Coastal towns and beaches in Calabria on the Tyrrhenian Sea

After exploring the tranquil countryside near Sersale, Calabria, it was time to hit the beaches and coastal towns in the region. With only a week there, we decided visit the coastal towns and beaches on the Tyrrhenian Sea. When it comes to beaches in this area, you are spoilt for choice.

Pizzo

From Sersale our next destination was Scilla, and since Pizzo was on the way, we made a brief stop.

Why Pizzo?

This lovely coastal town is where you will find the tartufo di pizzo. It’s not the truffles that you know but rather something sweet. Specifically, it is gelato consisting of two flavors, covered in a shell made of chocolate or cocoa powder and an oozing center!



The day we drove to Pizzo, it was scorching. So much so that one section of the highway was closed as bushfires were encroaching the road.

When we got to Pizzo, I stepped out of the car to take a photo and it was suffocating outside. As you can imagine, the tartufo di pizzo was the perfect antidote to cool things down.

Scilla

After being stuck in traffic due to the fires, we finally got to Scilla, a gem on the Costa Viola (Purple Coast). One of the neighborhoods here, Chianalea, is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.



With houses built on the rocks cascading down to the Tyrrhenian Sea, roam through the narrow and picturescque alleys, some giving you a glimpse of the sea.

The Marina Grande, also known as Spiagge delle Sirene, is where we spent most of our days. Sunbed and umbrella rentals here are much more reasonable compared to the Amalfi Coast. The restaurants on the beach also offer excellent dishes and their swordfish panino (sandwich) is a must when you are in Scilla.

Reggio Calabria

As Reggio Calabria is only 22 kilometers (14 miles) south of Scilla, we decided to spend a morning in the city to see the Riace Bronze Warriors in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Reggio Calabria. A huge mistake.

While the city tends to get a bad rap, it was a pleasant surprise: from the wonderfully laid out museum to the lungomare (beachside promenade) with views of Sicily to the architecture in the city, we could have happily spent a day here.



 

Capo Vaticano

Capo Vaticano on Costa degli Dei (the Coast of the Gods) is one of the most stunning stretches of coastline in Italy. The promontory which sits 125 meters high offers a spectacular view of the area and Grotticelle beach. You’ll be amazed by the dazzling turquoise colors and the sunset here is second to none.



There are many beach establishments in Grotticelle, both on the right and left of the parking area. While we stayed at a hotel less than a kilometer from the beach and could walk it, the way back was a steep uphill climb and in that heat, taking the car was the right decision.

If you make your way there early, you can easily find parking, where you pay a reasonable hourly rate. The parking system here is more organized than you imagine. If you plan to spend the entire day at the beach, some hotels nearby also offer parking for a flat fee for the day that is also affordable.



On our last day, we took a boat trip around Capo Vaticano to see parts of the area that would be difficult to reach on foot. It was with a small group and lasted about 2 hours as they also stopped for you to jump into the water.

Tono

10 minutes drive from Grotticelle is another fabulous long stretch of white sand beach, with a stunning view of Stromboli, one of the Aeolian Islands. You can easily find paid parking here.



There are bathing establishments with facilities and restaurants where you can rent a bed and umbrella, but you can bring your own umbrella or just lay down a beach towel.

On our first visit, however, the sea was rough and waves were coming further onto the beach than normal, forcing the establishments to close for business. The next time we came back, it was at sunset where the sky was bathed in gold and with the Aeolian islands in the background, a spectacular end to the day.

Santa Maria di Ricadi

A short drive south of Grotticelle, you’ll find the town of Santa Maria di Ricadi. Parking here was difficult and we got lucky when we found a car just coming out. Most of the beach is free but we only stayed here very briefly as there was a rocky barrier to get into the sea and without our beach shoes we chose to head further south to Nicotera Marina.

Nicotera Marina

If you are looking for a quiet stretch of white powdery sand, Nicotera Marina is the perfect beach for you. When we were, there was with only a handful of people and this was in July. You have plenty of beach establishments to choose from and we randomly picked out.

Although the block leading to the Marina looks like a scene from a Western, the beach area is decent and the water beautiful. We would be happy to come back here the next time we are in the area.

Tropea

On the Coast of the Gods (Costa degli Dei), this charming town with narrow alleys also boasts many aristocratic buildings overhanging the edge of the town. As you can imagine, the windows and balconies offer a splendid view of the sea.



We first drove to the historic center, and aimlessly walking around, we found our way to the edge of the town where were treated to a fantastic view of the Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell’Isola, perched on the top of a rocky island and the sea.

From there, we then drove down to the beach. Even though it was July, we found parking easily but can easily see that in August, parking can be an issue. Private parking areas charge a decent fee if you’d rather not waste your time looking for parking.



Should you choose to visit the Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell’Isola, beware of the steep steps you have to tackle to get to the top – worth it for the 360-degree views. Ticket costs €2 to enter.

Spiaggia di Riace

South of Tropea, on our way back to our hotel in Capo Vaticano, we stopped at Spiaggia di Riace, where the Bronze statues were found. As you get closer to the beach, there is one section that is a one-lane road but there is a traffic light to manage this situation.



 

Praia a Mare

Situated further north is Praia a Mare, on the Riviera dei Cedrei, home to more than 7000 residents. This was the last town on your itinerary in Calabria before going to the Amalfi Coast.

We stayed at a family-owned beachfront hotel that provided guests with an umbrella and sunbeds at the beach, making for a completely relaxing getaway.



There were a lot of families here but far from the crowds, you would often see on the Amalfi Coast. Praia a Mare is a small town with a laid-back vibe yet has a lively atmosphere. The main boulevard is lined with restaurants, shops, bars, gelato shops and this is where the action is in the evening.

The friendly owner of the hotel highly recommended a visit to Madonna della Grotta, as well as to Isola di Dino to see the Grotta Azzurra and Grotta del Leone, and to Arco Magno. As we were here only a night, we didn’t get the chance to visit Madonna della Grotta, which was only a short walk from town.

As for the visit to Isola di Dino, the hotel called to book us on a boat tour but the boat to Arco Magno was cancelled for the next day. I have mix feelings about the boat tour, as it was a huge group, with the boat stopping at each beach establishment to pick up guests. We could have done without the loud pop-music on board while out at sea when we could have enjoyed some calm and serenity.



That said, the visit to the Grotta Azzurra has to be one of the highlights of this trip. The crystal clear sapphire water was dazzling. The boat tour lasted an hour and was very affordable (less than €10 per person). Other options to visit Isola di Dino include renting a kayak or a pedalo.

Other thoughts and tips

We wanted to also visit Diamante but it would have to be another trip. Calabria is full of wonderful surprises but sadly, while driving through the region, we also saw a lot of abandoned and half-completed buildings.

Scilla is one of our favorite towns and since the train station is right in town, we have considered the option of taking the train from Rome to Scilla for our next trip to Calabria. You don’t need a car while in Scilla as it is easy to get around town on foot.



Just keep in mind that traveling there by train takes 6 hours with two tranfers. To get to Reggio Calabria, you could also take the train.

If you plan to fly, S Eufemia Airport in Lamezia Terme is the closest airport for Tropea and Scilla, Capo Vaticano and Praia a Mare. From the airport, there is a direct bus from the airport to the train station Lamezia Terme Centrale.

Whether you choose to fly, drive or take the train, Calabria is not easy to reach. However, with beaches this stunning, it’s worth the effort.

Have you been to Calabria? Which other beaches and coastal towns would you recommend?