Capo Vaticano is a small ‘cape’ in Calabria, between Nicotera and Pizzo. What can you find there? Why should you go there? What even is it and where can you find accommodation around it? Let’s take a look at one of the best spots in all of Italy for watching sunsets.
Capo Vaticano
Introduction
Capo Vaticano used to be a sacred place, with one rock in particular here being called the ‘Mantineo’ – it means ‘to communicate with God’ in ancient Greek. Today, it’s a great bathing spot! It’s a beautiful coastline with many cliffs reaching above a hundred metres, beautiful beaches and charming towns nearby – it’s a well-connected piece of Calabria. You can get here either by the well-maintained roads or Trenitalia trains.
Where to stay near Capo Vaticano?
Accommodation
Capo Vaticano is, thankfully, not a very expensive area. We came to Capo Vaticano twice and stayed in two different places: though we can’t recommend the first one, the second one, B&B Trepo Santa Domenica, was great. When choosing your spot, do remember that you can’t descend down from the cliffs to the beach from anywhere – the cliffs are, for the most part, untraversable. As such, do see that you have a descend somewhere close to your spot. Apart from Trepo, we also recommend looking for a spot in Tropea or Santa Domenica.
Sunsets on Capo Vaticano
A great viewpoint
Capo Vaticano is well known as a spot for gorgeous sunsets. Why? Not just because of the cliff-riddled coastline which beautifully receives the light, but also thanks to the Aeolian Islands to the west, providing contrast from the endless expanse of water. The most popular spots for watching the sunsets are two dedicated viewpoints: Terrazza Panoramica and the Belvedere Capo Vaticano. We recommend the latter, there’s even a car park next to it. Of course, you can just find any spot along the coast which will be just as good.
Tropea
The most beautiful town on Capo Vaticano?
If you’re looking for things to see around Capo Vaticano, then you can start with Tropea. It’s located in the middle of Capo Vaticano and it’s incredibly charming, with a lovely little spot on a hill, as you can see above, the Santuario di Santa Maria dell’Isola di Tropea. The town also has its own beaches. You can reach Tropea either by driving up here or by the train.
Beaches of Capo Vaticano
Where to find them?
And yes, there are beaches on Capo Vaticano. They’re, frankly’, one of our favourite spots in Italy – the one in Tropea is easily one of the prettiest in the region, though hardly the only one. You can find many beaches around Santa Domenica, Torre Ruffa and many other villages nearby. The whole coast is riddled with sandy beaches and small little coves.
As you can imagine, however, not all are as easy to access. Sure, you have some dedicated beaches near hotels while other wilder beaches require you to either access it by boat or descend some steps, like the Spiaggia la Scalèa beach in Santa Domenica. Still, most are relatively easy to access, so don’t fret.
Nicotera
A small town on Capo Vaticano
Nicotera is both a beautiful town in and of itself and, simultaneously, a fantastic viewpoint of the whole of Calabria. It’s located on top of a hill, right by the coast. You can find a tiny town centre here, as well as the Castello Ruffo di Nicotera, the Porta PAlmentieri overlooking the coast and the Nicotera Cathedral. You can get here by train.
Spilinga
The capital of nduja sausage!
Spilinga is always a purely gastronomical trip for us. It’s where Calabria’s most popular sausage, the nduja, is made and we always have to stock up on it whenever we’re around. You can check out what else you can try in Italy here.
Zungri
Things to see around Capo Vaticano
Zungri is a town in the centre of the mainland part of Capo Vaticano – it’s where you’ll find the unique Zungri caves, Grotte di Zungri. The stone town is believed to date back to the 8-12th century. You can find more information on its official site.
Map of Capo Vaticano
Notable locations
1) Tropea
2) Capo Vaticano and viewpoints
3) Pizzo
4) Nicotera
5) Zungri Caves
6) Spilinga
7) Santa Domenica beaches and viewpoints
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