Scalea or Tropea: which to choose
What Tropea does better, and it is not a small list
The old town sits on a cliff above the sea and the church of Santa Maria dell'Isola stands on its own rock below it. There is no equivalent view in Scalea, and pretending otherwise would be silly.
Capo Vaticano, ten minutes away, has some of the best beaches in Italy. Ferries leave for the Aeolian Islands in summer. There are more restaurants, more bars and more happening in the evening. If you want a lively holiday with a famous backdrop, Tropea wins and it is not close.
Getting there is the biggest practical difference
From Naples to Scalea is a direct regional train, about two hours thirty-six minutes, nine services a day. From Naples to Tropea the direct train takes about four hours twenty-six and runs twice a day; usually you change at Lamezia.
By car the two towns are 172 km apart, about two hours forty-two minutes of driving. That is worth knowing before you plan a day trip between them: it is a full day out, not an afternoon.
Money
Federconsumatori Calabria has Tropea holding the region's record for the most expensive beach. Calabria as a whole runs 10 to 20 € a day for an umbrella and two loungers, against a national average above 37 € — so both towns are cheap by Italian standards, and Tropea is the expensive end of the cheap region.
Accommodation follows the fame. Tropea in August is priced like a destination; Scalea in August is priced like a seaside town.
What Scalea does better
It is quieter. Outside July and August the building is half empty and so is the beach. If your holiday is about doing very little in a place where nothing is arranged for tourists, that is the point rather than a shortcoming.
It is closer to everything north: the Riviera dei Cedri, the Arcomagno cove, the Pollino mountains, and Naples itself for a day. Scalea also has its own old town on the hill three kilometres up — smaller and less photographed than Tropea's, and empty in the evening rather than full.
How to choose
One week, no car, first time in Calabria, and you want the postcard: Tropea. One week, a car, a slower holiday, a budget that matters, or small children who do not care about postcards: Scalea.
Two weeks: stay in one and drive to the other for a day. Two hours forty in each direction is a long day, but it is a beautiful road.
Questions we get asked
Is Tropea more expensive than Scalea?
Yes, on both beaches and accommodation. Federconsumatori Calabria puts Tropea at the top of the region for beach prices, and its fame is reflected in nightly rates in August.
How far is Tropea from Scalea?
172 km by road, about two hours forty minutes of driving. A day trip is possible but it is a full day.
Which is easier to reach from Naples?
Scalea. A direct regional train takes about two and a half hours, nine times a day. Tropea takes about four and a half hours direct, twice a day, or a change at Lamezia.