Holiday apartment in Ricadi: discover coast, history and nature

Ricadi combines impressive coastal sites with archaeological traces, small museums and paths through wooded landscapes. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Ricadi, you can tailor your trip entirely to your interests: Baia di Formicoli and the nearby beaches are ideal for days by the sea, while towers, churches and collections provide a cultural focus. The area also offers a versatile setting for trips that combine several interests, without having to consider nature and history separately.

Holiday apartment in Ricadi between coves and nature

At Baia di Formicoli, a path cut into the slope of the Brace stream leads down into the valley to a chapel dedicated to the Virgin and martyr Santa Domenica. Just a few metres from the beach, an extensive seagrass meadow of Posidonia oceanica begins; this is a water plant endemic to the Mediterranean. This coastal stretch therefore brings together a tangible landscape experience and a remarkable natural environment. Spiaggia di Turiano, Spiaggia di Formicoli and Spiaggia di Santa Domenica are located near Ricadi; Spiaggia Di Riaci is in the Ricadi area.

At Belvedere del Capo, the view opens out towards the Gulf of Gioia Tauro and Sicily. The lighthouse at Belvedere del Capo stands 100 metres above sea level and was built in 1870. At Belvedere dei Cannoni, the base of a gun that was stationed there during its military use in the 20th century has also been preserved. These varied coastal points give your itinerary a clear rhythm: expansive views at Belvedere del Capo, maritime landscapes at Baia di Formicoli and historical traces at Belvedere dei Cannoni.

Museums and history around Ricadi

The Museo archeologico e paleontologico is one of the five facilities of the Museo Civico di Ricadi and is located in Palazzo “Fazzari” in the Santa Domenica district. The palaeontological collection includes fossil remains of marine and land animals. In Santa Domenica, the Chiesa di Santa Domenica is also worth a closer look: its vault is decorated with stucco and dates from 1897. The church also contains a statue of the Madonna Addolorata dating from around 1600.

Baia di Santa Maria takes you even further back into the past. A Greek settlement existed on the northern promontory from the 5th century to the first decades of the 3rd century BC. In the same bay, a large Roman amphora storage depot dating from the 2nd to the 1st century BC was discovered. A tower from the Angevin period stands at Torre Marrana. The area around Torre Marrana is of archaeological interest because ceramic fragments found there point to a prehistoric settlement. The stone theatre at Torre Marrana has room for 500 spectators, while Torre Ruffa is the only one of the four coastal towers in the Capo Vaticano area of Ricadi that is still preserved.

The Museo delle Torri in Brivadi is part of the Museo Civico di Ricadi, which is spread across five locations within the municipality. Brivadi is also the starting point for accessing the Fiumara della Ruffa via old paths and a steep, sloping, unpaved mule track. The route passes through centuries-old trees, shrubs and flowers. Along the Fiumara stands an old hydroelectric plant built around 1929/1930 by Bernardo Toraldo di Tropea to supply the municipalities of Spilinga, Drapia and Ricadi with electricity. Antichi Sentieri gives visitors the opportunity to explore old paths through wooded landscapes with panoramic views.

Regional traditions also have their place. The Museo della Cipolla Rossa di Tropea IGP is located near San Nicolò di Ricadi railway station, in an extensive red onion-growing area. It traces the history of red onion cultivation and marketing through records dating from the late 18th century to the end of the 20th century. An exhibition covers traditional cultivation from the flowering stage to the seed stage, open-field cultivation and the onion braid shape known as “treccia”. The Museo demo-etnoantropologico e dell’Olio d’oliva is housed in the former “Marcello Sculco” oil mill, a 19th-century building, and preserves presses, mills, engines and tools used for working the soil and agricultural products.

The Museo del Mare in Capo Vaticano is housed in a former Marina Militare building that served as a daymark until the middle of the 20th century. The Museo Civico Archeologico is located in the Ricadi area. The Soprintendenza Archeologica Della Calabria museum is in the wider region around Ricadi, as is the Chiesa dell'Annunziata church in the Ricadi area. When planning your holiday apartment in Ricadi, you can therefore choose between different focuses, including the coast, nature trails, local agriculture and a broad sweep of cultural history.

For other places in the surrounding area: Mileto, Soriano Calabro, Paravati, Limbadi, Santa Maria Di Ricadi, Parghelia, Drapia, Spilinga.

For the main travel overview: Vibo Valentia.