An idea for your stay · 7 days
A week in Calabria: trips from Santa Maria del Cedro
A week gives you time to get to know this part of Calabria: start on the beach near the house, lose yourself for a while in a town’s lanes, then head into a green valley. Towards the end of your stay, there are still Maratea’s views to enjoy. In the evening, you return to Cedromare; in the morning, you choose what you feel like doing.
Across the Cedromare guide
These are seven full days here; allow separate days for arrival and departure. You will need a car or pre-arranged transport between towns. Museums, boat trips and restaurants have their own schedules, especially outside summer. Check them before each trip, and arrange the order of your days around the weather.
Day 1. Santa Maria del Cedro
Morning. Start at Museo del Cedro. The story of citron growing will help you get to know the town, and make it easier to spot products made from the fruit when you shop later.
Afternoon. Relax on the local beach. It is worth spending your first afternoon close to the house, with time for the sea and a return to Cedromare before dinner.
Evening. Walk along Lungomare Giorgio Perlasca. Afterwards, sit down for a pizza, perhaps at 400 GRADI.
Another way to spend the day. If archaeology interests you, arrange a visit to Laos in Marcellina instead of the citron museum. Or spend the whole day by the beach and leave sightseeing until the next morning.
For pizza. 400 GRADI, personally recommended by RZ. Your host has eaten pizza here and remembers it fondly.
Day 2. Diamante and Cirella
Morning. Let the murals guide you through old Diamante. Look at the paintings on the walls, stop by the Basilica of the Immacolata, then walk onto Lungomare Vecchio. The colours of the streets give way to a sea view.
Afternoon. Old walls survive on the hill at Cirella Vecchia. Explore the ruins and the area around Monastero dei Minimi if they are open. Then head down to seaside Cirella for a clear view of the island.
Evening. You could have dinner in Cirella or return to Diamante for it before heading to Cedromare. Choose whichever place you would like to spend a little longer in.
If you prefer the beach. Save the ruins for another time and spend the afternoon on Riviera Azzurra. The sea at the foot of the hill is reason enough to stop here.
For dinner. Tartana Club or La Taverna del Conte, depending on whether you stay in Cirella or return to Diamante.
Day 3. Scalea and Santa Domenica Talao
Morning. In Scalea, visit Piazza Maggiore de Palma and stop by Palazzo dei Principi Spinelli and Torre Cimalonga. View the palace from outside. Then walk towards the sea and Torre Talao, which is recognisable even from the beach.
Afternoon. In Santa Domenica Talao, you look out at the sea from a hilltop. Stop in the square with its panoramic view, see Chiesa Madre di San Giuseppe and look at the stone doorways along the side streets.
Evening. After walking around two towns, rest on the terrace at Cedromare. You can stay here for dinner and a quiet evening.
Closer to the sea. If you would like more time relaxing by the water, stay on the town beach after your walk through Scalea. Santa Domenica Talao can wait for another day.
Something to take away. Il Peperoncino in Scalea makes takeaway pizzas. You can stop there after your walk around town.
Day 4. San Nicola Arcella and Praia a Mare
Morning. Beneath Arcomagno’s rock arch is a view of a small bay. Plan your visit around the current rules and entry time. Before or afterwards, walk through old San Nicola Arcella and stop at Il Belvedere.
Afternoon. Look across to Dino from Punta Fiuzzi in Praia a Mare. The island and Torre di Fiuzzi make a view that invites you to linger. Rest by the shore and enjoy the sea.
Evening. If you fancy returning to San Nicola Arcella for dinner, leave the end of the day for it. You can also head straight back to Cedromare.
From the water. Instead of Arcomagno, arrange a longer boat trip around Dino. The organiser will confirm the route and meeting point. If you prefer a day without further driving, stay around Marinella and San Nicola Arcella.
After your walk. Degù and FA’ TU in San Nicola Arcella are two places to eat featured in our guide.
