When you hear Italy what is the first thing that pops into your brain, except for pizza of course? I’d think it would be Rome, or Venice or even Milan or Florence. Well, no matter how much I love these places, I really wanted to see what else Italy has to offer, so after finding fairly cheap flights to the south of Italy, I knew I had to go. When I started researching places that I should visit, there were so many that it took me awhile to decide. However, I finally narrowed it down and decided to spend a weekend in Nicotera and Tropea. This was one of the best decisions that I’ve made since although places like Rome, Venice or Florence are extremely popular, there is something about going to places a lot of people might not know about. I wanted to go to Nicotera and Tropea instead of these famous cities because I wanted to explore less talked about places and see whether they are worth the visit.

The preparation

Since I was only planning to spend three days in these places I really didn’t need a lot of preparation except for booking my flight and hotel. So, I went on trips.com and found a nice B&B called Nicotera Antica which was about 40USD per night. After settling that, I packed my suitcase and it was time to go. I took a flight from Thessaloniki to Rome, and then a connecting flight from Rome to Lamezia Terme. From there I took a train, which took about two hours to get to Nicotera. The flights from Thessaloniki to Rome and back cost 20USD, as well as the flights from Rome to Lamezia, while the train to Nicotera and back was about 10USD. Now, that I was finally in Nicotera, It was time to explore.

Day ONE: Exploring the terrace on the sea

Trying out Nicotera’s famous dishes

I arrived in Nicotera at about 2 pm, and after stopping at my B&B to leave my bag, I went out to explore this charming little town. When I say this is a small town, I’m not lying, it really is. However, it has so much to offer that it’s a shame that there aren’t a lot of tourists there. Still, I did go there at the beginning of October, so I wasn’t expecting a lot of tourists. The first thing I did after arriving there was to go and have something to eat. I figured as long as I’m in Italy I can forget all about my diet and go and try some of their delicious food.

The first thing I tried was some pasta. I ordered this because if you knew me you’d know how much I love pasta, so I can’t really pass on some fantastic Italian one. The pasta I tried was salmon pasta in a restaurant called il Castello, which I learned they prepare from scratch, so it was obviously delicious. I also tried nduja which is their famous spicy salami that is typically eaten with bread. I have to say the one thing I regret is not buying some to take home because being a person that loves spicy food I could eat that every day. After that delicious meal that cost about 10USD, I went on to explore the town a little bit more.

A walk through Nicotera’s narrow streets

Something I noticed about Nicotera was the narrow streets with stone houses on both sides. This is something that I found is typical of Italy, and something that I really love. In the center of this town is the Church tower of Nicotera, and the most important landmark in Nicotera which is the Castle. I also noticed that as small as this town was, it has several churches, which the locals later confirmed was due to the fact that the people in Nicotera have always been very religious.  Since this town has so much history still beautifully preserved in its architecture, it is also known as an open-air museum, since everywhere you look, you see a little piece of the past.

The view from the terrace on the sea

However, putting all that aside, one thing that really stood out for me was the amazing view of the beach below, which is no wonder they call Nicotera “the terrace on the sea”.  After admiring the view for a couple of minutes I went back to my B&B so that I could rest for the day that was to come.

Day TWO: A walk on a beach unlike anywhere else

Since I was only going to spend three days in Italy, I knew I had to make them count. So, as soon as I woke up I immediately got a bus to Tropea, which was the second town on my list. The bus trip cost about 5USD and lasted no more than half an hour. The reason I really wanted to visit this town, was to see the one of a kind beach. Seeing it in pictures looked like something taken from a book, but seeing it in person it was even more spectacular.

The unique view from Capo Vaticano

On our way to Tropea, we passed through Capo Vaticano, where the views of the beaches and sea below were spectacular, to say the least. If this doesn’t make people want to visit these places I don’t know what would. I fell so in love with this place that I’m planning to spend my next holiday somewhere in Calabria, probably in Tropea.

Exploring Tropea’s history

After arriving in Tropea I immediately made my way to the beach so that I could see the thing I was most excited to see.  As I was trying to reach the beach I passed through some narrow streets and interesting buildings. One building that really caught my eye is the famous Norman Cathedral which is said to still contain two undetonated bombs which as the locals say didn’t explode due to the protection of their patron saint.

A walk on one of the most extraordinary beach

After admiring the beauty of Tropea’s architecture I finally arrived at the beach, which was even better than in pictures. Since I visited Tropea in October I had the beach all for myself, and looking back at it now, it’s a real shame that I didn’t bring my bathing suit because the weather as the water was amazing. What makes this beach unique are the buildings set on one cliff above the beach and a beautiful cathedral set on the opposite cliff.

My next destination was a nice restaurant that some people back in Nicotera recommended called Lido Calypso. There I ordered a pizza which cost about 15USD, which turned out to be the best pizza I’ve ever tasted. After finishing my meal I headed back to Nicotera.

Day THREE: My last day in paradise

On my last day in Italy, I woke up early and went to the beach of Nicotera. Since I’ve only seen the beach from above I really wanted to see it up close. Unlike the beach, in Tropea, this one is considerably longer but equally as beautiful. I walked for a few meters and sat down for a minute or two before I had to go and catch my plane back home.

As a trip made on the spur of the moment, this was one of the most amazing ones. I’m glad I jumped at the opportunity to see these places, and I hope I’ll get the chance to visit them again soon and stay for a bit longer.

Daily Cost:

If you are traveling on a budget then Nicotera and Tropea is the place to be. Since both towns are pretty small, you don’t need a bus or a car to get from one place in the town to another. The only costs I had during these three days were for the B&B and food, which was about 60USD a day. If you are traveling with someone else then you can split the costs and make your travel even more budget-friendly. Any additional costs that I had were for the bus trip from Nicotera to Tropea and back which was only 5 USD.

The Bottom Line

So why go to Nicotera and Tropea? Well, if you want to try some of the most delicious Italian food, visit some of the best preserved historical places and swim in some of the most crystal clear waters, these are the places to be. Both of these towns have an amazing historical background, some of the most hospitable people and beaches you won’t get to see anywhere else. So next time you are considering a trip to Italy, instead of jumping to Rim or Milan, why not try Nicotera and Tropea? You won’t regret it!