We spent three weeks at Ninea and they were perfect, mainly because of the peace and quiet, the excellent swimming pool and Maria and Domenico.

The agriturismo has 28 small two-bedroom bungalows (although the site says "20'), on the top of a hill overlooking Capo Vaticano and Stromboli. The appartments are arranged in 14 pairs and are widely spaced apart, so privacy is not a problem. Only the first row of 8 appartments offers unobstructed view of the sea, so be sure to ask for one of these bungalows with your reservation. The appartments are quite spartan, but the essentials are there: airconditioning, firm beds (one double, two single), a safe, a spacious bathroom with a shower with lots of water pressure and a well-equipped kitchen including freezer and large fridge. The walls are bare, there is no tv or radio or " cosy nooks". But hey, you are in Italy so what are you doing indoors? The veranda offers lots of shade and has a large picknick-table and some seats from which to watch the sun set over Stromboli.

Guests are mainly German, Austrian, Dutch and Scandinavian and almost all have children in the age of 3 to 13 years of age. There is no entertainment or disco, but pool and playground offer enough entertainment. Our kids had "the best time ever".

The pool is one of the agriturismo's greatest assets. For really small children there is a small, shallow pool (80 centimeters deep) of 5 by 10 metres. The main pool measures 25 by 15 metres and is between 1.25 metres and 1.75 metres deep. This means that it is excellent for serious swimming (I did 1 km per day) while being safe for children. It is well-maintained, clean, beautifully lit at night. The extra splash is made by the 10 water jets set in the wall on the shallow end.

The other asset of Ninea is the restaurant and especially the young, Italian couple that run it: Maria and Domenico. They are always smiling, take a personal interest in you and with their willingness to go the extra mile, they make you feel you're visiting with Italian friends. And they are great with kids, always hugging and spoiling them and letting them " help" in the kitchen and the restaurant.

Dinner is served buffet-style with anywhere between 4 to 10 antipasti and 2 main courses. It is very, very good. Domenico is an excellent cook, combining " mainstream" Italian dishes with Calabrian specialities (N'duja!), using only fresh ingredients, many coming from his own garden (where guests can pick their own tomatoes). Wednesday is Calabrian or BBQ night and Friday night is Pizza-night!! The restaurants also offers breakfast, a comprehensive lunch menu and the possibility to order fresh rolls, croissants and eggs each morning. The prices are very reasonable.

After ten o' clock, the place is very quiet. If you are looking for nightlife, you will have to go to one of the bars or discotheques in picturesque and very lively Tropea (20 minutes by car) that stay open ' till 3 or 4 in the morning.

Reception has a computer with internet guests can use (useful for internet check-in on Ryanair) and offers WiFi. Maria Theresa is fluent in English and will help you plan trips, make reservations and book excursions. Like Maria and Domenico, she is very friendly and will go the extra mile for you. If you want to go to the beach, Santa Maria is 5 minutes away and has free umbrellas and beds for Ninea guest. It is quite busy though. Maria Theresa suggested Groticelli and Riace which are a lot more quiet. Be sure to rent a pedalo and round Capo Vaticano!

So, were there no downsides? No, not really. Well, with all 28 bungalows occupied, the restaurant and pool became quite busy in comparison with our first two weeks when only 20 or so bungalows were taken. And parking space became very limited then. But these were things we could easily live with.

Now, Calabria is nothing like Umbria or Tuscany in the way of quaint villages, beautiful churches and rich cultural heritage. But the south of Calabria has a beautiful coastline, a very beautiful and varied interior and some pretty nice towns such as Tropea, Pizzo, Scilla, Stilo, Locri and Reggio di Calabria (1.5 hrs drive). So do go out and discover. You will need a car and a sense of humour (roads are terrible and Calabrian drivers completely nuts) but you are sure to see some spectaculars sights and meet very friendly, open people. If you want to visit the Aspromonte (including Pentidatili, Raghudi and Bova), plan a two-day trip and include Reggio. And be sure to book a day-trip to the Eolian islands from Tropea.