The small village of San Nicola Arcella is located on the Tyrrhenian Coast near Scalea, in the province of Cosenza, and features a charming historic centre. This article focuses on the town’s highlight – the stunning coastline and beaches in the area. Arco Magno beach is a famous one, with its unique position in a rocky cove and surrounded on all sides by spectacular cliffs.
Take the road which descends to the beach just north of the village, and you will find a lovely beach with many boats and a view to the castle on the rocky promontory to the left. You won’t find white sand on this section of the Riviera dei Cedri – the beaches are instead made from dramatic dark pebbles set against rugged cliffs. The road leads through an archway carved into the cliff, and along this small section you will find plenty of options for beach bars and restaurants, with opportunities to hire umbrellas, sun loungers and small boats should you wish to.
But to reach the most spectacular beach in the area (Arco Magno) you must scale the staircase at the north end of this beach, and venture over the rocky headland. If you are taking this route, make sure that you have sturdy footwear as the path can be quite bumpy and steep in sections, but you will enjoy some spectacular views on your way. As you approach, you will see Arco Magno beach down below to your right, with a beautiful bathing pool enclosed within the rocks. A single archway in the rock connects this beach to the ocean, so it is also a wonderful opportunity to explore this beach and the surrounding coastline by boat. This beach never gets too busy even in summer, and the water stays quite cool due to the shadow of the cliffs.
You can also continue to walk round the coastline to the north from this path, reaching another very small rocky beach before finding two longer more open stretches of beach. These are beautiful pebbly beaches with plenty of space to enjoy your surroundings and views to the surrounding mountains, as it is unspoilt and inaccessible by car. This pathway connects all the way up to Praia a Mare, where you can see the castle and Isola di Dino.
