A trip to San Nicola Arcella, between village and sea

Are you dreaming of a "slow" experience that combines beaches, history and relaxation?

Come and discover the sea, San Nicola Arcella and its historical centre rich in works of art, in the province of Cosenza.

Among the beaches, San Nicola Arcella boasts a cove hidden in the cavern of one of the most evocative sea caves on the Tyrrhenian coast: the Spiaggia dell'Arcomagno. In the village, San Nicola Arcella guards buildings that tell of its ancient and noble history.

In short, all the elements for a holiday with family or friends in the name of "slow living"! 

The beaches, San Nicola Arcella

Those who come on holiday to this slice of the Tyrrhenian Sea are enchanted by the sea: San Nicola Arcella, not by chance among Calabria's Blue Flags, lies on a coastline of extraordinary colours, offering a great variety of ravines, coves, marine flora and fauna for those who wish to dive.

The jewel among the beaches? San Nicola Arcella is famous for an absolute gem: the Arcomagno Beach.

So called because of the natural arch carved by the sea, which frames a small cove of fine sand and the Grotta del Saraceno behind it, inside which there is a freshwater spring. Arcomagno can be reached on foot, via a rocky path offering a breathtaking view, or by boat, mooring directly near the cave.

The rocky arm gives the coast of San Nicola Arcella the shape of a natural harbour. In the past, as the above-mentioned Saracen Cave testifies, pirate ships used to dock there, from whose raids the population tried to defend themselves by erecting a series of defensive structures.

Among these is the splendid Crawford Tower, one of the best-preserved coastal towers in Calabria, linked to the fascinating story of the American writer Lord Francis Marion Crawford, who chose it as his 'buen retiro' and wrote several novels there. Crawford fell in love with the sea, San Nicola Arcella and its scenery while on a boat trip in southern Italy in the company of his wife.

The village, San Nicola Arcella

Upon reaching the village, San Nicola Arcella reveals its oldest history.

The historic centre is an open book on the many dominations, which are told through the styles of the stately buildings, most of which have late 19th-century façades.

Among the alleys and squares stands the Mother Church, in a panoramic position, on a narrow balcony in the centre of the town. 

Recently, a number of house façades have been decorated with a series of murals recounting the life and traditions of the village: San Nicola Arcella is in fact a place with a thousand years of history, whose narrative begins with the landing of the first navigators who came to colonise what would later become Magna Graecia.

Principi Lanza Palace, San Nicola Arcella

Among the various buildings, just outside the centre, the Principi Lanza Palace stands out for its grandeur and noble origins. San Nicola Arcella was ruled by several feudal lords until, in the 19th century, Prince Pietro Lanza Branciforte, having married Eleonora, the last heiress of the Spinelli family of Scalea, took over the entire fiefdom.

The prince inherited the fortified masseria in contrada Dino, today known as Principi Lanza Palace. San Nicola Arcella thus flourished under the productive thrust of the Lanza family, who increased fishing activities and undertook to build the actual town centre, which from a simple 'Casale' acquired its own municipal autonomy (1811).