Fresh Air › Instead of Positano
Tropea
Tropea sits on a dramatic cliff above one of the clearest, most turquoise stretches of water in southern Italy. The historic centre is Baroque, the beaches below are white sand and genuinely beautiful, and the prices are Calabrian rather than Campanian. The town is known throughout Italy for its sweet red onions, which appear in everything and are worth trying even if the idea seems unpromising. Getting here requires more effort than the Amalfi Coast but that is precisely why it has not been overwhelmed in the same way.
Why visit
A Baroque clifftop town above extraordinary turquoise water and white sand beaches. Famous for red onions (a local specialty). Lower prices than the Amalfi Coast.
Crowd level
Italian domestic beach tourism in August but a fraction of the Amalfi numbers. The historic centre is walkable without congestion outside peak weeks.
Best time
June or September
Getting there
Train from Lamezia Terme airport. The town is on a rail branch line. Car useful for surrounding area.
Tradeoffs
Getting here requires more effort. Calabria is off the tourist circuit compared to Campania. This is partly the point.
Direct comparisons
Layers
Region
At a glance
- Country
- Italy
- Region
- Calabria
- Fresh Air Score
- 80/100
- Cost level
- $
- Distance from Positano
- 320 km