A beautiful coastal resort of the province of Cosenza, located close to the river Noce and on a rocky spur that overlooks the floodplain of the river Lao, Praia a Mare is geographically the first municipality of Calabria, nestled between the mountains of the Pollino and the Gulf of Policastro. Since ancient times it was a thriving commercial and trading center, and its name derives from "Plaga Sclavorum" (the beach of Sclavoni or Schiavoni). The landscape is dominated by the evocative Isle of Dino, a small island that rises in the district of Fiuzzi, enriched by spectacular caverns and romantic coves.
Praia a Mare gained its administrative autonomy in 1928, finally divided from the hilly town of Aieta, to which it had always been linked.
Sites of Interest:
- the Fortress, built in the XVI century for defensive sighting purposes;
- the Tower of Fiuzzi, built on the site, where once stood an ancient Anjou watchtower;
- the Stronghold of Praia, a fortified construction of the Norman period;
- the Shrine of Our Lady of the Grotto;
- the Church of the Sacred Heart;
- the Church of St. Paul the Apostle;
- the Church of Jesus Christ Saviour;
- the Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art.