Calabria · Crotone
Isola di Capo Rizzuto
A promontory on the Ionian coast wrapped by Italy's largest marine reserve, with an Aragonese castle standing on a rock offshore.
- Best time
- May–Sep
- Airport
- In the comune (CRV)
- Population
- 17,409
Known for
LE CASTELLA
Aragonese castle on a rocky islet joined to the mainland by a sandbar, the most photographed point on the Ionian coast.
MARINE RESERVE
15,000 hectares of protected sea since 1991, divided into integral, general and partial zones along the Costa dei Saraceni.
BANDIERA BLU
Long-running Blue Flag status for the beaches at Capo Rizzuto, Le Castella and Praialonga.
PECORINO CROTONESE
The commune lies inside the Pecorino Crotonese DOP production zone.
When to visit
Best · May–Sep
- J14°
- F14°
- M15°
- A17°
- M22°
- J27°
- J31°
- A31°
- S27°
- O23°
- N19°
- D15°
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Daytime averages, 2020–2024. The sea is warmest in August at 29° and coldest in February at 14°. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.
Why come
Isola di Capo Rizzuto is a promontory in the province of Crotone; despite the name, it has been joined to the mainland for centuries. The commune's population, around 17,000, spreads across more than fifteen frazioni, most set back from the cliffs on a flat agricultural plateau planted with olives and grain. Le Castella is one of these frazioni, the one built around the castle on its islet, and it draws the eye that the inland villages do not.
The sea is administered as the Area Marina Protetta Capo Rizzuto, stretching across both Isola and neighboring Crotone, its zones running along the Costa dei Saraceni from the cliffs at Capo Cimiti down to Praialonga. The Saracen towers built along this same stretch, Torre Vecchia, Torre Scifo, Torre Marinella, mark the headlands where the coast was once watched for raids, a line of defense that runs parallel to the modern line of protected water. Inland farming, a fortified shoreline, and a marine reserve now share the same short stretch of coast: the plateau feeds the towns, the towers still stand as their old lookout, and the sea in front of them is protected rather than patrolled.
The Sunday letter
Isola di Capo Rizzuto is on our list. Its letter is still to come.
We are writing about all 1,000 of these towns, one at a time, in a free letter every Sunday: the photo, the food, the festa. That is our mission. Sign up and you will be there when Isola di Capo Rizzuto comes up. By Peter & Sophia, from Pietrasanta.
Read on
Isola di Capo Rizzuto in our articles
The 7 best towns with a serious restaurant in Calabria7 towns, Isola di Capo Rizzuto among them.
The 8 best coastal towns that eat well in Calabria8 towns, Isola di Capo Rizzuto among them.
Alternatives to Positano: every coastal town in Campania and Calabria that is not on the postcard34 towns, Isola di Capo Rizzuto among them.
The best small beach towns in Italy that nobody sells you, all of them145 towns, Isola di Capo Rizzuto among them.
How to get there
Isola di Capo Rizzuto has its own airport (CRV).
From Lamezia / Reggio (SUF), about 1h 24m by car.
Bari / Brindisi (BRI) is about 4h 48m away.
By car from the centre of Salerno 4h 37m, Bari 4h 42m or Naples 5h 20m.
What to see
Castello Aragonese di Le Castella
The fortress sits apart from the coast on its own islet, reached by the sandbar underfoot; the walls close around a small courtyard, and the sea shows on every side.
Area Marina Protetta Capo Rizzuto
Divers enter the integral zones under licence, where the water is clearest and the rules strictest; the fishermen who work the general zones nearby operate under the same protected status.
Spiagge della Costa dei Saraceni
Fine sand alternates with red cliffs along Capo Cimiti, Capo Bianco and Praialonga, the color of the rock changing the water's tone from one cove to the next.
Torri saracene
Torre Vecchia, Torre Scifo and Torre Marinella still stand on the headlands they were built to watch, spaced along the shore to pass warning of Ottoman and Barbary raids from one tower to the next.
Santuario di Santa Maria Greca
Sanctuary in the historic centre dedicated to the patron of the commune, with a wooden statue venerated since the Byzantine era.
The slow-trip planner
Building a trip? Find where Isola di Capo Rizzuto fits in a slow Italy circuit.
Answer five questions. We will shape a geographically coherent slow trip from the 1,000 Italian towns most travelers skip. Yours to save and share.
We recommend
Where to eat and stay
Not our picks, but places the guides put their name to: a Michelin star, a Gambero Rosso fork, a Slow Food snail, a Michelin Key for the hotels. Worth a table, a counter, or a night when you pass through.
RurisRistorante
Ruris has a spot in the Michelin Guide to its name.
Praia Art ResortHotel
Praia Art Resort holds a place in the Michelin hotel guide.
Living here
- Population 17,409
- Commuter belti
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Nearest airport Lamezia / Reggio, 1 h 24 min drive
- Regional capital Catanzaro, 55 min drive
Common questions
- What is Isola di Capo Rizzuto known for?
- Isola di Capo Rizzuto is a promontory on the Ionian coast wrapped by Italy's largest marine reserve, with an Aragonese castle standing on a rock offshore.
- Where is Isola di Capo Rizzuto?
- Isola di Capo Rizzuto is a comune in the province of Crotone, in Calabria, at 90 meters above sea level.
- What is the nearest airport to Isola di Capo Rizzuto?
- There is an airport in the comune (CRV).
- How long is the drive from Salerno to Isola di Capo Rizzuto?
- About 4h 37m by car.
- When is the best time to visit Isola di Capo Rizzuto?
- Best in May–Sep. July is the warmest month, averaging 31 degrees, and November the wettest, with about 10 rain days.
- Which other towns are like Isola di Capo Rizzuto?
- Policoro, Bernalda and Vico Equense.
- How many people live in Isola di Capo Rizzuto?
- 17,409 at the 2023 count.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognised as
The numbers
- Elevation: 90 m
- Population: 17,409
- Surface area: 126.65 km²
These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
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