Capo Vaticano Holidays

Inching down the south-western side of the Calabria region, the Capo Vaticano area showcases Italy’s true colours. Tourism has been late to the party in this section of the country’s boot. Towns are small and traditional and the countryside is composed of vineyards and fig and olive groves. The hotels, meanwhile, are scattered along the coast. Many of them are located in quiet beachside spots, away from the towns and cities.

The Calabria region counts off a couple of tourist-friendly towns, like Tropea and Pizzo, but Capo Vaticano's cut from a different cloth. It's got a corner plot on the Coast of the Gods, but there's no town centre to speak of. Instead, sea-facing hotels are spaced out between the hilly inland and the sand-skirted shoreline. This makes it ideal territory for undisturbed beach days, with plenty of properties boasting private patches of sand.

You're well placed for days out if Capo Vaticano's your base. A short drive along the coast gets you to one of the region's prime assets, Tropea. This town's packed with ornate churches and hidden-away trattorias, and is fringed by one of Calabria's most eye-catching beaches. In the other direction, you can get a taste of city living in Reggio Calabria. It's a whopper compared to the dinky coastal towns, and the smart seafront promenade comes with views of Sicily to the west.

Diving is always on the timetable in the Capo Vaticano area. Visibility under the water can reach up to 30 metres and shipwrecks lie beneath the waves. You’ve got a good chance of seeing groupers, octopi and whitefish through your mask.