Calabria, Italy- A Budget Solo Trip to Scilla & Tropea
Travelling Solo to Calabria, Italy
Taking a solo trip to Italy was a dream come true for me. My family and I, have travelled extensively throughout Northern Italy over the past few years. But we've never ventured further south than Rome.
Why Choose Italy for a Solo Trip Destination?
As we had travelled multiple times around Italy, naturally, this then meant Italy was the perfect choice for me to take the leap and do my first solo trip. I was confident that I would manage ok. I've always felt safe in Italy, plus I love the food and culture!
How much Did My Solo Trip to Italy Cost?
In this blog I'll give a full breakdown of my itinerary along with the trip costs. Bear with me as it's a long one!
How Did I Book My Solo Trip to Scilla, Italy?
Flights to Reggio Calabria with Ryanair
I'd found the flights just by chance when searching SkyScanner and was surprised at how cheap they were coming in at- Just £28 return!
As I was travelling solo I could easily manage with just a backpack and wasn’t concerned with where I sat on the plane. This meant there were no extras to add to flight base price I found.
Ryanair launched this route from Manchester to Reggio Calabria in 2024, a town right in the tip of the boot and just a few miles across the water from Messina, Sicily.
Unfortunately, flights are not available from Manchester, in 2025. The only UK airport you can fly to Reggio Calabria from, is London Stansted at the moment. Although, there is the possibility to fly into Milan or Paris Beauvais and connect on to a flight to Reggio Calabria.
At the time of publication, there are some amazing flight prices from London Stansted to Reggio Calabria around the £30 return mark!
Calabria is one of the cheapest destinations you can visit in Italy, when you take in to account the low flight and accommodation costs.
Search for Flights to Reggio Calabria
Where to Stay in Calabria, Italy
I started to look on Instagram & Tik Tok to gauge what the area was like. At this point I had absolutely zero knowledge about anywhere further south than Naples.
From there I came across two towns which looked particularly spectacular- Scilla and Tropea. I just knew this was where I wanted to stay!
From what I could gather at first glance, these two places had a similar rustic costal appearance to the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre, without the high prices and packed in tourists to match.
As I couldn't choose between them and they weren't too far apart by train, I decide to split my trip between both.
Cost of Accommodation in Calabria
In terms of accommodation Scilla is relatively quiet with few international tourists visiting the area. This will no doubt increase if Ryanair maintain routes to this airport.
The prices reflected this and were low compared to northern Italy. Typically ranging between £25-£50 a night for 2 adults in a decent standard of accommodation.
Accommodation in Tropea was priced slightly higher, but definitely still budget friendly and certainly lower than the rest of Italy.
Tropea seemed to have more tourists, probably down to the fact that it is also served by Lamezia Therme airport.
I will list the particular accommodation I booked in the itinerary below.
My 4 Day Itinerary for Reggio Calabria, Scilla & Tropea
Day 1: Reggio Calabria & Scilla
Departing from Manchester at 8:00am, I arrived in Reggio Calabria at 12.30pm local time. The airport was very small and I was through passport control and outside by 12.45pm.
When I’d done some quick research before arriving, there appeared to be a train from the airport changing at Reggio Calabria Centrale. This would then take me on to Scilla for my first nights stay which seemed perfect.
However, on arrival when putting the station in to Google maps as there was no obvious signage for it, I discovered it was a 45 minute walk away. A route taking you round the whole parameter of the airport.
Getting From Reggio Calabria Airport to Scilla
More conveniently there was a local bus waiting for the flight arrival just outside the terminal building which cost €1.50.
So I changed plans and decided to go with this option, as did nearly everyone on the flight, so the bus tightly packed to say the least.
The Number 28 bus takes you from the airport to Reggio Calabria Centrale Station in just 15 minutes.
There is also the option of a taxi, in to the centre which after talking to fellow passengers on my return leg who had used this, the cost was approximately €30 which is quite expensive in comparison to public transport.
Alternatively, outside the airport gates, just a 4 minute walk away, you’ll find the number 27 bus which also takes you to the centre.
Both buses are hourly, spaced 30 minutes apart from each other so the maximum wait should be 30 minutes, if you are prepared to get either of these two bus services.
I got off the bus near the Lido as I wanted to explore Reggio for a bit and get a train later that afternoon on to Scilla. In all honesty Reggio Calabria wasn’t particularly that spectacular. I decided to hop on an earlier train from the Lido station to get to my stay for the night sooner.
Getting Train Tickets
I used the station ticket machine which has the option to change the language to ‘English’,
making it very easy to use. You can also use the Trainline App too if you prefer.
The ticket cost €1.70 and the journey just 20 mins to Scilla.
