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Parghelia: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Vibo Valentia, Calabria. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Parghelia

The report looks at the exact point: landslide and flood risk, seismic zone, price per square metre for the area, services and nearby stops.

For example: Via Michele Bianchi 1, Parghelia.

Parghelia, the Coast of the Gods just north of Tropea

Parghelia lies on the Costa degli Dei (Coast of the Gods), the Tyrrhenian stretch of the province of Vibo Valentia, just north of Tropea. The village sits on a terrace a short way from the sea, with beaches and coves below reached by roads and steps. Tropea is a few minutes away for everyday services; Vibo Valentia, the provincial capital, is further.

Summer tourism drives the market: detached houses, flats in residential complexes, holiday homes. If you are buying to let in summer, find out about the rules on short-term rentals; if you plan to live here all year, bear in mind that many businesses close out of season. Near the sea, damp and salt mean regular upkeep of facades and systems. The climate is mild (climate zone C).

All 50 municipalities in the province of Vibo Valentia are in seismic zone 1, the highest in the Civil Protection classification, and the expected ground acceleration in Parghelia is 0.226 g. Southern Calabria has a long history of strong earthquakes: for any property, ask for the year of the design, the standards applied and the structural sign-off (collaudo), and for holiday homes also check planning compliance and the certificate of habitability.

There were 1,287 residents in 2023, almost the same as in 2011 (down 1.2%). The average age is 47.2, against 45.5 in the province; over-65s are 26.0% and foreign residents 4.8%. Declared incomes are in line with the provincial average.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps are published: the report traces the land parcel from the address and checks the official landslide and flood maps, which matter most for houses on the slopes facing the sea.

Key points

  • Costa degli Dei, just north of Tropea.
  • Market driven by summer tourism and holiday homes.
  • Seismic zone 1 across the province, acceleration 0.226 g.
  • Population nearly stable since 2011, over-65s at 26.0%.

Overview

Parghelia is a municipality in the province of Vibo Valentia, in Calabria. At the end of 2023 it had 1,287 residents, ranked 35 of 50 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Parghelia is in seismic zone 1, the highest-risk zone, where very strong earthquakes are possible. All 50 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.226 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Parghelia, the building matters a great deal: ask for the design year, whether it met the 2008 seismic standards, and whether any seismic retrofit has been carried out.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 1.2%. The estimated average age is 47 years, higher than the province average (46). 26% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 4.8% of the population. On average, a household has 2.0 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Parghelia declared an average taxable income of 17,897 euros, in line with the province (17,878 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Parghelia is in climate zone C, with 952 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 15 November to 31 March, for up to 10 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 80 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Parghelia has 2 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 grocery shop, 1 sports facility and 2 parks and green areas.

The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.4 per 1,000 residents.

Public transport

We do not yet have open public transport timetables for this municipality: the report says so explicitly, without inventing distances.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 12.3% of the land in Parghelia, compared with 5.9% in the province and 5.1% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list no contaminated sites in Parghelia.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Parghelia: the report checks the address against the ISPRA maps.

House prices

The Revenue Agency's price ranges per square metre (OMI) apply to zones, not to whole municipalities: the report gives the range for the address's zone.

Land registry

The cadastral maps for Parghelia are public: from the address the report finds the sheet and parcel number.

Liveability area by area

The Vicinalia liveability index runs from 0 to 100 and looks at the place, not the people who live there: services within walking distance, transport, green space, natural hazards, air, quiet, buildings and connection. Here it is worked out at the centre of each of the 21 inhabited census areas in Parghelia. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 60 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 3.8%
  • fair 96.2%

Vicinalia index by census area, licence CC BY-SA 4.0. Data: IdroGEO ISPRA (2026), Istat, INGV, EEA, AGCOM, Overture Maps and OpenStreetMap.

The colour is the value at the centre of the area. For an exact address, search for it above: the free check looks at that exact point. How the index is worked out

Data sources

ISTAT code 102026. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.