Granite cliffs, white coves and the Aeolian Islands on the horizon
A few kilometres south of Tropea, in the municipality of Ricadi, the promontory of Capo Vaticano juts out into the Tyrrhenian Sea with granite cliffs about 100 metres high, an unusual rock on this coast, which the sea has shaped into coves, inlets and stacks. Its name probably derives from "vaticinium", prophecy: according to tradition, in antiquity an oracle lived in a cave on the promontory, consulted by sailors before crossing the dangerous waters towards Sicily. At its tip, a lighthouse built in the nineteenth century still guides ships, and from the panoramic terrace nearby the view is among the most beautiful in Calabria, sweeping over the whole Gulf of Gioia Tauro, the Aspromonte and, on clear days, the Aeolian Islands, with Stromboli and Vulcano, and even the coast of Sicily.
Around the promontory there are some of the most beautiful beaches in southern Italy, with fine white sand and crystal-clear water of incredible colours, from emerald to deep blue: Grotticelle, divided into three small bays among the rocks, Praia di Fuoco, reached by a steep path, Santa Maria and Formicoli. The seabed, rich in rocks and posidonia, is ideal for snorkelling and diving. The writer Giuseppe Berto, author of "Il male oscuro", fell in love with this place and lived here for many years; a path dedicated to him leads along the coast. Inland, the plateau is covered with olive groves and fields of red onions.
Tip: go to the lighthouse belvedere at sunset; to reach the less crowded coves, rent a boat or kayak from the nearby beaches.
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