Tip: Just remember when in Italy, if you have a paper ticket you need to validate it before you board the train using one of the little green machines on the platform walls, otherwise you could face a €50 fine!
Arriving in Scilla Train Station
The train arrived on time and I was in Scilla not long after. From the station I walked to the Lido (beach) area to find the lift up the mountain as my accommodation was located very high up.
I'd heard its not a easy walk, especially with a heavy backpack, so it was definitely worth the €1 fee.
You'll find the lift (and stairs) at the end of the Lido, near to the castle end, which is just a few minutes walk from the station.
The lift takes both cash and card and it will save your legs considerably. Trust me it’s a lovely walk down but in the heat, I wouldn't fancy going back up on foot!
Once at the top, the view of the castle and beach area is spectacular! There’s seats to sit and admire the view in a plaza type area.
Where to Stay in Scilla
After taking in the views, I headed onwards to my accommodation which was just a further 7 minute walk from the lift.
My host had kept in contact with me throughout via WhatsApp so he knew to expect me and met me on arrival at the apartment.
I’d chosen to rent an apartment for 6 people- Blue Jolie. Totally unnecessary as a solo adventurer but for the cost, space and the main selling point of a large balcony with views directly of the castle I couldn’t resist. This apartment would be perfect for large families looking to do a trip to Calabria.
It was a house split into two, with the apartment I was staying in being located on the top floor.
The cost of the apartment was just £99 per night which was probably extravagant for a solo traveller based on the price of other accommodation in the area.
However, for the same cost as something far less favourable in northern Italy, not to mention that fact that it could sleep 6, it was incredible value and a perfect base.
The apartment had two bedrooms consisting of a double and another which contained two sets of bunk beds.
The bathroom was a good size and the apartment spacious.
There was also a lounge/kitchen area which was very well equipped for making your own meals along with a dining table for 6 and large TV.
The front of the property featured a courtyard where you could sit out and follow the sun.
In the Courtyard there was also a utility room with washing machine and clothes airers which was particularly useful when travelling with minimal luggage.
The highlight of the property though was definitely the balcony area which provided views of the fishing village (Chianlea), the Lido area and of course Castello Ruffo di Scilla (Scilla Castle).
The apartment was immaculately clean, smelt lovely and fresh and you could tell it had recently all been decorated.
Before the host left me to unpack, he told me all about the area and provided a map of Scilla and recommendations for restaurants.
He also said he would be on hand over WhatsApp which was a great reassurance being alone.
Things To Do in Scilla- Explore Chianlea
After unpacking and taking a shower I headed down the many steps in to Chianlea. A quaint little fishing part of the town affectionately referred to as ‘ Little Venice’ by the locals.
Here you’ll find an amazing gelateria where you can sit next to the water whilst enjoying an ice cream.
There's 4 restaurants with verandas that over look the water, along with other various eateries lining cobbled streets, all specialising in sea food with the local delicacy being sword fish.
Chianlea was quaint and typical of an Italian fishing town with beautiful rustic properties and cobbled streets.
Where to Eat in Scilla
Continuing on I ended up in the Lido beach part of the town. It was very busy with locals enjoying the sun, today was Sunday and also Mother’s Day in Italy, so the town had a buzz about it with lots of families on the beach late in to the night.
It felt very family orientated which was great for making a solo traveller feel safe.
For dinner, I settled for one of the Lido bars as I wanted something light, plus the view of the beach at golden hour, with the castle as a back drop won me over.
The menus at the Lido are typically pizza, paninis and burgers although, some serve some seafood delicacies.
It all seemed reasonably priced and my panini with quite a few wines costing just €27.
The lift closed at 9pm, and eager not to have to climb the stairs in the dark, I went back to the apartment around 8.30pm to get an early night. I had been travelling since 4am so was exhausted. The castle looked beautiful from the top all lit up and the town was still buzzing below.
Day 2: Scilla
After the most amazing night's sleep I was awake early. I showered and consulted Google Maps to check where the nearest supermarket was as I needed supplies.
The apartment was self catering, so I needed breakfast and lunch as I planned to spend the day working form the apartment.
There was a mini market just 6 minutes walk away, so after putting a wash in, I set off to get what I needed for the day.
The supermarket was well stocked and the prices reasonable. They had most things you could possibly need including a butchers counter and fresh bread. For a bag of supplies for the day including wine, I spent just €18.
After breakfast I set about working on laptop from the amazing veranda, as it was already lovely and warm.
I spent the day getting some blogs finished off and uploaded to the site, although I must admit I kept getting distracted by the view and watching local people go about their day.
By 5pm a local dance class started over the road which was very loud, so that was my signal to pack up and get a shower ready to go out for dinner.
