Two Days in Tropea, Italy: Things To See & Eat
This post was updated in September 2025
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Tropea is a small town in the region of Calabria - one of the southern regions of Italy.
It is know for it’s beautiful historic old town as well as its gorgeous sea side and beaches. It’s located on the Costa degli Dei, which means the Coast of the Gods.
What’s great about it is that it is a relatively undiscovered area of Italy (for now), and only the Germans seem to have found it, especially as a summer beach destination. But even if you go in high season, it is rarely super crowded.
I’ve been a few times to Tropea already and each time I love it! So here’s a little guide on things to do and see in Tropea, where to eat and where to stay when you travel to this hidden, Italian gem.
Quicklinks:
Things To Do & See
Lazy Beachday(s) & Snorkeling
Tropea is known for its stunning beaches: the water is crystal clear and the sand is white and soft. In the summer, the water is not too cold and not too warm - it is perfect to cool down. Therefore, when you go to Tropea you should spend at least one day at the beach (if not more days) because it’s just so perfect. With the backdrop of the old buildings on the cliffs, it is absolutely magical.
When hitting up the beach, you can either go to the public beach or rent a lounge bed at one of the beach clubs. For example, there is Lido Le Roccette Club Tropea, where you can rent a lounge chair and a parasol for around 50 euros for two people (for the whole day).
Of course, there are a other beach clubs too sprinkled along the coast. You can also always go to the public beach with your own towels and parasol! For example, you have the beautiful Spiaggia del Convento.
All around the beaches you will find rocks and little coves, where you’ll find tons of colourful fish. So, snorkeling is definitely something you should do while exploring this incredible part of the Mediterranean sea.
Explore the old city and try the delicacies
Tropea is an old town consisting of many historical buildings including a 12th century cathedral and the famous, centuries-old Santa Maria dell’Isola Church that sits on a rock in the bay. Even though the centre is small, it’s worth it to take a few hours to walk around and explore the beautiful old houses and buildings.
When you walk in the old city, you will see shops selling a lot of.. red onions.
This is a famous delicacy of Tropea and you should definitely try some. It is said that the people in Tropea eat them as apples, but I think that’s just folklore. You can also try the Tropea onion jam that is popular throughout Italy.
You’ll also see many red chilli’s adorning the shops, and this is because Calabria is famous for their chilli’s and their dishes that use chilli’s. In fact, it is the only Italian region that eats so much spicy food!
Another delicacy in Calabria, is ‘nudja, which you may have already heard of. It’s a type of spicy Salami that they put in every dish: pizza, pasta, or just spread it on bread!
Visit the Santa Maria dell’Isola Church
The Santa Maria dell’Isola is the most famous landmark of Tropea. It’s quite an ancient structure: It was built by Basilian monks between the 6th and 9th centuries.
This Church was built in the Middle ages, and sits on a rock in the middle of Tropea bay. You can hike towards it and visit it and you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic view towards Tropea, the cliffs and the surrounding turquoise waters.
Drive to Pizzo
Pizzo is another small seaside town sitting on a cliff that is about 30 minute drive from Tropea. It has fantastic views over the ocean from the town’s main square as well as something very famous and delicious that you should definitely try: A Tartufo!
A Tartufo is a traditional hazelnut ice cream, stuffed with a molten chocolate core. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds. It’s said that this dessert was born in a cafe called Dante’s bar, which still today sits in the town’s main square.
Explore Capo Vaticano
Capo Vaticano is a place that has one of the most beautiful bays and beaches in Italy. It’s well worth a visit! Once you see the gorgeous white sand and the deep blue waters, you will understand why the call this coast the ‘Coast of the Gods’. Capo Vaticano is not just one beach; there are many small coves and bays that you can discover. Some are only accessible by boat!
You can reach Capo Vaticano and its’ beaches by car from Tropea - it just takes 25 minutes. Another way to access Capo Vaticano from Tropea is by boat! For example, by joining a boat tour, such as this one on GetYourGuide.
