As the mercury regularly drops below zero in the build-up to Christmas, thousands of Britons are beginning to think about where they may go on their summer holidays.
A perfect choice is sunny Italy. Known for its magnificent culture and legendary history, the country is home to thousands of seaside towns that are worth a visit.
But for those who would rather visit a less popular destination and one that is a holiday spot for Italians themselves must visit Tropea. Situated on the country’s Amalfi Coast, this stunning town is believed to have one of the best beaches in Europe.
Despite its famous status, one blogger has said this beautiful part of Italy is “almost undiscovered” by tourists.
They claim it is “one of the most spectacular seaside towns in the Mediterranean” and “the most spectacular destination in the region”.
Blogger Adventurous Kate said: “While Tropea is phenomenally popular with Italian travelers, and decently popular with European travelers, it’s very seldom visited by North Americans. Which is ironic considering that so many Italian Americans have roots in Calabria!
“You still get stunning scenery — an old town perched on top of dramatic cliffs. But here you also get large, sandy beaches with plenty of room to enjoy them.
“Tropea has excellent beaches, large and long and sandy, some of the best I’ve seen in Southern Italy. Nearby Capo Vaticano has quieter, more pristine beaches.”
While the town may not be known by many tourists outside of Italy, Kate warned it gets “insanely busy during the summer months” particularly in August.
Alongside Kate, the town has received rave reviews on TripAdvisor from those tourists who have also discovered the town. According to the website Tropea Beach, the Sanctuary of Santa Maria, and the Creazioni Artistiche Il Faro are three of the best places to visit.
On the famous stretch of sand, one person wrote that it was “what beaches are supposed to be”. They explained: “Tropea Beach was my one regret from our Italy trip. Not that we went – that I didn’t give us enough time there. I’m used to American beaches, which typically deserve as little time as possible and make for a miserable day.
“Not Tropea. Perfect weather, no boomboxes, no misbehaving kids, a couple of topless women, a view that can’t be beaten, crystal clear waters, and scores of fish that swim around your ankles (and occasionally take a little nibble). I wish I’d had an entire day to camp out there with my book and some snacks.”
The Sanctuary of Santa Maria, the emblem of the city, has also stunned visitors to the area. One person wrote: “This [sanctuary] is easy to get to, up some steps. It’s not too challenging to climb.”
They added: “Once there it’s nice to look around the place, which is free, but you can also pay a few euros to visit the garden at the back, which is well worth doing, as it’s so peaceful and calm, you really feel you could close your eyes and meditate there – in spite of there being other tourists with you.”
Another person said: “This sanctuary is so magnificent because of how it sits in this amazing setting. The sanctuary itself is beautiful, but the vista from there is well worth visiting.”
The Creazioni Artistiche Il Faro is an animated representation of the town and is said to remind visitors of the ancient crafts which have been lost.
One tourist commented: “We were in Tropea for a week and visited this place every single day, our kids were so delighted with the animated scenes. Catalin and Francesco were very friendly and told stories about characters and animated scenes, it was fascinating!”