A Sun-Baked Landscape

The hot and arid regions of Sicily, Calabria, Basilicata and Puglia lie in the sun-drenched south of Italy, and are part of the Mezzogiorno, which also includes Molise and Campania. Long expanses of coastline plunge into the temperate waters of the Mediterranean, but inland, mysterious forests, rugged mountains and ancient villages provide startling natural beauty too. On a map, Italy resembles a boot kicking a ball. With this in mind, the four regions of southern Italy are easy to identify: Puglia is the heel, Basilicata is the instep, Calabria is the toe and Sicily is the ball. The whole of southern Italy is rich in history, culture, art and gastronomy, but it is so different from the industrial north that it is sometimes hard to believe it is part of the same country.