Is Agropoli worth visiting? This town in Campania has a long coast (lungomare), 20k inhabitants, and hundreds of thousands of tourists,  in the summer. 

The Neapolitan Atmosphere of Agropoli, Italy

Hungry for sandy beaches, Napolitans find Agropoli worth visiting whenever they can. With neighbors like these, Agropoli feels very Neapolitan.Its residents speak Napoletano, yet they don’t want to be compared to their compatriots from Napoli.

Agropoli is much smaller, so you might think that it’s quieter. It is—in the borgo, but take a walk around the city, and you’ll see chaotic and loud inhabitants, people almost bumping into you, kids without helmets riding scooters, youngsters driving their disco cars, pizzerias, and so on.

If I were to visit places like Agropoli for the first time, I would find these authentic southern Italy vibes astonishing. But I’ve been living in Puglia for a while, so after a few hours, Agropoli bored me, even though there are some beautiful spots to enjoy.

Lungomare San Marco: Walking the Agropoli Seaside

The seaside promenade (Lungomare San Marco), dotted with cafes, bars, and restaurants, is cool for strolling, jogging, drinking coffee, people-gazing, and so on.
If the weather is nice, you’ll also see the islands. Ah, and of course, an amazing sunset.

Is Agropoli worth visiting? Exploring The Castle and Medieval Borgo

Through the stairs from Agropoli old town (centro storico), we climbed to a medieval borgo. It’s small and looks like many other similar medieval villages in Italy, but right next to the entrance gate there is a nice bar with a sea view. We had an aperitivo there.

Agropoli also has an impressive castle from the outside (Castello Angioino Aragonese Agropoli).

I’ve been to many castles in Italy, and 99% of those I’ve visited are just walls with no exhibits inside. We decided not to look at another set of walls and skipped it, saving 3 euros for ice cream.

What else did we do in Agropoli? Not much—walked up and down and saw a beautiful sunset.

Is Agropoli worth visiting? My honest opinion

There are also several museums, parks, and, of course, beaches around Agropoli, so I’m guessing it might be an OK place for holidays. Would I spend my summer holidays there? No, not really. I’m living in a coastal town, and Agropoli didn’t blow me away. For me, a Napoli-like town is good for a short visit, e.g. a weekend, then becomes tiring and annoying. But that’s me. You might have an absolutely different opinion.

If this post made you laugh, annoyed you, or just reminded you of your own trip, tell me in the comments or drop me an email. I actually want to hear about your experiences—the good and the frustrating.

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