Perched on cliffs overlooking the Tyrrenian Sea with views across ‘the infinite sea’ to smoking peak of Stromboli and the other Aeolian Islands visible on the horizon on a clear day, Tropea is one of the most enchanting coastal towns in southern Italy. It is an elegant and well-preserved town, with a laidback atmosphere, some excellent restaurants and caffes and a string of clean, sandy beaches running around the foot of the cliffs – a perfect place for a weekend (or more) in summer.
Like most of the towns along the coast of Calabria, Tropea has a long and rich history, dating from antiquity when it was part the ancient Greek world. Given its enviable position, the town has always drawn people looking to relax for a long time. It became particularly popular with the local nobility in the 19th century, when it was part of the Bourbon kingdom of Naples. They built elegant residences her the centre of the town an aristocratic atmosphere.
These days the life in summer takes place over two levels: the pedestrian lanes and streets of the town centre with its bustling piazzas and nine lookouts and then the its port and beaches that wrap around under the 60 metre cliffs. It is busy and buzzing but there are enough beaches to the south of the town to escape even the most madding crowd, if you want to.
How to get there:
By road: Tropea is on the A3 autostrada that runs down the coast of southern Italy from Naples to Reggio Calbaria. Heading south on this, take the exit for Pizzo Calabria and the state highway 522 for the 35 km drive to Tropea. By rail: Tropea station is on the secondary Lamezia Terma – Reggio Calabria line. By air: Tropea is 60 kms south of Lamezia International Airport
Where to stay:
Hotel Rocca della Sena. This romantic 4-star hotel has rooms with balconies looking out over the cliffs to the sea. It also has one of the best cellars in town, offering the finest Calabrian wines. Doubles from 170 euro
B&B Potercole. A charming bed and breakfast that is in the heart of the old town, situated in a little street that ends at one the best lookout points in Tropea. It has four quiet modern rooms and serves an abundant breakfast of locally made goodies. Double from 120 euro.
Where to eat:
Da Cece: Situated in a quiet piazza in the centre of town, with a gazebo out the front, this lovely restaurant serves spaghetti featuring Tropea onions (sweet red onions that are the town’s proudest speciality) as well as fresh grilled fish. Meals from 40 euro.
Il Normanno: This restaurant has a terrace with beautiful views over the roofs of the old town and down over the port. It’s specialities are ‘pitta’ a focaccia-type bread that is filled with anchovies, onions, olives and mozzarella and eggplant involtini. It also serves fresh home-made pastas. Meals from 30 euro.
Enogastronomia Lorenzo: Also in the centre of town, this wine bar showcases the best of the local wines, accompanied by the best local delicatessen goods. It’s the ideal place to get a gourmet lunch to take to the beach.
Saturday: explore Tropea
Saturday morning: Explore the town
Go for a walk through the town, starting at Corso Vittorio Emanuelle. You can have a break outdoors at the Royal Bar Filardi, Tropea’s oldest, where you can try their ‘sciu’ large puff pastry balls filled with cream. From here you can visit the town’s cathedral and the cathedral’s museum before wandering through the lanes lined with elegant noble palazzi, pausing at the Café de Paris for a lemon granita or coffee. In Via Laursa you can visit Palazzo Toraldo di Francia, a family residence which has preserved its interiors and a family archive. Another Palazzo Toraldo, in Largo San Michele, holds two copies of the ‘Book of the Privileges of Tropea’ 17th century tome that list the nobility of the town and their rights. 4 sets of stairs lead from the centre down to the waterfront, from where you can visit the recently restored little church of Santa Maria d’Isola, which sits spectacularly on the tip of small promontory joined to the beach by a narrow isthmus.
Saturday afternoon: Go for a swim
Time to hit the beach. July and August are peak season but there are enough beaches to spread the crowds and if you are energetic you can even find some space to yourself along the beaches to the south. At the Lido La Munizione you can not only enjoy the water but also sip some well-chilled Calabrian wines and watch the passing parade. Continuing along the coast you come to the Mare Piccolo, the town’s most celebrated beach and then beyond this under the cliffs of the town, Linquata, which takes its name from a small that runs parallel to the beach. La Spiaggia del Convento, with an old convent overlooking it, is the widest and longest beach in the area, with a number of beach clubs, including the Lido Acquamarina and Lido Tropical, where you can enjoy an aperitif and watch the sun go down.
Sunday: go touring
Sunday 1: Go for a walk
The castle of Galluppi-Toraldo, 7 kilometres into the hinterland of Tropea, is the starting point of a number of walking trails organised by the Associazione Antico Sentiero (Association of the Ancient Trail) which costs 35 per person for the day and includes a delicious lunch. The route follows a mule-trails through the Fiumara della Ruffa valley and then on to the Via dei Mulini, a trail that passes along a river still lined with the remains of old watermills.
Sunday 2: Go boating
Hire a rubber dinghy (gommone) from the port of Tropea and explore the coastline, heading for Capo Vaticano, with its isolated beaches and good snorkelling (they can be hired from Sea Passion www.seapassion.eu).
Sea Passion also organise day trip to Stromboli, an active volcano, one of the Aeolian Islands. The boats leave at 9.00 am, crossing 50 kms to the island, which takes around one hour. Here you can get off with time to swim and explore the towns and villages before returning to Tropea at 06.00 pm.
Sunday 3: Get some culture
In the morning. take the train an hour south to Reggio Calabria, the capital of the region (which has ‘Italy’s most beautiful waterfronts’). Here you can visit the Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria (www.museoarcheologicoreggiocalabria.it) where you will find two of Italy’s great archaeological treasures: the Bronzes of Riace: two extraordinary bronze Greek statues dating from the 5th century BC that were drawn up from the sea floor by fishermen over 30 years ago. One of the cultural highlights of any visit to southern Italy.