Where to Eat in Chianlea
I decided tonight that I wanted to head back to dine in Chianlea as it looked such a romantic and authentic place. The only trouble I had was that the menu's online showed that most restaurants served purely fish dishes and other than cod & haddock, I don't like fish.
After checking out google maps and referring to the menus again, I managed to find one place that served pizzas, salads & burgers too which was La Piccola Venezia- Pizzeria Bar Pub.
I headed down the steps into Chianlea, stopping to get a fridge magnet as I have to have one from every destination I visit. This one was just beautiful, hand painted and made from tile.
The resturant was located on the sea front and didn't look much from the outside.
After being shown down stairs the resturant opened up on to a beautiful deck overlooking the water.
I chose to have an authentic stone baked pizza and of course wine, finishing with an Aperol Spritz which is a must when in Italy.
For the meal tonight I paid £32 which included a portion of chips too.
After the meal, I got a taxi back to my apartment. In the week, the lift can close as early as 7pm.
At the entrance of the lift they have a schedule of the times they operate so I would advise on taking a photo of this on arrival so you can refer back and plan accordingly.
Once back I had a glass of wine on the balcony before getting to bed, ready to pack up and leave Scilla first thing in the morning.
Day 3: Moving on to Tropea
Today I was leaving Scilla to travel to Tropea. I'd debated staying in one place for the duration of the trip, but after seeing how amazing the two towns looked, I definitely wanted to include them both. Plus it didn't seem a hassle to move accommodation as I was only travelling with a backpack.
If I'd of being staying longer, I'd of definitely taken the ferry over to Messina, Sicily, and included that too, but I though that was stretching my time too sparsely on this occasion. (On my 2nd visit I actually explored Sicily- you can read about this here)
Getting from Scilla to Tropea
After breakfast and packing my backpack, I headed down the mountain lift at 10.30am to catch the train. The journey between Tropea and Scilla takes 1hr 13 mins and cost just €5.40, and again I just purchased the ticket on the spot from the machine in the station.
After arriving in Tropea, I walked the 10 mins from the station down the centre where my accommodation was located.
Where to Stay in Tropea
The apartment 'Terrazzo Del Borgo' was just metres from the steps that led down to the sea. The selling point was a large balcony over looking Tropea Beach plus its central location with lots of restaurants surrounding it.
I collected the keys from the lockbox in the lobby of the apartments and made my way up to the 3rd floor. The apartment was beautifully clean and featured a lovely bathroom and double bedroom which opened out on to the balcony. There was also a TV, air conditioning, mini fridge and kettle.
Claudia the apartment manager had kept in contact with me via WhatsApp in the run up to my stay and her English was perfect- something that's not always the case in Southern Italy, as English is far less spoken than in the North.
After visiting Scilla, it definitely highlighted that I have become too reliant on Italian's speaking great English and I really need to start to learn some basics when I'm here so frequently.
In the smaller towns with not many tourists, English isn't widely spoken and I had a few moments of struggling with the language barrier.
The apartment located on the 3rd floor, cost £61.56 for one night, staying in the 'Deluxe Suite with Sea View' . This was their most expensive room they have but I couldn't miss out on that balcony and the difference in price wasn't worth scrimping on this occasion.
Once I'd checked in, I got a shower and then headed down to the beach. Access to the beach requires going down quite a few steps, unlike Scilla there was no lift to get back up, however, the drop below wasn't half as high.
Considering it was a Tuesday out of season, there was lots of locals enjoying the sun.
In Tropea there are a number of beaches that you can choose from, but I just choose the main beach closest to the castle as that's where my accommodation was located.
After some time sitting on the sand I decided to head over to the beach bars to get something to eat and drink as it was mid afternoon by this point.
There are two beach bars located on this part of the beach and I chose to eat at the one which I thought gave the better view of the castle (Lido Azzurro) plus other bar did look busier.
I chose from the menu a spaghetti dish made predominately using local red onions then topped with toasted bread which sounded delicious- the speciality of this region but unfortunately they'd stopped serving main meals and just had panini and salads on offer.
I felt 'breaded' out after the pizza last night and panini the evening before that, so went with the traditional 'Calabrese Salad' complimented by half a bottle of white wine.
I literally could of sat here all day, people watching with the view of the castle in the background and the sun beaming down.
The wine though went to my head, probably with it being so hot and the fact I'd barely eaten that day. I knew it was probably best to get back to the apartment out of the sun and face the climb back up the steps sooner rather than later.
My god the climb back up was tough and reaching the room at 5pm, I needed my 3rd shower of the day! Once changed I headed out to look for somewhere to eat this evening.
