Praia a Mare, Calabria

Praia a Mare, Italy - Best Places to Visit in Italy

Explore the Cities and Towns of Praia a Mare

Overview

Southern Italy has so many wonderful towns to experience, though we think Praia a Mare is one of the best and we can offer you a variety of services in this area including private drivers, wine tours, scuba diving and snorkeling around Dino island, cooking courses and even hang-gliding.

Praia a Mare is a magical town on Italy’s Cedri Riviera - the Citrus Coast - filled with natural wonder, legend and history. The town is home to Dino Island, whose sandstone circumference includes mystifying cave grottos, in which an indescribable colour of blue, created by light which comes up through the water, has caused Dino Island to be given World-Heritage site status.

Praia a Mare is a naturally inspiring destination that has gone un-noticed by most travelers who unfortunately have passed up the town’s treasures which include: pedestrian only tree-lined streets and a stunning church, known as “La Madonna Della Grotta” built inside an enormous cave behind the town (look for sign near the Arcate hotel that indicates the Archaeological Zone).

Photo of Beaches at Praia a Mare, Calabria - Photo by Jesse Andrews

Travelers have been by-passing Praia a Mare on route to Sicily, but from May to October, when the weather is good Praia should be considered a "must see" destination for anyone traveling in Southern Italy.

The town is impeccably clean, well served by trains and buses, and because empires throughout the centuries have laid claim here, it is home to numerous historical ruins including a prominent Byzantine guarding tower that lies in front of Dino Island and a Spanish Castle.

Praia a Mare is small, and easy to get around with a car or without. There are numerous hotels, bed and breakfasts and restaurants which are relatively low-cost for what you receive in comparison to other parts of Italy. Praia is an optimal place from which to explore numerous other villages on the Cedri Riviera.

Dino Island, the main attraction which draws visitors from around Europe each year, is approximately one mile in circumference and is home to six magnificent grottos, easily accessible by paddleboat or canoe that can be rented by any number of beach lidos in operation from May until September. In the off-season, boats can be rented at hotels.

The Madonna Della Grotta sanctuary is easily accessible throughout the town and admittance is free of charge. There are in fact, two churches within the cave, the smaller one, built inside a smaller cave, in which limestone deposits have formed an alter of sorts, used by local priests for Catholic ceremonies carried out here.

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Location

Private and Small Group Tours

Private Tour of Dino Island and Arcomagno Cave Grotto

Calabria Food and Wine Experience on the Cedri Riviera

Taormina Private Half Day Walking Experience

Multi-Day Holidays Tours

Kingdom of the Sun: Undiscovered Calabria & Basilicata || Highlights include Maratea and the mounta...

Hidden Villages of Calabria & Basilicata with Local Guides

Calabria and the Cedri Riviera Fully Private Escorted Experience including Cooking and Exclusive Din...

Calabria and the Cedri Riviera Mini-Stay including Cooking Class, Wine Tour and Full Day Tour to the...

Hotel

Villas

Villa Vecchia

Apartment

Beach Front Enormous Penthouse Apartment in Southern Italy

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Madonna Della Grotta Praia a Mare Calabria

Praia a Mare and Calabria Vacations with Italy Vacation Specialists

Italy Vacation Specialists Calabria Vacation Packages

Calabria Vacation Packages with Italy Vacation Specialists

Our Private and Small Group Tours

Private Tour of Dino Island and Arcomagno Cave Grotto

Calabria Food and Wine Experience on the Cedri Riviera

Taormina Private Half Day Walking Experience

Our Multi-Day Holidays Tours

Kingdom of the Sun: Undiscovered Calabria & Basilicata || Highlights include Maratea and the mountain-top redeemer, Praia a Mare and the Madonna Della Grotta, Diamante the city of murals. Cooking, food and wine and highlights with chef Michelangelo

Hidden Villages of Calabria & Basilicata with Local Guides

Calabria and the Cedri Riviera Fully Private Escorted Experience including Cooking and Exclusive Dino Island Boat Experience with Local Hosts (Weekly Departures from March 2025 - November 2025)

Calabria and the Cedri Riviera Mini-Stay including Cooking Class, Wine Tour and Full Day Tour to the Coast of Maratea

Our Featured Properties

Villa Costa Azzurra

Beach Front Enormous Penthouse Apartment in Southern Italy

Villa Vecchia

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Client Testimonials

I am a travel agent from Lebanon and have organized several group tours as well as individual tours of Italy with Italy Vacation Specialists. I highly recommend them as one of the very best tour operators in Italy to work with, given their professionalism and work ethic which I feel is second-to-none in the travel industry. All of the staff, the guides, the coaches and even the meals we enjoyed we ... [Read More]
- Nicole Haddad, Lebanese Travel Agent
In August 2018, my family of four and myself travelled from Vancouver, BC to Rome Italy and spent 3 weeks touring Italy with IVS. This company had come highly recommended by many friends and associates of ours who had used them before and indeed to say they do an outstanding job is an understatement. You can tell while being in Italy that it is one complicated place to run tours in, just by the ... [Read More]
- Vijaya Sunil CPA, CGA
Jesse, There are no words to describe the fabulous time we had in Italy. Everything went as you promised. Absolutely no problems! The venues were fabulous. The guides were punctual and helpful. It couldn't have worked out better. You and your staff deserve high praise for the quality and efficiency of your work. BTW, Guiseppe was an absolute delight. We enjoyed his informative and effervescent per ... [Read More]
- Jo Ann West
I am a travel agent with All About Honeymoons and I would highly recommend Italy Vacation Specialists. Jessica was wonderful in helping us plan in a last minute anniversary vacation during high season without any issues. She even checked on our clients while on vacation to make sure things were going well. I plan on using them again soon for all my future bookings! ... [Read More]
- Tammy Joyce, All About Honeymoons
I traveled with JoAnn West through your services, guided by Giuseppe, in July of this year. What a wonderful experience; your service is really top notch! If I return to Italy for a tour, I will absolutely use your services again and recommend you to my friends! ... [Read More]
- Lucretia Brower
Dear Guiseppe and Jesse, We just returned from our most wonderful vacation to Italy and wanted to first thank you for putting together such a wonderful trip, and second to provide some feedback for the future. Hotels 1. Hotel Sovestro in San Gimignano was wonderful. The staff were very friendly and helpful and made the first portion of our journey very stress free. They made us feel like we wer ... [Read More]
- Ron and Deb Crosby
The trip was great we appreciate all the hard work you and your team invested to make our experience a once in a lifetime trip. We appreciate all the attention to the details in particular Giuseppe spending the time and the focus with us on the road and as we were exploring your great country. ... [Read More]
- Leon and Michele
This company really knows their stuff and recommended our family to stay longer in each location. We didn't listen to them, but wished we had in every single place we went. They recommended Sestri Levante over the Cinque Terre which was our favourite destination on our entire trip. We visited Rome where we stayed in the outstanding Hotel Locorno where they know the owner there, like in every place ... [Read More]
- Sean & Veet Chapman, CGA
We're home now from the most amazing trip to Italy! I can't thank you enough for your efforts and coordination of what was without question the finest vacations I've been on to date. ... [Read More]
- Carol Carson
As a travel agent, but also a traveler to Italy, thee is no other company I would recommend than the Italy Vacation Specialists. Not only do they really care about what they are doing, they also really know Italy and try to educate many people about ways they can best see the country and not fall into tourist traps. I have been on 4 trips with the IVS team, firstly when they did my first 2 tri ... [Read More]
- Laura Chomiak, Travel Agent