Tropea, the seaside village on the east coast of Calabria in southern Italy famous for its spectacular cliff-side position and beautiful transparent sea, has been named ‘Borgo dei Borghi’ for 2021 during the eighth edition of the popular Kilimangiaro TV show broadcast on Italian state channel Rai3.
Nicknamed ‘the pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea,’ Tropea won the annual award for most beautiful Italian borgo (historic village) for its “heady combination of sea, sun, art, culture, architecture, gastronomy and hospitality.”
Tropea is the main center on Calabria’s Coast of the Gods and is famous for its spectacular position on a cliffside which affords spectacular views of the coast from many of its ancient alleys.
The village is built on a high tufaceous promontory, straddling the gulfs of Gioia and Santa Eufemia, as a panoramic terrace overlooking the sea; the location was already known and frequented in Roman times.
The village contains some precious architectural gems, such as the noble palaces dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, perched on the sheer cliff, overlooking the popular sandy beach below. Also not to miss is the 12th-century Norman Cathedral.
The symbol of Tropea is the large rock where the 11th-century Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell’Isola stands. To reach it, you have to climb a staircase carved into the rock. The lush garden that surrounds the sanctuary offers a sweeping view of the entire coast and reaches as far as the Aeolian Islands and the Sicilian coast, with Stromboli, Vulcano and Mount Etna standing out on the horizon.
For foodies, know that the name of this unique Calabrian village is related to the sweet red onion of Tropea, the gastronomic symbol of the area, and a unique delight.
Tropea beat off the competition from 19 other historic borghi across Italy. In second and third position came respectively Baunei (Sardinia) and Geraci Siculo (Sicily).
The TV program ‘Kilimangiaro - Borgo dei Borghi’ has allowed viewers to discover as many as 260 Italian borghi over the years.