Lido Tahiti, Palmi

A front-row seat to witness Calabria’s renaissance? You’ll find it here, at Lido Tahiti and its restaurant Il Fico. The history of this establishment has been written by the Parisi family, and it is Domenico, the current manager, who has dedicated his life to the sea, the beach club, the restaurant, and to people seeking an affordable place with crystal-clear waters and consistently improving quality. The turning point came years ago, when Parisi more than halved the number of beach spots to increase services and care for both the beach and guests. The location is of unexpected beauty, because Palmi is certainly not a world-famous tourist destination, but when you arrive at Tahiti, facing the “island rock”, admiring the transparency of the sea, near the cave linked to the legend of Donna Canfora and the San Fantino complex, you can only be left breathless. The facility offers reserved parking, many services (from a children’s play area to four beach volleyball courts, including one reserved for professional athletes) and constant supervision from lifeguards, who also watch over visitors to the rock to prevent accidents. The restaurant dining room, open year-round, is a feast for the eyes with its sea views in every season, and for its fish specialties, with the catch of the day on display and dishes by chef Massimiliano Genova. Among Il Fico’s must-tries, a place of honor goes to struncatura di mare, a type of homemade pasta traditionally dressed with an anchovy, while today it is accompanied by a sauce made with a specially studied mix of fish. There are also pizzas and – long live Calabria! – rotisserie products. A fine wine list, with a separate “triple A” selection, and excellent cocktails to enjoy at sunset admiring the Aeolian Islands complete the offer, not forgetting excellent ice cream and some of the finest single-portion desserts we’ve had the pleasure of tasting along the Italian coast. One of the highest quality-to-price ratios in Italy.