Hidden along the Coast of the Gods it is possible to discover a beach that has nothing to envy to exotic and postcard places so popular in the world. We are located in Capo Vaticano and the place we want to tell you about is the beach of Praia I Focu. Practically accessible only by sea, it is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe.
The tropical beach of Calabria
With an always mild climate and sea sheltered all year round from currents that cool the water temperature, the Praia i Focu beach is located on the extreme tip of Capo Vaticano and it is surrounded by high cliffs that have created this very pleasant microclimate. The clear sand and the turquoise and crystalline sea seem to catapult you into a tropical island. A destination for snorkelers, its depths are rich in flora and fauna. For Praia I Focu we mean three coves closed on the sides, one next to the other and which have high jagged cliffs behind them that prevent the possibility of arriving by land.
Generally the access comes to the first beach coming from the south. The second cove is much smaller and can be reached on foot from the first. The third, on the other hand, can be reached by swimming and is among the most popular and photographed for the suggestive scenery. All three share the purity and transparency of the water and are often reached by pedal boat or a very convenient taxi boat service.
Because it is called Praia I Focu beach
The name Praia I Focu comes from high temperatures that can be registered on the site. Particularly when the sun goes over the cliffs and lights up the whole beach. The heat remains imprisoned by the high rocks and allows the whole area to always enjoy above average temperatures. Even in winter the climate is very mild thanks to the protection of the cliffs that shelter from the currents.
In front of the beach there is also the suggestive rock of Mantineo, whose name is linked to an ancient legend among sailors. In a cave lived a fortune teller named Manto and all the sailors headed towards the vortices of Charybdis and the jaws of the monster Scylla in the Strait of Sicily, stopped near Manto to offer her gifts in exchange for a response relating to the success or otherwise of the their navigation in the Strait.
It is said that Ulysses himself used the services of the fortune-teller Manto, after having saved himself from Scylla and Charybdis, to understand how his journey would continue. The oracle was placed on an altar in front of the cave and placed on the Scoglio del Mantineo.