A day at “the Arches”
The Day Pass
A calm, beautiful place to work or think, away from the crowds. Bring a sketchbook, an easel, a laptop, or nothing.
History, art, and culture on the Coast of the Gods
€100
per person, per day
Hours10 am to 6 pm
BookingAs many days as you like
Ages18 and over
AvailableYear-round
What Is It?
A day’s creative work — or just thinking — in a historic space with a view
Some days, you just need a calm, beautiful place to work or think, away from the crowds. The Day Pass gives you a full day, or more, of access to the Arches — a covered, vaulted, sandstone portico of seven arches, cut into the cliff above the port of Tropea, open on the seaward side to the Coast of the Gods. It sits in the quietest part of the historic center, in Largo Galluppi.
It is thought to date to either the 12th or 13th century, and for most of living memory, nobody could enter it. Until TROPEArte opened it in 2026.
Bring a sketchbook, an easel, a laptop, or nothing. Stay an hour or stay eight hours. Book one day or more.
Who It’s For
Creatives, thinkers, and anyone who just wants to sit
Anyone who wants to spend time in a beautiful historic space, overlooking the sea, either creating or just thinking and relaxing. For creatives, beginners are as welcome as those with decades of exhibitions behind them. And anyway, there’s no obligation to do anything beyond sitting. Open to anyone 18 or over.
The Day Pass suits you if you are:
Already in Tropea or nearbyAnd want a proper place to work or think, rather than a café table
On vacationAnd want one or two — or more — days of creative work or contemplation during the trip
Passing through CalabriaAnd want to paint the coast from somewhere beautiful with a view, but with a roof on it
Curious about the Artist RetreatAnd want to see the space before committing to a week — see the Retreat
A day here isn’t just sightseeing. You experience this one beautiful place deeply rather than superficially, with its sandstone arches, garden, and cliff birds, and spectacular views of the sea and the hills, from a unique perspective.
What You Get
Included in the €100
- All-day access to the Arches, 10 am to 6 pm
- A covered, shaded space open to the sea, with panoramic views of the coastline, the Gulf of Sant’Eufemia, and the hills around Tropea
- Somewhere to leave your things if you need to go and eat
- Electricity and limited cooling — power for charging your devices, and fans if it’s very hot
- Local guidance on where to paint elsewhere — after three years of hosting the Plein Air Festival, we know which overlooks work at which hour and which walls are out of the wind. Just ask.
And what it isn’t
Not includedAccommodations, transfers, meals, materials, and assistance with excursions. If you’d like those arranged, you may be interested in our Artist Retreat
No Wi-FiCellular service is normally reliable in the space
No food or beveragesWe don’t provide them — the historic center is full of cafés and restaurants a few minutes away
No bathroom on siteThere are options nearby
Painting for a day at the Arches
The Practical Details
Access, parking, materials, and where we are
AccessEntry to the courtyard of the Arches is at ground level, directly from the street. To get into the arched portico itself, there is a small set of descending steps.
AccessibilityThe street entrance and the courtyard are step-free. The portico and the Arches themselves are reached only by a small set of descending steps. There is no bathroom on site, but there are options nearby. See the Arches page for more.
ParkingTropea’s historic center is a cliff-top old town — narrow, cobbled, and hilly, with restricted vehicle access. The nearest parking and loading point is in front of Palazzo Fazzari, but it is in a ZTL, so a vehicle permit is required in advance. There are several public parking lots just outside the historic center.
Where we arePalazzo Fazzari, Largo Galluppi 12, Tropea (VV) 89861, Italy
Materials — bring your own, or buy them here
Corniceria Collia GiuseppeViale Tondo 57, 89861 Tropea (VV) · Tel +39 347 653 5984 · Hours
L’Accademia – Cartotecnica di Marinella GiancarloVia Vittorio Veneto snc, 89861 Tropea (VV) · Tel +39 096 360 3007
When To Come
The Arches through the year
Best — April, May, June, September, October
Warm, clear, and past the major crowds.
Busiest — July and August
Hot, and Tropea is at its busiest, though the arches stay shaded and the sea breeze holds.
Quietest — November through March
Mild by northern standards but shorter on daylight and wetter. If you’re coming then, ask us and we’ll tell you honestly what to expect.
Fees and Cancellations
€100 per person, per day · non-refundable (but transferable) payment in full in advance
check availability Fill out the form below
book your day passFull payment
if you have to postpone Choose a date within 24 months
Participants may request to transfer or defer to a later date within 24 months of the booked date (or later, by arrangement). If your plans change, write to us — where we can, we would rather move you to another day than lose you.
A town built by people who arrived from somewhere else
Everyone is Welcome Here
Tropea was built by people who arrived from somewhere else, and it has given shelter to the persecuted repeatedly in the centuries since.
The Arches are open to artists of every nationality, background, faith, and identity. Prejudice and xenophobia have no place here; anyone who brings them will be asked to leave, and everyone else is genuinely welcome.
Want Longer, or Your Own Group?
Two other ways to use the space
A History TalkAn hour at the Arches and their setting · from €15 per person
Book a Day or More at the Arches
We’ll confirm availability soon after
Fill out the form below and we’ll come back to you with availability and details. If the form isn’t working for you, email us at info@tropearte.com with your preferred dates.
Open since May 2026
Watch the changing light at the Arches with the Day Pass.
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