Vibo Valentia (Italy)

Vibo Valentia (fka Monteleone di Calabria) is a Tyrrhenian Sea/central Mediterranean port and city in Italy's Calabria region, with population around 35,000. As the capital of the same-named province, the city is its largest commercial hub and a popular tourism destination. Vibo Valentia is the gateway for visiting the nearby towns Tropea, Ricadi and Pizzo Calabro.

Vibo Valentia Port (locode ITVVA) is a natural deepwater harbor located at Vibo Marina (port town with population around 10,000). Vibo Marina is an important port for shipping various products (including petrol/deliveries and contribution) and commercial fishing (mainly tuna).

As a cruise port, Vibo Valentia was included in the 2024 schedule of CroisiEurope's ship La Belle de l'Adriatique. The next table shows CroisiEurope's 7-day "Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and Sicily" itinerary. The voyage was priced from EUR 1780/USD 1920 per person with double occupancy.

Regularly scheduled ferries link Vibo Valentia with the Aeolian Islands. The ferry route is operated by Liberty Lines and usually only during the summer months (May to September). Liberty Lines offers two weekly crossings to Lipari Island, with travel time ~3 hours (travel distance ~130 km/80 mi).

By road from Vibo Valentia (via A2 Highway) is accessed Messina (Sicily Island's 3rd-largest city - after Palermo and Catania). The Vibo-Messina road distance is 95 km/60 mi (drive time ~1,5 hours).

Vibo Valentia was founded by the Greeks as a colony (named Hipponion) part of which massive stone wall (length 7 km/4 mi) still remains. The city's main tourist attractions include the Norman-Hohenstaufen Castle (now housing a museum), the remains of Hipponion's Walls (length 350 m/1150 ft) and the foundations of eight watch towers, Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore e San Leoluca (9th-century cathedral), Chiesa di Santa Ruba (10th-century church), Chiesa del Rosario (14th-century church), Chiesa del Carmine (17th-century church), Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angeli (17th-century church), Chiesa di San Michele (Saint Michael/16th-century church), Chiesa di San Giuseppe (Saint Joseph/18th-century church), Chiesa dello Spirito Santo (16th-century Church of the Holy Spirit), Chiesa Santa Maria la Nova (16th-century church), Chiesa di Santa Maria del Soccorso (17th-century church), Chiesa di Sant'Antonio di Padova (Saint Anthony of Padua/17th-century church).