fmkgb

Any suggestions for off-the-beaten-track things to do in Cosenza or day trips from here (we can leave around 10am and I must be back in Cosenza by 3:30pm).

Heading north by train making our way to Naples. Any suggestions for our next stop? It's winter so not a beach area, not amalfi. Thinking about Benevento Campania but would prefer something in Calabria as it is our first trip to this region.

thanks.

Alice11

Which sort of service are you going to use?

FlyingHoustonian

I've only driven through that area once. I saw the Hohenstaufen castle and I saw adverts for the open air museum. Not sure about anything else in Cosenza.

Ciao,
FH

Alice11

If they're travelling by train to Naples, I'm afraid they will make a sort of transit in Paola and then they will head north alongside the Tyrrhenian Sea, with no other stops in Calabria. Unless they take one on those very slow trains, and in this case maybe they will stop make a stop at Scalea or somewhere over there.

Cosenza is among mountains. If they are going to stay in Cosenza over the next weeks - so, winter, with snow - and they will have some spare time, they could head to the Sila National Park, and its villages, or going north/east towards Altomonte, the ruines of Sibari and such, getting close to the Pollino National Park, driving down the A3.
There're other itineraries too.

fmkgb

Thanks but we've decided to head to Naples.

gpeliquero

Hello Alice, I'm new to forums, a friend of mine suggested this one. I'm from Argentina. We'll be travelling Rome-Paola by train (Raileurope's Italy Pass) but our destination is Terranova da Sibari. I cannot find "autolinee/pullman" from Paola to Terranova da Sibari so I guess I should have bought a ticket from Rome to Cosenza instead. Are there car rentals near Paola's train station? "Autolinee/pullman" from Paola to Terranova da Sibari? Taxi? Any reference? Thanks in advance, Graciela

Alice11

Hello Graciela,
Cosenza is actually closer. Since you have a train ticket, I believe you can simply stop in Paola and then take a regional train to Cosenza. The journey take roughly 30'.

If you want to take a bus, from Rome Tiburtina there's a line operated by SIMET. TI never used SIMET but I believe it's a Cosenza-centric operator, and actually a number of stops are in that area. Their website reports they offer a stop - to be booked, I suppose - in Spezzano Albanese, at a service station on the SS19*.
On the website, that stop is called 'Spezzano Alb. Scalo - Area di Servizio Q8'
The website is www.simetspa.it

Re public transport: no idea what you can find in Paola, Cosenza and Spezzano/Terranova but honestly I would not rely on public transportation for the holidays in Calabria, even if they're pretty good. Simply, it not an area you can visit easily by bus or train. Booking a car would be better. I believe you can't find anything in Paola, but Maggiore, the biggest Italian rental company, has an office at the train station in Cosenza. Website: www.maggiore.it

* SS19 = Strada Statale 19,something like Ruta Nacional 19

gpeliquero

Thank you Alice for all your suggestions. Your confirmation that travelling through that area is not easy makes me feel relieved. I was beginning to think that I was not being efficient enough

Alice11

I forgot to say that I mentioned Spezzano Albanese because this village lays next to Terranova.

Yes, not easy. Theoretically you can find a link between A and B, but the problem is re the number of options and frequency of services, availability of information and... where exactly is your destination: In Calabria most of the population live in villages, which are usually pretty small, a number of locals live in country houses or that sort of things, the territory is basically made of hills and mountains and so on. Locals tipically rely on their own cars.

gpeliquero

Thank you so much for your help Alice. We've got a clearer idea now. Best regards, Graciela