Calabria’s coastline is among the most unspoilt – and affordable – in Europe. Laura Latham on why now is the time to find bargain bliss at the tip of Italy’s boot

Miles of white sand, clean seas and untamed mountains – it’s hard to believe that an area offering all this stayed off the well-beaten tourist track for so long.

But Calabria, tucked away in the toe of Italy, is a forgotten corner of Europe. For years Italians, who decamp here en masses each summer, have had it to themselves. But that’s about to change.

For those who have already fallen in love with the area, the news that Thomson and Club Med are about to arrive will hardly be welcome. But for those looking for a holiday home from which they can make money, it should be viewed rather differently. Where tour operators lead, the property market follows, and Calabria is widely tipped to be the next investment hot-spot.