The beach below Tropea's cliffs — accessed by a staircase cut into the tufa — is one of the finest in Calabria: fine white sand, exceptionally clear turquoise water, and the dramatic backdrop of the cliff town and the church of Santa Maria dell'Isola. It can be reached from the town centre in five minutes and gets busy in July and August, when it fills with Italian families from the north and visitors from across Europe.
The water here is warm from June to October and genuinely blue — the Tyrrhenian Sea is relatively clean this far south. Sunbeds and umbrellas are available for hire from beach operators; there are also stretches of free beach. At low tide the rock formations at the base of the cliffs are worth exploring. Arrive before 10am in peak season to secure a good spot.