Calabria and her pearls

Tropea

As each year's summer, my husband and I spend whole evenings to plan our vacation.
Quest 'years we have reached all limits, we talked about London, then Austria, then again ... nothing Stockholm!
For a thousand reasons, we constantly had to reject all these beautiful places.
As always, an afternoon, while my girls were resting and my husband was at work, I start to surf the Internet.
I look very beautiful images of Calabria and the sea.
"Calabria  no" I thought, I had been camping at Sybaris, when I was a little girl and I did not like much
But then I realized Tropea, its beaches and its sea so clear,,, I call my husband and he tells me "I do not know the Calabria, You book a hotel, I agree"
Begin your search and the choice falls on a three-star hotel in Capo Vaticano (12km from Tropea.)
 The highway to Calabria is uncomfortable, because of the continuing work on the streets. It took almost six hours to travel 380 km.
Arrived at 'Hotel and arrange the suitcases, we begin to explore the area.
Capo Vaticano is a small fraction of Tropea is situated on the coast of the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria, in front of Stromboli and the Aeolian Islands. There are only  hotel and is a country that lives mainly for tourism.
The most suggestive bay is Grotticelle, formed by three adjacent beaches. Capo Vaticano (according to a French magazine) is considered the third most beautiful beach in Italy and among the 100 most beautiful beaches in the world.
All hotels provide transportation to the beach with the shuttle, but unfortunately we could do little sea because my kids preferred the pool of 'hotels.
Tropea is a rare gem, has an interesting old town, the streets are full of shops selling local products, including the red onion, nduja Spilinga, cheese Pecorino del Poro and l'amaro del capo

We preferred only breakfast and lunch at the hotel,

The evening we went around in search of traditional restaurants and we ate the excellent  fish without spending a lot.

the day before departure we were in Pizzo Calabro, very similar in Tropea, a village on the coast, perched on a promontory that divides rocks and beautiful beaches.

To visit the Castle and the Church of Piedigrotta

Pizzo is also famous for its truffles and hazelnut imbotitta, we struggled to choose the ice cream because they are many and scattered throughout the country.

Truffles from Pizzo will remain unforgettable to me.

Our trip to Calabria lasted only four days, but they were enough for me.

I'm glad the hotel clean and well located, Tropea and Pizzo Enchanting but otherwise (except for the tour of the Aeolian Islands that we have done years before in Sicily)there is little to visit.

If I were to give advice, would be to choose Tropea as place to stay and not stray too far because the surrounding villages are not organized and go with the simple intention to spend a relaxing holiday and enjoy a splendid sea.