Special thanks to zeligvonwinkel for providing the most beautiful photos from my website in particular the featured images of my website were all created during two of his visits to Calabria.

Porta Calabria – is the passionate property sales agency of Mirko Pngstl. Mirko knows Calabria like the back of his hand and

he has a keen eye for beautiful properties and is a wonderful consultant! He emigrated to Calabria for the love of the region and its people. What I really like about him is his wonderful way of sharing ideas and knowledge! So today I luckily can rent

as holiday accomodations some houses he brought to my knowledge! Thank you Mirko!

Laborart Tropea – is a cultural project of Maria Grazia Teramo. Since 2010, the committed actress has been organizing acting classes, art projects and theater productions in her hometown of Tropea.

ExConvento – My favorite place in Calabria. With energy, strength and fantasy, Paola Scialis and her partner Stefano Cuzzocrea for many years have worked to create a place of cultural production and exchange in a former convent in Belmonte Calabro. They developed theatre plays for children, gastronomic experiences for the curious guests; they opened their home to musicians, theater people, artists and others. They toured through Italy with their Volkswagen bulli and performed as making Gnocchi with the sympathetic, peace-loving motto “Non fate la guerra ma gnocchi e pomodoro” = “Do not make war, but gnocchi with tomato sauce!” …. but always coming back to their place up on the mountain of Belmonte Calabro. Today, Stefano continues the activities at Ex-Convento in memory of Paola, who died in a tragic car accident in May 2018. He says, I”m living our

lifelong dream as if she still was here and this feels right.”

Instaruga – Calabria is awakening like sleeping beauty! There are a lot of new, young and very dynamic projects to let you experience an authentic holiday in Calabria! Instaruga is a group of highly professional and dedicated people – Ettore, Ursula, Francesca, Fabio, Luana – who realized an online platform to present and connect a great variety of adventures in Alto Crotones, the region in which they are based. Trekking, river trekking, degustations of cheese, wine, visiting geological sites as Salt Diapirs, caves, homecoming in Arbëresh and a lot more! I love to collaborate with them! Have a look, go and try!

Olio Bitonti – Maria Bitonti – Calabria in her heart! Maria is daughter of Calabrese immigrants. Her brothers were still born in Calabria, Maria in Zurich. She loves her roots, this you feel immediately. AND: she loves what she specialized in. Maria is sensory specialist for olive oil and consultant for olive oil producers. And she is one of the really up-dated persons I know concerning food, little producers, Michelin star restaurants and all about culinary in Calabria. Knowing the large variety of fruits and vegetables Calabria oers as well as olive trees species and a lot more! Her family has an olive grove and produces delicious, pure olive oil in Alto Crotonese. I am really happy to have met her nally in person in August 2021. Stay tuned! Ladies powers and Calabria love!

Calabria Semplice – Lucia Bartucca – Lucia comes from Filadelfia, a small town near Vibo Valentia in Calabria. She has been living in Reggio Calabria for a few years now, since she finished her studies in Milan. She affectionately calls Reggio Calabria “her” city, because she loves its colorful mix of culture, traditions, history and cuisine. Not only does she have a degree in “Sustainable Tourism” in her pocket, but she has also trained as a foreign language teacher for Italian. She offers Italian courses in Reggio Calabria with practical relevance! She wants to give you the opportunity to directly apply what you have learned and so with her you have the opportunity to dive directly into this exciting city, shop at markets, make your order in Italian at the restaurant and much more! On her blog she writes in a wonderful way already since 2015 about small, hidden gems in Calabria!

Tour Divini – Cristina realized with tour divini her dream. In beautiful Piedmont she organizes trips to exclusive spots and rents the romantic house of her grandmother: Casa Angolina. She has a marvelous network of hand selected holiday accommodations and never ending ideas for your travel experiences. All this with heart, energy and high profession for details and the focus to let you enjoy an unforgettable holiday in this picturesque area of Italy! All this makes her to me a person I love to collaborate with!

Out of the Box Florence – Calabria is not around the corner and this is why I am introducing to you beautiful places on your trip South to stopp for some nights and to discover secret treasures of Italy. Stefano Mazzantini from Out of the Box Florence is a new collaboration that is dear to my heart! His eye and passion for the Hidden, the small and ne places, authentic and genius producers for wine, cheese and a lot more and the best places to have stunning panoramic views connects us from Tuscany to Calabria. With him – I am sure – you will discover the hidden Tuscany! Experiences that you will keep in your heart!

Expedition Abruzzen – Juliane, originally from Berlin, lost her heart to Abruzzo and moved there for her love. Ivan is the partner at her side and he comes from Raiano, a little village. Juliane loves the wideness and wildness and the authentic of this region! She is my colleague in the team of travel composers at amavido. I really enjoy her way of describing places in Italy with words in a way that I immediately can imagine them. A talent of few, believe me! If you think about travelling to Abruzzo, don’t miss to ask Juliane for her ideas and enjoy reading her travelblog!

Sonoitalia.de – Nicoletta De Rossi gives insights about all Italy: Exciting Stories, images, podcasts and videos. She writes about travelling, gourmet, events, shopping, typical Italian and makes interviews with testimonials so that you will get to know as well as the famous and wellknown highlights also the hidden treasures of fascinating Italy. You immediately understand that a real journalist is writing which is a pleasure while reading and gives you a lot of ideas where else you might want to travel in Italy!

www.agricoladueleoni.it – Due Leoni farm was founded a decade ago, when proprietor, Giuseppe Catalano di Melilli, purchased olive groves, a small vineyard, and several farmhouses, in a medieval village high in the Sabina hills. His family’s ancient history of citrus farming in Sicily (on the plain below Etna), was to be complemented by products from the Roman countryside.