Day 5. Orsomarso and the Argentino valley
Morning. In Orsomarso, find the clock tower and Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista. Mountains surround the buildings, and the lanes against this backdrop give a hint of the greener part of the day ahead.
Afternoon. Spend the afternoon among woodland and beside the river in the Argentino valley. The reserve manager describes an arboretum, a medicinal plant garden and Ficara waterfall. Choose your route according to the sections currently accessible and your group’s abilities; access to the waterfall needs to be confirmed.
Evening. Rest on the terrace after returning to Cedromare. If you still feel like going out, a short walk along the seafront promenade can round off the day.
For a shorter walk. Stay in Orsomarso itself and take a closer look at the town. If you are planning a longer hike, book a guide and agree on the route and starting point together.
A meal after the trip. Take water and something to eat into the valley. Back by the sea, you can have dinner at Lid’Azzurro in Santa Maria del Cedro when it is open.
Day 6. Aieta and Tortora
Morning. In Aieta, Palazzo Martirano-Spinelli catches the eye with its stone loggia. Look at its arches, then the doorways in nearby lanes and Chiesa di Santa Maria della Visitazione. Here, a single detail can easily hold your attention for a while.
Afternoon. In Tortora, visit Museo Archeologico di Blanda in Palazzo Casapesenna at your agreed visiting time. Then walk through the lanes of the old centre towards Chiesa di San Pietro Apostolo.
Evening. On the way back, you could head down to the sea at Lungomare Sirimarco in Tortora Marina. If you spend longer in the hill towns, return straight to Cedromare.
When the museum is closed. Tortora’s lanes are still worth a walk. Spend longer exploring them or give more time to Aieta. Grotta del Romito deserves a trip of its own, so save it for another occasion.
For a quiet evening. Stop for a meal in one of the towns. If you prefer an evening at home, you can prepare dinner in Cedromare’s kitchen.
Day 7. Maratea from hilltop to harbour
Morning. Cristo Redentore and the basilica stand on Monte San Biagio, with Maratea’s coast stretching out below. Leave your car at the Madonna degli Ulivi car park and continue by shuttle bus, known as the navetta. Confirm the shuttle service and access rules for the day of your trip.
Afternoon. Head down to the historic Borgo. Walk through the streets around Palazzo De Lieto and sit for a while in town. The hilltop, Borgo and harbour are in different parts of Maratea, so you need transport between them.
Evening. If there is time, stop at Porto di Maratea. The boats and waterfront buildings show another side of the town. Then it is time to return to Cedromare.
Closer to Cedromare. You could choose Grisolia and Verbicaro instead of Maratea. In the first, see Palazzo Ducale and San Rocco; in the second, Bonifanti and Santa Maria ad Nives. A day among stone houses, closer to Cedromare.
A meal break. In Maratea, sit down for a meal in the Borgo or at the harbour. Your choice depends on where you would like to linger after walking.
Two more ideas for a day out
Papasidero and Grotta del Romito. First arrange a cave visit, then spend the rest of the day in historic Papasidero and at Santuario Madonna di Costantinopoli. Steps and a bridge lead to the sanctuary. Rafting enthusiasts can replace part of the walk with a trip on the Lao, booked in advance with the organiser.
Belvedere Marittimo and Cetraro. In old Belvedere, see the castle and Chiesa del SS. Crocifisso. Then head to Cetraro, to Piazza del Popolo and Palazzo del Trono. If you keep the walk short, you can also visit the harbour; if the beach appeals more, choose Lampezia instead of some of the sightseeing.
Naples, Pompeii, Paestum, Padula and Lamezia are further away. Give them separate days or stop there on your journey to Cedromare. That leaves time for the journey itself and a break along the way.
Two different days in the mountains. After Orsomarso, you could see another side of nature: the view from Belvedere del Malvento instead of a day of sightseeing, or rafting on the Lao. A full hike up Monte Pollino is a separate option for experienced hikers. After a longer walk, leave yourself a quieter day by the sea.