Untitled

Parghelia–Calabria

“THE ENTERTAINMENT AT PARGHELIA IS WATCHING the tanned, pudgy, eleven-year-old local boys jumping off the rocks—it’s hilarious!” my friend Tania told me about her favorite beach. She lives in Tropea, the prettiest town on Calabria’s coast. In summer, Tropea’s wide, white sand beaches (rated among the best in Italy) get packed with tourists.

That’s when Tania takes a two-minute drive north to the little fishing village of Parghelia, and heads to the secluded Spiaggia di Michelino. Giant craggy rocks border it at one end. The pale turquoise water is so clear you can see all the way to the bottom of those rocks, and the light and sparkling sea playing against the intricate stone formations is hypnotic. It’s a perfect place for snorkeling.

This beach is not in the least luxurious. There’s no fee, no umbrella or chair rentals, no snack bar. As you walk the shaded, woodland path and steps to get down there, birdsongs mix with the sounds of waves crashing against rocks. Just like so many other stunning places in Calabria, no big deal is made out of this rustic spot of natural beauty. The rocks give it a deep, old world mysterious vibe. Locals of all ages who come to relax here give it the authentic Calabrian flavor.

The Spiaggia di Michelino is part of a whole Tyrrhenian sea stretch called “The Coast of the Gods.” Odysseus ran into loads of trouble in these waters. Just south of here, the she-monster Scylla, a twelve-legged, multi-headed creature, snatched up his six best men and gobbled them up. Poseidon’s son, Aeolus, gave him a bag of winds that steered him off course. That’s how the Aeolian Islands, that lie off this coast, got their name.

From the Spiaggia di Michelino you can see the closest of the five Aeolians, Stromboli. With its smoking volcanic peak that erupts with a brilliant orange-red display from time to time, Stromboli adds a dramatic touch to the beach view.

Every time I look at Stromboli I’m reminded of the movie of the same name starring young, glamorous Ingrid Bergman. While it was being filmed, Bergman and director Roberto Rossellini fell madly in love, their affair causing a scandal, as both of them were married to others at the time. Once again, a spicy romantic story seems inescapable wherever you go in Italy.

To be at Spiaggia di Michelino for a sunset—when shadows fall on the rocks, the orange ball slips into the deepening turquoise sea, and (if you’re lucky) Stromboli shoots off its fireworks, is spectacular.

Spiaggia di Michelino: The beach is about a half hour walk from Tropea. If you’re arriving by train or driving, take a left from the Parghelia stazione, follow the road beneath an underpass, and keep going until you see steps that lead to the beach.

Golden Day: Head to Spiaggia di Michelino, stopping on the way at La Piccola Rosticceria at Piazza Ruffa to pick up Calabrian lunch goodies like polpette di melanzane (eggplant balls).