Tropea — the white cliff, the church on the rock, and the onion that changed a region

Tropea's postcard shot is unmistakable: a medieval church (Santa Maria dell'Isola) perched on a rock stack above turquoise water, with the white cliff town towering behind it. It's one of the most photographed views in Calabria and possibly the most beautiful beach town in mainland Italy south of the Amalfi Coast. The beach below the cliff (free access via staircase) has white sand and water that rivals Sardinia — without Sardinia's prices. A seafood lunch costs €12. A hotel room costs €60. A cipolla rossa di Tropea (the sweet red onion that's famous across Italy — used in marmalades, on pizza, in salads, caramelized on everything) costs €2/kg at the market. Calabria's Tropea is what the Amalfi Coast was before the world discovered it.