The strengthened edge of eroded sandstone cliffs supporting he old town at Tropea, an ancient settlement supposedly founded by the God Hercules on the western Costa degli Dei (Coast of the Gods) in Calabria, southern Italy, offers al fresco dining and superb panoramic views across the Tyrrhenian Sea from belvederes and balconies.
Tropea, Calabria, Italy: vegetation clings to the eroded sandstone face of the cliffs supporting the old town of this ancient settlement on western Calabria’s Costa degli Dei (Coast of the Gods), now a popular holiday resort offering sandy beaches and superb views over the Tyrrhenian Sea from belvederes between its stone rubble buildings and al fresco restaurants. Sights to be seen from the old town include the iconic emblem or symbol of Tropea, the Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell’Isola, built on an early Benedictine monastic site on a rocky promontory that was once an island. On clear days, the plume from Stromboli, one of Italy’s three active volcanoes, is visible amidst the Aeolian Islands about 37 miles (60 km) to the west. Tropea’s old town and historic centre both perch above a strip of luxuriant vegetation growing on land that used to be under the sea, but silted up over the centuries. The old town, seen here, is a tight-packed mixture of stone-built houses and modern apartments, while the nearby historic centre is filled with former palaces and wayside shrines. As a holiday resort, Tropea is popular with both Italians and Germans and its reputation was greatly enhanced when it won the 2021 ‘Borgo dei Borghi’ (Village of the Villages) national contest, an annual search to find Italy’s most beautiful village.
Size: 4042px × 2690px
Location: Tropea, Calabria, Italy.
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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