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Travellers will be able to fly direct to Italy's "best kept secret" from Manchester.

Ryanair will now offer flights twice weekly to Reggio Calabria in southwest Italy – making Manchester the first UK airport with a direct link to the city. Flights will run on Wednesdays and Sundays with Ryanair, starting on Sunday, April 28, from £14.99 per person one-way.

The city provides visitors with an ideal base to explore the wider Calabria region – often referred to as the country’s "best kept secret" by travel writers. It's also known for being one of the most affordable parts of the country to visit.

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The area has been popular with Italian tourists and also international visitors as it combines white sand beaches with spectacular scenery, culture, architecture and fantastic food. Reggio Calabria is one of the oldest cities in Italy, thought to have first been settled over 3,000 years ago – older even than Rome.

Nods to its history are everywhere and visitors can decode it all at the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria, where tickets are a very reasonable 8 Euros (£6.84) for adults and free for Under-18s. Another popular spot with history buffs is the town of Vibo Valentia, which has been inhabited since the 7^th Century B.C., when it was founded as an Ancient Greek colony.

Stephen Turner, chief commercial officer at Manchester Airport, said: "We are proud to connect people in the North with an outstanding range of destinations, with over 200 routes served by more than 50 airlines. Ryanair’s new service to Reggio Calabria is an exciting one because it’s a