Tropea,located on the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria has always been a favorite spot of mine…so when I visit,I often spend a day there. What’s not to love? With its crystal clear waters and historic town center,Tropea has a little something for everyone.
Santa Maria dell’Isola stands watch over the city on the famous rock that makes Tropea so recognizable (although it’s currently under construction.) The town of about 7 thousand swells in the summer and has become one of Calabria’s largest tourist destinations. I visited Tropea with my mother a few weeks ago…who spent a school year there as a child and told us stories of her time there.
The town center full of shops,restaurants and bars is elevated and overlooks the sea. It’s a wonderful place to visit or spend a vacation.
With all its beauty,Tropea is most famous for its onions…the red onion of Tropea or “Cipolla rosa di Tropea”is sweet and slightly oval in shape and sought after worldwide. Visit Tropea and you’ll find red onion gelato,red onion marmalade and just about anything else you can think of. Although it has been said that Tropea’s red onions don’t grow as good outside of the area,I thought I would give my readers a chance to give it a try in their own gardens! I’m giving away three packs of Tropea onion seeds to three readers chosen at random. This is what you need to do to participate:
- Leave a comment on this post by Thursday Aug 12th at 5pm
- Subscribe to the Post Feed or retweet this post (if you already subscribe to the post feed,all you need to do is comment)
Thanks to Kla! on flickr for this wonderful photo
Good luck!
I already have you on my Google Rss reader.
I hope I win!
I think I want your life. Would you like to live in MN for a year? I just stared at the blue waters willing myself there. And then you switched to onions! Although the red onion marmalande sounds very tasty! And of course I suubscribe. I visit Italy through you!
I really can spell subscribe. And don’t count this comment!
Would love to try out these onions. I am subscribed via Bloglines.
Joe,What a beautiful town,I would never leave! The onions look like big shallots,I agree the onion maramalade sounds wonderful,not too sure about the gelato,did you try it?
Tropea looks like a very special spot —the water is so clear and blue.
Joe –I’ve been to Tropea and it is a dream. Love the onions and love the swordfish there. Your photos make me wish I were heading there this summer.
Hi Joe!
Another great post as usual. Tropea is so beautiful and your photos are spectacular. I am in the beginning stages of planning a summer program there for next year with La Piazza di Carolina. When I have the details sorted out I will send you the info so you can tell your followers about it.
Also,when you get a chance can you tell me how you put your “Italyville.com 2010″on your photos.
A presto,
Carolina
Now that is some sweet onions! Great info! Thank you:)
I’m Italian and never had this onion…I sure would like to grow some.Do they sell this onion in USA?
Got my seeds yesterday in the mail. The package has a LOT of seeds. So I’m going to share them with friends who have gardens. I’ll report back.
Thanks again Joe for having this contest. I’m hoping to be in Calabria in February. I’m sure Tropea will be beautiful at that time of year as well.
My husband’s town is on a hill looking at the Ionian Sea in Calabria,so we never visited Tropea. Someday in the future we hope to spend a lot of time in Calabria and I’ll make sure we visit this area…it looks so beautiful!
[...] be cooked to bring forth their sweetness. Some interesting reading on Tropea onions can be found here,where this Italian guy (actually,a first-generation Italian-American living right here in [...]