Boat tour from Tropea
There are many other boat tours you can join, and I would recommend it because it’s such a great way to explore the area. And isn’t it dreamy to cruise on those crystal clear blue waters?
Here are a few boat tours you can do:
Other Things To Do
Check out other things to do in Tropea via GetYourGuide, such as boat tours, horse back riding tours and much more:
Where To Eat
It’s Italy so there is always a lot of good food around! Here are a fe recommendations on where to eat while you’re in Tropea:
Incipit, Seafood restaurant - a beautiful restaurant located in a cave. They have delicious seafood dishes.
Casa spaghetti, Pasta take-away - if you need a quick a good pasta fix then this is your spot!
Damare Tropea Street Fish Food, Sandwiches - Italians and also Calabrians therefore, love a good sandwich and this shop is specialised in seafood and fish sandwiches.
La dispensa by boca, Italian - Cold cuts, cheeses and home made beers - here you can find amazing food that’s great for an aperitivo.
Deodato Lounge Bistrot, Italian - More upscale restaurant that serves fish dishes, pasta dishes and more.
Where To Stay
I would suggest to stay in or around Tropea - there are a few hotels that are also right at the sea. Here is a selection of a few nice looking hotels located in Tropea:
ananea Tropea Yachting Resort - a fabulous, elegant and luxury hotel located right in the heart of Tropea.
La Divina, a fully renovated, boutique B&B right in the centre of Tropea - check it out on Booking.com
Solmaris Tropea Rooms & Suites, a lovely hotel also situated in the centre o Tropea - check it out on Booking.com
Hotels a bit outside of Tropea:
Tonicello Hotel Resort & SPA, a resort that is located in Capo Vaticano, which is another area with a breathtaking beach - Have a look on Booking.com
Check out Booking.com for all the other hotels that are available in and around Tropea:
How To Get There
Airport & driving
The main airport in Calabria is Lamezia Terme, which has flights from Milan and Rome but also the rest of Europe. From Lamezia Terme it’s about an hour drive to Tropea, along the coast.
One option to get to Tropea is by renting a car, because the public transport is not super great in this part of Italy. It will also be easier to visit other places around Tropea if you have a car.
You can also rent a private driver, for example on GetYourGuide. This will make sure you arrive to your destination in Tropea hassle free, and you don’t have to worry about driving in Calabria.
Alternatively, you can also travel to the airport of Reggio Calabria, which is on the other side of Calabria (close to Sicily). From here, it’s around a 1.5 hour drive to Tropea.
Check out flights to Lamezia Terma via Omio:
Train
Tropea also has a tiny train station which you can reach also from Lamezia Terme Train station, which basically connects most trains coming from the North of Italy.
You can find all the train connections to Tropea via Trainline.
When To Go
So when is the best time to visit Tropea?
The summer months of July and August, while it would be perfect weather for the beach, can be crowded but most of all, expensive. The shoulder months of June and September are the best months to go to Tropea in my opinion: the weather is warm but not super hot, so you can still go to the beach, the crowds are calmer and prices are not crazy.
Other Handy Tips
Here are a few other tips for your trip to Tropea that might be useful for you:
Learn a few basic Italian words/phrases - Most people in Calabria do not speak English so a few words of Italian will come in handy! Here are just a few: Ciao (hello), Grazie Mille (thank you very much), Dove e.. (where is..), Il konto per favore (the bill please), Buongiorno (Good morning).
Dinner is usually eaten around 8pm or 9pm - If you come from a culture where dinner is eaten at 6/7 pm, you may have to wait a bit for the restaurants to open;)
Tropea is located on a cliff, so going to the beach from the old town requires you to take quite a few stairs.
Parking can be tricky to find - because it’s such a small town, there aren’t that many parking spots, so make sure your hotel has parking available when you rent a car.
