Coccorino between village, coves and coast

Coastal setting and village character

Coccorino is considered a panoramically situated village at 285 metres above sea level. Spiaggia Le Saline is located in the area of Baia del Corsaro in Coccorino, while Spiaggia Tirujiu is one of the village’s beaches. The Chiesa di San Mercurio Martire stands in the village and is considered Coccorino’s most important religious building. During a stay, a higher-elevation village setting, specific coastal destinations and a distinctive sacred building thus come together.

Spiaggia Tirujiu

Spiaggia Tirujiu is a small natural cove with clear water and light-coloured rocks. Its shore consists mainly of pebbles and smoothly worn rocks; smaller sandy sections supplement the beach. The rocky seabed is also said to be suitable for snorkelling. If you are looking for a coast with different solid and sandy surfaces, this beach therefore has a clearly recognisable character of its own. The cove is also defined by its unusual rock formation: in front of Spiaggia Tirujiu, a pyramid-shaped rock beside the beach forms a narrow, deep cove.

Other coastal destinations

Grotta dell’Aspide provides another specific point to include in your coastal planning. It can only be reached by swimming or on foot. This information makes clear that the various destinations along the coast are not all accessible in the same way. If you would like to combine your stay with beach and nature experiences, you should therefore distinguish between the pebble- and rock-dominated Spiaggia Tirujiu, the cove at Baia del Corsaro and Grotta dell’Aspide.

Orientation between village and sea

A winding mountain road leads from the village of Coccorino via the sign pointing to the Juncari spring. By car, this route takes you to approximately 500 metres from the sea. For your planning, the different locations of the village and coast are therefore an important part of the village character: Coccorino is not directly at sea level, and the connection to the coastal area runs along a winding mountain road. The approximate distance of 500 metres marks the described endpoint of the drive before the sea.

Chiesa di San Mercurio Martire

The Chiesa di San Mercurio Martire was built in the early years of the 13th century. Its original section cannot be distinguished from the later reconstructions following the 1783 earthquake. The building has a semi-elliptical floor plan with a single nave. The church has also been restored and structurally improved. For visitors interested in culture, the particular value of this site lies in the combination of its medieval origins, later reconstructions and clearly defined architectural form. The Chiesa di San Mercurio Martire is therefore an independent cultural point of reference within Coccorino, without this implying anything about its current accessibility.

Traces of coastal history

There used to be a salt quarry on the coast of Coccorino. Together with the church, coves and distinctive rocks, this historical reference broadens the view of the village: Coccorino can be discovered both through its landscape and through specific evidence of its older local and coastal history. If you take both natural features and cultural history into account when choosing your destination, you will find several different points of interest here.

Other places for your travel planning

For further travel planning, you can also explore Ricadi, Brattiro', Maierato, Zaccanopoli, Tropea, San Cono, Monterosso Calabro and Rombiolo.

To the overarching travel overview: Vibo Valentia.