Where to go to the sea in Calabria: beaches to discover

If you are wondering where to go to the sea in Calabria to avoid the mass assault of beaches, this tip is for you!

With its 800 km of coastline with features to suit all tastes, from fine sand to cliffs, from the Ionian coast to the Tyrrhenian coast, Calabria offers you the seaside holiday you desire.

Let's discover together where to go to the sea in Calabria with a mini-tour of the Ionian provinces.

If you are looking for quiet, less crowded places to go on a beach holiday in Calabria, you will find two beaches you cannot miss in the province of Reggio Calabria.

The first of the recommended "minor beaches" is that of Melito Porto Salvo, the historic beach of Rumbolo on which, on 19 August 1860, the landing of Giuseppe Garibaldi's Thousand took place, the first stage of the historic expedition. Near the Rumbolo beach is the Garibaldino Museum, which can be visited.

The seaside resort of Melito is marked with 2 Legambiente Sails. Of great charm is the promenade along the seafront, which although overlooking the Ionian Sea has Sicily and Mount Etna as its backdrop.

Among the places to go to the sea in Calabria along the Reggio Calabria Ionian Sea, the seaside resort of Brancaleone is one of the most renowned beaches in Calabria from a naturalistic point of view.

It is no coincidence that Brancaleone is home to the Sea Turtle Recovery Centre, one of the most important in the Mediterranean, which deals with the rescue, care and rehabilitation of the numerous specimens of Caretta Caretta turtles that, every summer, choose the beaches of Ionian Calabria to nest.

Looking for a place to go in Calabria by the sea in the Catanzaro stretch of the Middle Ionian Sea? The Costa degli Aranci will surprise you with hidden coves and small views set in a Mediterranean landscape.

One gem not to be missed is the beach of Caminia (Municipality of Stalettì). A long strip of sand between two cliffs: Torrazzo, with the splendid Grotta di San Gregorio in the centre, where, according to tradition, the relics of St Gregory the Wonderworker landed, and Pietragrande. 

The beach of Copanello (also in the municipality of Stalettì) is also enchanting, as is the marine archaeological site of the so-called Cassiodorus' Pools, the ancient fish ponds that the senator Cassiodorus built as part of the monastic complex he founded, the Vivarium, and which today are real tepid pools carved into the rock.

If you are wondering where to go on a beach holiday in Calabria in the province of Crotone, Isola Capo Rizzuto is the right destination.

Although it is among the most popular seaside destinations in Calabria's Middle Ionian Sea, as it is home to the Marine Protected Area of the same name and the famous Le Castella fortress, among the best-preserved castles in Calabria, Isola Capo Rizzuto offers a jewel not to be missed.

These are the so-called "Red Beaches", a heavenly stretch of coastline along the Costa dei Saraceni which, as the name suggests, enchants bathers with its intense cinnamon-red colour and fine sand.

Among the "red beaches" in and around Isola Capo Rizzuto are the beautiful free beach Le Cannella and the Torre Scifo beach at Capo Colonna (Crotone).

We conclude our tour of Ionian beaches where you can go to the sea in Calabria with the Costa degli Achei, the Upper Ionian coast in the province of Cosenza.

On this stretch of sea lies the Marina di Rocca Imperiale, an enchanting coastline that for a length of 7 km alternates between cliffs and coves of golden sand, for an unforgettable summer holiday. The seaside hamlet is not far from the medieval old town, perched on a hill, stage 2024 of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy Festival.

Between water sports and relaxation, there is no shortage of historical sites along the coast, such as the imposing 18th-century warehouse built by Duke Fabio Crivelli to celebrate the town's maritime and commercial importance and the 16th-century Watch Tower, erected against Saracen raids.

You cannot leave Rocca Imperiale without tasting a refreshing lemonade made with Lemons of Rocca Imperiale PGI, an authentic concentrate of vitamins and goodness.