Sabina is considered one of Italy’s best regions for olive oil, since Roman times. Agricola Due Leoni has won numerous international awards, most recently two gold medals at the London International Olive Oil Competiton, the Gold Award in NY100C 2016, and others. Special editions are commissioned from contemporary artists and often produced in collaboration with outside partners. Informal summer residencies are oered to young creatives from Europe and beyond. A combination of art & agriculture to accompany a world-class olive oil.
Mumok – Edition Cosima von Bonin
Mumok – Edition Peter Kogler

Cornelia Lauf – her fame came to my ears already long before I moved to Italy. Years later, I nally met her in Rome, where she has her base. Outstanding art historian, freelance curator, writer, networker and think tank and most of all generous host. Meanwhile, Cornelia Lauf is a wonderful friend in Italy, a great adviser and a never-tired supporter of all ideas and projects and just always inspiring! There is probably nothing in art history that she would not have read about and above all that she can reproduct in any situation. She is the woman at the side of Giuseppe Catalano di Melilli and I miss them very much since I live in Germany again.

Post aus Italien – If you feel like reading more about Italy and not only then you shouldn’t miss of Stefan Maiwald. Blogs are often declared superuous this one for sure isn’t. Besides the Italian boot long range of insider tips, impressions and experiences that Stefan shares with us in his wonderfully direct, self-ironic and smirkling writing style, he also has written numerous books and guides (also about Calabria). Probably this author works all night long or, like almost all successful men, has a great woman next to him in his case, his great Italian love. But read yourself. I’m thrilled.

www.o-solemio.de – Holidays in Sardinia. Unfortunately, until today I haven’t been to this beautiful island of Italy. If I would go there on holiday, I certainly would rent a house through Sigrid Hering has a wonderful selection of private apartments and houses. She has been oering her ne holiday house rental in Sardinia for many decades, all accommodations and also the landlords are chosen by her personally. Here you will not only receive a holiday home, but advice and more for your holiday.

www.deutsche-roemerin.com – When visiting the eternal city, be sure to take a tour with the German Roman. Individually guided tours that give you an insight into la dolce vita in Italy’s capital, let you discover secret places and present you with in-depth background knowledge about the millennia-old history of Rome in digestible morsels. If desired, of course, rounded off with real culinary delights. Because food can never be missing in Italy. The whole organized by two very sympathetic women: Annett and Susi together with a team of Rome connoisseurs and Italy maniacs, like myself. Don’t miss it!

www.legaproanimale.com – After living just 2 months in Tropea I ended up with 5 cats at my place and realized I could not continue to adopt more cats from the streets of Tropea living in miserable situations. That is why in 2009 I invited Lega Pro Animale to come to Tropea. They did a amazing job: in only 3 days they sterilized 200 cats (107 female and 93 male). A team of volunteers assisted them and it was a great experience. Lega Pro Animale is a registered Italian non-prot animal welfare organization, established in 1986 by German veterinarian, Dorothea Friz. Lega Pro Animale’s main objective is to spay and neuter the dogs and cats in southern Italy so the stray population will naturally diminish.

Apicus Case Vacanza – Also close to Rome is the pretty village of Olevano Romano. Who wants to spend a holiday here, should stay in one of the apartments of Apricus Olevano Romano. Hospitality is very important here, guests are spoiled with culinary highlights and the apartments are beautifully situated in the old town of Olevano.

Agriturismo I larghi – Umbria was a favorite destination for us during the ve years we lived in Rome. Beautiful, soft landscape, good food, delicious wine, pretty towns: The best place to stay for sure is the agriturism "I Larghi" south of Perugia and not far from the beautiful town Todi. Pietro and his daughter in a loving way take care of their guests in, the houses they rent are very beautiful and comfortable. In the summer don’t miss the great pool certainly ideal for a holiday with children. Organically grown vegetables and fruit, as well as riding stables nearby – our daughters love it there.

www.buonavista.de – The couple Stöger has what some of you might dream of. Houses around the world that they oer to their guests as holiday homes: Northern and Southern Italy, Munich, Sri Lanka. I am renting her beautiful house in Calabria and I am glad that I could win them for a cooperation.

www.kunstverein-braunschweig.de – my life before immigrating to Calabria (at least a little part of my life;-) ! In the Kunstverein Braunschweig I used to collaborate with Karola Grässlin (now married: Kraus) and from her I learned my basics for organization. It has been a wonderful, intense 7 years that I do not want to miss out! Today Karola Kraus is director at MUMOK www.mumok.at and totester with her sisters and brother have a outstanding collection of contemporary art in St. Georgen in the Black Forest Sammlung Grässlin . In the middle of Blackforest countryside you can do a tour to see parts of their collection. Afterwards do not miss to have lunch or dinner in the restaurant run by Karola’s sister Sabine: Kippys – Buon Appetito!

Ilona Rau – Further training for the step into self-employment. In a seminar with Ilona Rau I got exciting aspects around the topic of marketing! Ilona understands how to sharpen the view for the own project! This still benefits me today and has given me the courage to realize my dream of self-employment step by step. Many thanks dear Ilona!