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Praia a Mare: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Praia a Mare

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 Vincenzo Padula 1, Praia a Mare.

Praia a Mare, Dino Island and the Calabrian Tyrrhenian coast

Praia a Mare is on Calabria's Tyrrhenian coast, in its northernmost stretch, a few kilometres from Maratea in Basilicata. The town stretches across a small plain facing the sea and Dino Island, with mountains right behind it and, above the houses, the sanctuary of the Madonna della Grotta, set inside a cave in the rock.

In the second half of the twentieth century Praia became a holiday resort, and many blocks of flats and holiday villas went up. Today a large share of the houses are lived in only in summer, when the population multiplies. Praia-Ajeta-Tortora station, on the Tyrrhenian line, is also served by long-distance trains. If you plan to live here all year, check which services stay open in winter, starting with healthcare.

There were 6,379 residents at the end of 2023 according to Istat, the national statistics office, down 1.8% since 2011. The average age is 47.5 (the province stands at 46.1), households are small at 2.00 people, and foreign residents make up 3.9%. Declared incomes are slightly above the average for the province of Cosenza.

Calabria is among the most earthquake-prone regions of Italy. In the province of Cosenza 65 municipalities are in seismic zone 1 on the Civil Protection scale and 85 in zone 2; Praia is in zone 2, with an expected ground acceleration of about 0.167 g. For a flat in a holiday block, ask for the structural design and sign-off certificate and make sure everything is covered by proper permits: many homes on this coast went up quickly.

Between the streams running down from the mountains and the beach, landslide and flood hazard are assessed at the exact address. The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the cadastral maps, so the report reaches the land parcel.

Key points

  • Calabrian Tyrrhenian coast facing Dino Island, near Maratea.
  • Many holiday homes: check structure and permits.
  • Seismic zone 2, 65 municipalities in the province in zone 1.
  • Population down 1.8% since 2011.

Overview

Praia a Mare is a municipality in the province of Cosenza, in Calabria. At the end of 2023 it had 6,379 residents, ranked 27 of 150 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Praia a Mare is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (85 of 150) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.167 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Praia a Mare, 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 1.8%. The estimated average age is 48 years, in line with the province. 25% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 3.9% of the population. On average, a household has 2.0 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Praia a Mare declared an average taxable income of 18,840 euros, in line with the province (18,237 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Praia a Mare is in climate zone B, with 857 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 1 December to 31 March, for up to 8 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 5 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Praia a Mare has 9 schools and 2 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 4 grocery shops and supermarkets, 6 healthcare facilities, 11 sports facilities and 1 green area.

There are 0.9 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, more than the province average (0.6).

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 11.2% of the land in Praia a Mare, compared with 4.4% 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 Praia a Mare.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Praia a Mare: 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 Praia a Mare 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 42 inhabited census areas in Praia a Mare. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 63 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 3.9%
  • fair 77.7%
  • good 18.4%

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 078101. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.