HISTORY: Although the legend says that Tropea was founded by the demigod Hercules, the real history of the town began in Roman times, when the Roman general Sextus Pompey defeated the first Emperor of the Roman Empire, Octavius, along its coast. Afterwards, the Romans built a commercial port south of Tropea, in Formicoli.
Due to its high position overlooking the sea, Tropea played an important role both in the Roman times and the Byzantine era. Between the 9th and the 11th century, Tropea was occupied alternately by the Byzantines and the Arabs, and in the 11th century the town was conquered by the Normans. Later, after the Norman domination, Tropea continued to flourish under the Angevins and the Aragonese. Read More [...]
GEOGRAPHY: Today, Tropea is a town of about 6000 people, part of the Province of Vibo Valentia, in the Calabria region, located about 28 kilometers southwest of Pizzo, 60 kilometers southwest of Lamezia Terme, 70 kilometers north of Scilla, 85 kilometers southeast of Catanzaro and 95 kilometers northeast of Reggio Calabria.
TRANSPORT: The closest airport is Lamezia Terme Sant’Eufemia International Airport, located at about 55 kilometers to the north, but you can also fly to Reggio di Calabria Tito Minniti Airport, also know as Aeroporto dello Stretto (Airport of the Strait), about 110 kilometers to the south.
You can get to Tropea by train, coming from Lamezia Terme Centrale, a train station located about 2 kilometers from the Airport of Lamezia Terme. The ticket price starts from 4.20€ and the journey takes about 50 minutes. By car, you can get to Tropea in about 1 hour, following the European route E45 and Strada Statale SS522.
LANDMARKS: Of notable interest is the Norman Cathedral of Tropea, an 11th century building in Romanesque style, containing the sacred effigy of the Virgin of Romania, protector of the city, and the Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell’Isola, one of Tropea’s icons. The beaches of Tropea are spectacular, with white sand and clear turquoise water, of which we can mention the Rotonda Beach, Mare Piccolo and the Riaci Beach.
MORE INFO: Official Website | Lamezia Airport | Car Hire | Train Timetables & Fares | Hotels in Tropea | Tours & Activities in Tropea