Holiday apartment in Cetraro: Coast, culture and mountain trails

Cetraro combines a striking coastline with mountainous trails and an old town full of historic traces. Between small beaches, grottoes, churches, museums and circular trails, it offers a destination where maritime impressions and culture can be combined with ease. When choosing a holiday apartment in Cetraro, you can therefore consider whether your holiday days should focus more on the sea, historical discoveries or hikes in the mountains.

Coast between protected area and coastal circular trail

The Scogliera dei Rizzi is the Natura 2000 site IT9310038 and was designated a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in June 2017. Its defining feature is the cliff, which has a vertical extent of more than 100 metres. At the foot of the cliffs, numerous boulders, small beaches and many grottoes shape the coast. As a result, Cetraro offers a variety of maritime scenery: steep rock formations as well as smaller stretches of beach and views into the rugged coastline.

The coastal circular trail of Cetraro runs along the coast and passes the Testa del Leone rock and the Grotta dei Rizzi. It also reaches Lampezia Beach, which is equipped with bathing facilities and connected to a modern seafront promenade. This makes it possible to combine a coastal experience featuring striking natural landmarks with a stretch of beach when planning your day, without reducing the different landscape elements to a single holiday theme.

Historic centre, churches and museum

The historic centre of Cetraro is characterised by narrow lanes, arches and impressive views. It can be accessed through the three gates known as di Mare, di Basso and di Sopra. These gates bear witness to the fact that Cetraro was once fortified. Walking through the old town therefore reveals visible traces of the former urban layout and an environment where paths, arches and views are closely interconnected.

Several religious buildings further enhance its historic character. The Chiesa di San Benedetto was first mentioned in a document dating from 1104 and soon developed into a Cassinese priory. The Chiesa del Ritiro is also known as Santa Maria delle Grazie and San Francesco; it was founded by the Observant Friars Minor in 1454. Its design combines Renaissance elements, a marble altarpiece from the same period, a Gothic portal and elements of the late Baroque.

The Museo dei Brettii e del Mare in the Palazzo del Trono also provides cultural context. It comprises an archaeological section, a cartographic section and a library. The maritime section also contains an amphora recovered from the sea off Cetraro. On Monte Serra stands the Santuario di Santa Maria del Monte Serra at an altitude of 600 metres above sea level; it was declared a diocesan sanctuary on 16 July 1988. The festival of the Santuario del Monte Serra in Cetraro is celebrated every year on 5 August.

The Torre di Rienzo also tells part of the town’s coastal and architectural history. It was part of the coastal defence system ordered by Viceroy Pedro de Toledo around 1535 to counter pirate attacks. The Torre di Rienzo has a square ground plan measuring 10 × 10 × 20 and extends over three vaulted floors.

Choose a holiday apartment in Cetraro according to your preferred daily rhythm

A holiday apartment in Cetraro can sensibly be chosen according to the experiences you want to shape your stay. For maritime days, the coastal circular trail, Testa del Leone, the Grotta dei Rizzi and Lampezia Beach are the main attractions. In July 2009, a tourist marina with floating pontoons and water and electricity connections was opened in the port of Cetraro. It could accommodate around 500 berths and had toilets and showers. This historic harbour infrastructure complements the town’s maritime profile.

For active excursions, further circular trails lead into the mountains. The Anello dei Laghi del Monte Caloria passes by the Laghetto di Pressico, the only lake in the municipality of Cetraro. A mountainous circular trail leads through Santangelo and forests of Douglas firs, pines, beeches and firs to the Passo della Contessa at an altitude of 921 metres. This allows you to weigh up the coast, local history and higher-altitude natural experiences when choosing your base.

Discover more destinations

More destinations can be discovered under the following names: Montegiordano, Cassano Allo Ionio, Bisignano, Marina Di Amendolara, Cittadella Del Capo, Santa Maria Del Cedro, Bonifati and Alessandria del Carretto.

For the broader travel overview: Cosenza.