Zungri

Travel Guide

Zungri
Zungri
Zungri
Zungri
Zungri

Explore the roomy cave dwellings of medieval monks in the open-air museum and enjoy the eerie silence in the abandoned village.

Zungri is an otherworldly hilltop village known for its pockmarked sandstone cliffs. The grottoes and crevasses in the rock formations, which were used for hermitages and monasteries, create a varied and intriguing landscape. Learn about the Basilian monks who dwelled in these caves.

The hills of the village are adorned with hundreds of grottoes, varying in size and appearance. Visit the Insediamento Rupestre Degli Sbariati for a museum on the most intricate of these rock cavities. The site stands in the southeastern outskirts of the town.

Clamber into the cave dwellings for a sense of the conditions in which these monks lived between the 12th and 14th centuries. Make your way up and down the carved steps and through the spacious rooms of the caves. Walk along carved paths that link the many caves, which are sheltered by trees and other limestone rocks. Warm, dry summers provide perfect conditions for hiking around these spectacular surroundings. July is the driest month, while winters are mild and a little wetter.

Spend time in the nearby abandoned village of Papaglionti. This centuries-old hamlet formerly prospered as a large producer of wheat and olives, before several large earthquakes led to its desertion. Snap photos of the derelict buildings that are gradually falling apart.

Arrive in Zungri for the festival L’Infiorata on the ninth Sunday after Easter. Inspect the array of colourful carpets, pictures made from flowers and other works that decorate the streets. Appreciate the sights, sounds and scents, as you chat with friendly locals.

The village is located in the heart of the Vibo Valentia province in Calabria of southern Italy. It is near the coastal towns of Tropea and Capo Vaticano. Fly to Lamezia Terme International Airport and drive south for 35 miles (56 kilometres) to get here in about 1 hour. Travel between some of the nearby coastal towns via the railway links.

Zungri is an exceptional gem, with its cratered limestone rocks and fascinating history.

Colomba D'Oro

Colomba D'Oro

4 out of 5
Via Vittorio Veneto, 50, Tropea, VV
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is RM289 per night from 14 Nov to 15 Nov
RM289
RM357 total
14 Nov - 15 Nov
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star hotel in Tropea. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and room service. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular attractions ...
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Reviewed on 12 Oct 2025

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Sentido Michelizia Tropea Resort

Sentido Michelizia Tropea Resort

VIA CARMINE 71, Tropea, VV
Book a stay at this beach hotel in Tropea. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Popular attractions Tropea Beach and Grotticelle Beach are located ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (93 reviews)
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Reviewed on 2 Sept 2025

Sentido Michelizia Tropea Resort
Hotel Rocca della Sena

Hotel Rocca della Sena

4 out of 5
Via Paolo Orsi . C.da Croce, Tropea, VV
The price is RM769 per night from 16 Oct to 17 Oct
RM769
RM885 total
16 Oct - 17 Oct
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star beach hotel in Tropea. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and room service. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular attractions ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (188 reviews)
"This is a lovely hotel in a great location…10-15 minute walk to the old town with restaurants and shops. The ocean views are wonderful with chairs all Ali g side in order to enjoy it. The ocean is reachable by a staircase…lots of stairs but I felt safe using them. Our room was large, beds and pillows ..."

Reviewed on 1 Oct 2025

Hotel Rocca della Sena
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
CapoSperone Resort

CapoSperone Resort

4 out of 5
Contrada Malopasso, 106, Palmi, RC
Stay at this 4-star spa residence in Palmi. Enjoy free breakfast, free parking, and a full-service spa. Popular attractions Tonnara Beach and Taurean Archeological ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (39 reviews)
Nice grounds but basic room
"Stayed here for one night. Grounds are very pretty and hotel is based on the side of quite a steep hill so quite a lot of stairs and ramps. There are some lifts to parts of property but not all and they are in odd locations, for example one led to a pitch black banquet hall that you needed to pass ..."

Reviewed on 3 Oct 2022

CapoSperone Resort
Tropea Mare Pace Club

Tropea Mare Pace Club

Viale Don Mottola IX Traversa, Tropea, VV
Stay at this apartment in Tropea. Enjoy free parking, an outdoor pool, and a garden. Popular attractions Tropea Beach and Grotticelle Beach are located ...
"Al momento dell'arrivo, dopo 7 ore di viaggio, la nostra prenotazione non c'era. Premetto che già il giorno prima, ho passato due ore al telefono tra Expedia, un certo Fabrizio della Cristoforo viaggi che rivende i pacchetti da Expedia alla struttura Il borgo della Pace Beach Club. Detto ciò, mi ..."

Reviewed on 11 Aug 2021

Tropea Mare Pace Club
Residenza La Vigna

Residenza La Vigna

Loc. Tonnara - S.S. 522, Parghelia, VV
Book a stay at this beach aparthotel in Parghelia. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a 24-hour front desk. Popular attractions Tropea Beach and Michelino ...
9/10 Wonderful! (16 reviews)
"The grounds were beautiful. The pool was warm and clean..a car is needed as there is not many places that are safe to walk to. The description says there is a beach, there is no beach on property or walkable. We had an amazing dinner at Portale nearby recommended and arranged by owner. Amazing dinner ..."

Reviewed on 9 Aug 2023

Residenza La Vigna
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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