Fonte Di Bagnaria Residence

We, fairly spontaneously, decided to go on holiday, and the region of "Calabria" in the south of Italy caught our eyes. After doing some personal research, we found "Residence Fonte di Bagnaria". What we didn't know back then, is that it would exceed our wildest expectations. At our arrival (late in the evening) the two sisters, who run the hotel with their parents, were awaiting us in the lobby, and gave us a very warm and friendly welcome. They showed us our room which was clean and gorgeous, furnished in a modern Italian style, and fitted with a marble floor. As we asked, tired from our trip, if it was still possible to order dinner (it was half past nine), the sisters ensured us this wasn't a problem, at all. One of the sisters immediately disappeared into the kitchen an prepared us a wonderful meal. As a starter we got a mixed plate of various antipasti followed by a delicious, freshly made, traditional pasta dish. The romantic atmosphere they managed to create for us was the icing on our proverbial arrival day cake. The next morning, at dawn, we got a first glimpse of how well kept the garden was. A green oasis with colourful flowers, and apparently a comfortable home to several lizards. It might be starting to "sound" monotonous, but the breakfast was of indisputable quality. There was something for every taste: An assortment of savoury and sweet dishes, fruit, and muesli with yoghurt. On top of that, their buffet of (mainly homemade) creations continued to vary throughout the week. Considering the fact that we love to try out different restaurants, it says everything that we still had dinner at the hotel for a total of three times. They offer a daily menu, but our personal requests were accepted with love. A very well executed traditional Italian special "pasta aglio e olio peperoncino", was served as a candlelight-dinner in the hotel's garden. On our final evening they made us a risotto with prawns that undoubtedly raised the bars of various culinary standards. There are plenty of sights to visit in the area of "Santa Domenica", but a rental car is highly recommended. From "Fonte di Bagnaria", which is situated at the main road to "Tropea", you can easily find your way around. Driving to the idyllic municipality of "Tropea" takes only ten minutes. The old fisherman's town "Scilla", at an hour drive, is also definitely worth a visit. Besides that, there are plenty of Caribbean-like beaches in the area. If you are a slightly more adventurous type of person, then climbing the active volcano "Stromboli" is also definitely an option to consider. The hotel's pool is nothing special, but it is a fine place to cool down and relax after a warm day. It's well maintained, and there are more than enough sun beds. The hotel, inside and out, was extremely tidy. The rooms were cleaned on a daily basis, and the towels were changed when necessary. This small-scale gem in the southern Italian landscape is the best place we have ever stayed at. We hereby want to thank the family for their hospitality and the good care. We typically never visit the same spot twice, but in this case we will make an exception.