Around Tropea, between history and breathtaking views

The route winds its way through the fascinating streets of Tropea's historic centre, starting from Piazza Vittorio Veneto and continuing along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Piazza Ercole, Via Roma, and through evocative narrow streets and alleyways rich in history and charm.

Tropea, pearl of the Costa degli Dei and one of Calabria's most renowned resorts, is a prestigious seaside resort whose history is intertwined with myths and legends. From the cult of Hercules to the Saracen, Byzantine and Norman dominations, up to the Angevin and Aragonese periods, its past is a fascinating journey through epochs and cultures. Strolling through the characteristic medieval alleyways, still steeped in the colours and atmosphere of times gone by, one can admire majestic noble palaces with their imposing granite portals, authentic architectural gems that tell the city's history.

The route includes visits to churches and monuments of great historical and artistic value:

The Cathedral of Mary Most Holy of Romania, built in Norman times and remodelled over the centuries following devastating earthquakes. Elevated to Diocesan Marian Shrine, it has a three-nave structure with octagonal pillars, pointed arches and simple but striking decorations.

The Shrine of Santa Maria dell'Isola, perched on a sandstone promontory close to the sea, offers one of the most spectacular views in Calabria. This scenery, which has become a symbol of the region, is the protagonist of countless tourist reports in Italy and abroad. (Check opening hours for a visit).

The Church of Jesus, dating from the 17th century and built by the Jesuits after the demolition of the Byzantine Catholic church. Its high altar in polychrome marble, built in the 19th century in the Baroque style, holds a precious painting depicting the Circumcision of Jesus by De Matteis. The interior also contains the Nativity by Grimaldi, an 18th-century Tropean painter, and canvases depicting Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Francis Xavier by the painter Pascaletti.

The tour includes spectacular viewpoints offering breathtaking views:

• The terrace behind the Cathedral, overlooking the Gulf of Lamezia, the Marina of Zambrone, the Port of Hercules and the ruins of the Norman castle, with glimpses of the old watermills still visible.
• The town's most striking balcony, from which one of the most enchanting beaches on the Costa degli Dei can be admired, with the Shrine of Santa Maria dell'Isola dominating the landscape, creating a picture of rare beauty.
• Piazza Cannone, a vantage point from which, on a clear day, one can see the Stromboli volcano and the other islands of the Aeolian archipelago, offering a natural spectacle of incomparable charm.