An Evening in Tropea
There were so many bars and restaurants, I felt I should have done some research on where to eat prior, as I was only here for one evening and was worried I'd missed a gem.
Everywhere looked great so it has hard to chose. I settled on a resturant with some outside seating so I could people watch.
Each meal I've sat for at least 2 hours enjoying my surroundings, I did think dining on my own would be awkward, however that hasn't been the case and I've enjoyed eating and savouring a meal whilst enjoying the views more than I usually would with company.
The restaurant I ended up dining in was Cabone Cocktail Bar Geleteria located on Largo Migliarese, which is one of the main streets in Tropea Centre.
I was very boring and chose the lasagne with it being one of my favourites and the first time on my trip I'd seen it on a menu. The town itself was really busy with lots of people enjoying dining out.
A few hours later, I returned to the apartment and got to bed ready to pack for my journey home the next day. I must say though the location of my apartment in Tropea was great, as I didn't need to rely on a taxi to get me back, so I was far more relaxed about enjoying my meal and taking my time.
Day 4: Home Time- Tropea to Reggio Calabria
Included with the stay at the apartment was a voucher for breakfast as they don't have a restaurant on-site. The voucher was for a café located adjacent to the property (Nonna Rosa) and entitled you to a choice of any 3 items from the menu, although, you could order more and pay the difference if you wish.
I chose a yoghurt which I hadn't realised was like an ice cream, an usual choice for breakfast but delicious all the same.
I also had an orange juice and a croissant. I must admit it was all super sweet and I'm more a savoury person so couldn't finish it. But based on the room rate being very reasonable and this also being included for free, I was impressed by the quality.
After breakfast, I headed slowly back up to the station for my 11.30am train which would take me directly from Tropea back to Reggio Calabria Centrale for just €7.40, taking around 1hr 45 mins, arriving at 1.15pm.
Tropea to Reggio Calabria Train
Outside of the station in Reggio Calabria, I found the airport bus stand (the number 28) and the wait was just 10 minutes for the next one.
The ticket was €1.50 which I purchased from the kiosk in the station. The bus took around 15 minutes to reach the airport, it was once again was packed with people doing the same. I arrived back at the airport just before 2pm, ready for my flight back to Manchester at 4.15pm.
The departures area in Reggio Calabria airport is very small with no duty free store or any restaurants to dine in, it literally has 2 gates (one for internal flights and one for international).
There is a small food stall though selling hot drinks and pastries plus a vending machine but I'd advise you to eat before the airport if you have a long journey.
On this point 2hrs before your flight is more than enough time to spend in the airport. I was through the front doors of the airport and to the gate in under 15 minutes.
So Here's a Full Breakdown of the Costs of the Trip to Italy:
- Return Flights £28.40
- 2 Nights Stay in Scilla £198.19
- 1 Night Stay in Tropea £61.56
- Lifts up and down the mountain the Scilla £1.71
- Bus to and from the Airport to meet the train £2.57
- Train from Reggio Calabria to Scilla £6.98
- Train from Scilla to Tropea £4.65
- Train from Trope to Reggio Calabria £6.38
Total Spend £310.44/€362.81/$394.24
Now obviously this is the cost of travelling solo to Italy. If travelling with a partner this trip would have just cost £130 less, so just £180 per person which is incredible.
Scilla vS Tropea
I've been asked this a few times, which town was better and which would I recommend spending more time in.
I spent 2 nights in Scilla and 1 night in Tropea. If I was booking this same trip again I would do 2 nights in Tropea- starting there and then move to Scilla for the 3rd night so I was closer to airport to get home.
Trains from Tropea to Reggio Calabria aren't as frequent and there was only one train really to get me to the airport around the time I wanted to leave. The train before would have got me there 5 hours early and the one after just an hour before the flight.
This did worry me, in case it was cancelled or delayed. The taxi cost from Tropea to Reggio Calabria airport was over £100, so something I wanted to avoid.
Both towns are beautiful and bring their own qualities. Scilla is a quiet fishing town with fewer tourists and an authentic rustic Italian charm. Tropea has more tourists and therefore more to see and do, plus it had a centre with shops.
Would I do another Solo Trip?
My solo 4-day trip to Southern Italy was an incredibly rewarding experience. This being my first time traveling alone, I enjoyed the tranquillity and cherished the time spent in my own company.
Dining alone was a surprisingly delightful experience, allowing me to savour every bite without distraction and people watch in peace.
Reflecting on these past few days, I can wholeheartedly say that this will not be my last solo adventure to Italy and I'd like to try another country next. If you've been following along, you'll know that I have since done another solo trip to this region and also one to Switzerland too!
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