Badolato

Calabria, Italy

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Badolato is a small hilltop village in the province of Catanzaro, in the Calabria region of southern Italy, perched about 240 meters above the Ionian Sea a short distance inland from the coast.

It is one of Italy’s officially recognized “borghi più belli” (most beautiful villages), known for its narrow medieval streets, Byzantine‑style layout, and around a dozen churches that give it the nickname “town of churches.” The historic upper village, Badolato Superiore, preserves ancient stone houses and remnants of old walls and watchtowers, while a newer seaside area, Badolato Marina, offers long stretches of beach and easy access to the turquoise waters of the Ionian coast.

Badolato is also an agricultural center, producing olive oil and wine that are exported beyond the region, alongside grain and fruit grown on the slopes of Mount St. Nicholas and the surrounding hills. The town has become a focal point for slow and sustainable tourism, attracting both Italian city‑dwellers and northern‑European retirees who buy and restore traditional houses for holiday homes or permanent living.