Spotlight.
This week the Spotlight shifts from the tropical paradise of Grenada to a quaint seaside town in Southern Italy. Rustic homes cling dramatically to rugged edges of the natural fortifying cliffs along the Calabrian coast, spreading out across the summit of this dramatic cliff. This is the small resort town of Tropea, one of the true hidden gems of Europe.
Despite the geographical differences, you may be forgiven for thinking that the gorgeous pale sand beach at Tropea has been lifted straight off the Caribbean coastline. The Spiaggia di Tropea is the main tourist draw for the town, and it has a reputation amongst those in-the-know as one of the best in Europe. Exhibiting the classic combination of crystal blue waters meeting fine white sand, the beach is elevated by the stunning backdrop of the imposing cliff-face teeming with the colourful homes appearing as if etched into the rock itself.
Ryanair operate flights directly to nearby Lamezia Terme from London Stanstead Airport only, so if you are looking to travel here from elsewhere in the UK, you will need to stop off somewhere convenient with connecting flights such as Milan,Venice, or a stop-over in London itself. If you plan far ahead, you can snag a great deal on these flights – from as little as £60.00 return in some instances – however, the route can quickly become expensive as more people are travelling here than ever before.
After arriving in Lamezia Terme, a transfer time of roughly one hour should be allotted in order to reach Tropea, but luckily it is made easy thanks to a variety of different transport options! Buses run directly between the airport and Tropea at a cost of about £4.00 one way, and there is also a bus that will take you to the nearby train station for cheap.
Trains between Lamezia Terme Centrale and Tropea run frequently throughout the day and cost between £5 and £8 for a one way fare, this is arguably the most cost and time efficient way to travel to Tropea from the airport. Alternatively you may wish to organise a taxi transfer, which should be obtainable for between £55 and £70 by standard local fares. For more information, prices and timetables check out Rome2Rio.com.
Tropea has made its mark on Italian cuisine in many ways, but undoubtedly its defining offering is the notoriously sweet Tropea red onion. The home-grown vegetable is unique to the region of Calabria, and is not replicated anywhere else, as such it appears in a lot of local dishes. In addition to providing a distinctive saccharine twist to simple dishes such as soup and pasta, it is often enjoyed as the base of a jam – with locals saying the onion is so sweet it can be eaten like an apple! The incredible beachfront location of Lido Tropical may typically lend itself to the standard trappings of tourist oriented restaurants across the world, but luckily this great restaurant side-steps those pitfalls and is possibly the best place in the town to sample some local cuisine.
Residenza a Due Passi Dal Mare
Family run accommodation close to the beach.
Rooms from £80.00 per night.
Fancy accommodation with amazing rooftop.
Rooms from £200.00 per night.