Le Castella is a fishing village in the municipality of Isola di Capo Rizzuto, about 30 minutes’ drive south-west of Crotone. In front of it, on a rocky islet joined to the mainland by a thin strip of land, sits the fortress that appears on half the postcards of Calabria.
The site has been fortified since antiquity — courses of large Greek blocks can still be seen at the base of the walls. The castle took its present form in the 15th and 16th centuries under the Aragonese and their feudal lords, built around an older cylindrical tower, to guard the coast against Ottoman and Barbary raiders. It was not always enough: in 1536 corsairs sacked the village and carried off a local boy who would become Uluç Ali, one of the great admirals of the Ottoman fleet.
Restored and floodlit at night, the fortress is now the centrepiece of a small resort inside the Capo Rizzuto Marine Protected Area.
Top things to do at Le Castella
Go inside the fortress
Cross the causeway and walk through the gate into the courtyards, up onto the walls and into the round tower, with views along the coast. A small entrance fee is charged and hours are longer in summer.
Swim beside the castle
The shallows on either side of the causeway are clear and sheltered, and the sandy Spiaggia Grande is a short walk from the village.
Take a boat into the reserve
In season, boats — some with glass bottoms — leave the little harbour for trips along the marine reserve, and dive centres run snorkelling and scuba outings. These are mostly booked on the spot at the harbour.
Stay for the evening
The castle is at its best when the lights come on. The lanes behind it fill with tables; order grilled fish and a bottle of Cirò.
How to get to Le Castella
- By car: take the SS106 south from Crotone and turn off for Le Castella — about 30 kilometres and half an hour. Large car parks at the edge of the village charge a fee in summer.
- By bus: buses link Crotone with Isola di Capo Rizzuto and Le Castella, but they are infrequent, especially outside summer and on Sundays.
- From Lamezia Terme airport: allow about an hour and a quarter by car.
- By tour: the private Capo Colonna, Santa Severina and Le Castella tour ends here.
Insider tips
- In August the village is very busy by late morning; come early or towards evening.
- The causeway and the castle’s paving are uneven — sandals with a grip are better than flip-flops.
- Opening hours of the fortress vary by season; outside summer it may close at lunchtime or on some days.
- Bring a mask and snorkel: fish gather around the rocks at the base of the walls.
Best tours & tickets for Le Castella
These experiences pair well with a visit to Le Castella:
Private day tour from €150 Capo Colonna, Santa Severina & Le Castella: Private History and Seaside Tour
The one tour that strings together the three great sights of the province in a single day, with a private driver doing the hard part. You go from the Greek sanctuary on the cape to the baptistery and castle of Santa Severina, then down to the fortress in the sea at Le Castella. Without a car it is the only practical way to see all three.
- The Doric column of Hera Lacinia at Capo Colonna
- The Byzantine hill town of Santa Severina
- The sea fortress of Le Castella
Boat tour from €40 Gulf of Squillace: 3-Hour Tour by Inflatable Boat
The nearest bookable boat trip to Crotone on GetYourGuide: three hours by inflatable along the coves of the Catanzaro coast, with swimming stops. The departure point is roughly an hour’s drive south-west of Crotone along the SS106.
- Coves and clear water of the Ionian coast
- Stops for swimming
- Small inflatable boat
