Visit Tropea, its cliffs and beaches on the Calabrian coast
Tropea is a seaside resort in the Calabria region of southernItaly, near Vibo Valentia. The town is perched atop an imposing cliff in the Gulf of Santa Euphemia, facing the Tyrrhenian Sea. This stretch of coastline is known as the Costa degli Dei, the Coast of the Gods, and is one of Italy’s most beautiful summer vacation destinations. With spectacular cliffs overlooking a crystal blue sea and sun-drenched beaches, Tropea is a famous place for swimming. Although not particularly well known to foreign travelers, Tropea is popular with Italians.
The town is a curious maze of pretty little streets and squares. The cobbled streets are lined with old blonde stone buildings, and at various points there are staircases leading down to the beaches below. On a clear day, you can easily see the volcanic island of Stromboli from the seafront promenade, and it’s possible to book a boat trip there for the day.
Tropea’s most famous landmark is the great rocky spur that juts out into the sea just a few hundred meters from the town. At the top is the monastery of Santa Maria dell’Isola, built in the 7th century. Other buildings worth a visit include the beautiful Norman Cathedral and the churches of San Francesco and Santa Maria della Neve. If you explore the streets, you’ll find traces of the old city wall and the fortifications that defended it on the landward side.
Legend has it that Tropea was founded by Hercules, when he returned after completing one of his 12 labors. Historical documents, however, indicate that Scipio the African, who returned victorious from the battle of Zama (202 BC, near Carthage), founded a town and offered it as a trophy in gratitude to the gods for the victory, from which the town took its name. The region has been inhabited since Neolithic times, and has been repeatedly occupied by Arabs, Normans, Swabians, Anjous and Aragonese, as well as being attacked by Turkish pirates.
In addition to tourism, one of Tropea’s main resources is the famous red onion known as Cipolla Rossa di Tropea Calabria, which has been awarded a protected designation of origin.
