HISTORY: According to legend, Tropea was founded by the demigod Hercules. However, 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. Read More [...]
Later, the Romans built a commercial port south of Tropea, in Formicoli. Due to the high position of the town, 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 in turn by the Byzantines and the Arabs, and in the 11th century it was conquered by the Normans. Later, after the Norman domination, Tropea continued to flourish under the Angevins and the Aragonese.
GEOGRAPHY: Today, Tropea is a town of about 6000 inhabitants, part of the Province of Vibo Valentia and the Italian region of Calabria. The town has an upper part, where the population is located, and a lower part, known as Marina, near the sea. In the upper part, the town is built on a rock overlooking the sea, which has a height between 50 and 60 meters. Read More [...]
The town is located about 28 kilometers southwest of Pizzo, 60 kilometers southwest of Lamezia Terme, 70 kilometers north of Scilla, 85 kilometers southeast of Catanzaro, 95 kilometers northeast of Reggio Calabria, 330 kilometers southwest of Matera, 395 kilometers southwest of Bari, 410 kilometers southeast of Naples, and about 630 kilometers southeast of Rome.
TRANSPORT: The closest airport is the Lamezia Terme Sant’Eufemia International Airport, located about 55 kilometers to the north, but you can also fly to the Reggio di Calabria Tito Minniti Airport, also known as Aeroporto dello Stretto (Airport of the Strait), located about 110 kilometers to the south. Read More [...]
To get to Tropea from the Lamezia Terme Airport, you can take the shuttle bus to the Lamezia Terme Centrale railway station, located about 2 kilometers away. The trip takes about 5 minutes, and a ticket costs 1.50€ at the ticket office or 2.50€ if bought on board. Then, from the Lamezia Terme Centrale railway station, you can take a train to Tropea. The trip takes about 1 hour, and a ticket costs 4.70€.
To get to Tropea from the Reggio di Calabria Airport, you can take one of the buses 115, 118, 119 or 121-122 to the Reggio Calabria Centrale railway station. The trip takes about 25 minutes, and a ticket costs 1.50€. Then, from the Reggio Calabria Centrale railway station, you can take a train to Tropea. The trip takes about 2 hours, and the cheapest ticket costs 7.40€.
LANDMARKS: Of notable interest in Tropea 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. Read More [...]
The beaches of Tropea are spectacular, with white sand and clear turquoise water. The most beautiful are the Rotonda Beach, Mare Piccolo and the Riaci Beach.
EVENTS: The most important events in Tropea are I Tri da Cruci, both a religious feast and a historical reenactment event which takes place every year on May 3, Festa della Madonna di Romania, a religious feast dedicated to the Madonna of Romania, held every year on September 9, and the Tropea Blues Festival, which usually takes place during the month of September.
