast; in August it clogs up around Scalea and Pizzo, among other places. It bypasses Tropea: the town and Capo Vaticano are reached on the coastal provincial road, the former SS522 (34 km from the Angitola junction via Pizzo and Briatico), which is just as busy in season.
• The SS682 Jonio-Tirreno – the road linking the two coasts in the south: 39 km from the Rosarno junction on the A2 to Grotteria Mare on the SS106, with the 3.2 km Limina tunnel. This is the way from Tropea to Gerace and Locri.

Trains run on two lines along the two coasts. The Tyrrhenian line (Naples – Paola – Lamezia – Reggio) is fast and also carries Frecciarossa and Italo services; the Ionian line is mostly single-track and slow. One catch for Tropea: fast trains run inland through Vibo Valentia-Pizzo station, while the coastal branch through Pizzo, Tropea and Ricadi is served by regional trains – change at Lamezia Terme Centrale or Rosarno. If you are travelling without a car, the journey planner on each town page will help.

How far from Rome, Naples and Bari

For Sicily, take the ferry from Villa San Giovanni to Messina – the crossing takes about 20 minutes, and the port is 15 km north of the centre of Reggio Calabria.

How to choose a base

The map and tables point to a few practical rules:

• One base is not enough for the whole region. For a week, pick one coast; for a fortnight, split your stay between two parts of Calabria.
• Tropea, Pizzo or Capo Vaticano make a good base for the Coast of the Gods, and for day trips to Scilla and Reggio as well (1 h 15 min to 1 h 30 min each way).
• Reggio Calabria or Scilla work well if your plans include the Riace Bronzes, Bova, Gerace and a hop over to Sicily.
• Soverato or Catanzaro Lido sit in the middle of the Ionian coast – roughly the same distance from Stilo, Le Castella and Lamezia airport.
• Cosenza or Camigliatello are the bases for the Sila and Pollino; the sea is 40–60 minutes away.
• Scalea and Diamante are a long way from the rest of the region’s sights (3 hours to Tropea) but close to Pollino and Basilicata.

For a ready-made touring route, see Calabria in 7 days, and for an overview of where to stay, our accommodation guide. If you plan to hire a car, have a look at car rental in Calabria too.

About the author

Karina

A passionate traveller and Italy enthusiast, especially in love with Calabria. She explores the most beautiful corners of southern Italy and shares her experiences to inspire others to visit this magical region.