{{Infobox Italian comune | name = Praia a Mare | official_name = Comune di Praia a Mare | image_skyline = | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_shield = Praia_a_Mare-Stemma.png | shield_alt = | image_map = | map_alt = | map_caption = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | coordinates = {{coord|39|55|N|15|46|E|region:IT_type:city(6277)|display=inline}} | coordinates_footnotes = | region = [[Calabria]] | province = [[province of Cosenza|Cosenza]] (CS) | frazioni = Fiuzzi, Foresta, Laccata | mayor_party = | mayor = Antonino de Lorenzo | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 23.59 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 6805 | population_as_of = 31 May 2010<ref>Data from [[National Institute of Statistics (Italy)|Istat]]</ref> | pop_density_footnotes = | population_demonym = Praiesi | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 5 | twin1 = | twin1_country = | saint = [[Virgin Mary|Madonna of the Grotto]] | day = 15 August | postal_code = 87028 | area_code = 0985 | website = {{official website|http://www.comune.praia-a-mare.cs.it/}} | footnotes = }} '''Praia a Mare''' ({{IPA|it|ˈpraːja a mˈmaːre|lang}}) is a town and ''[[comune]]'' of the [[province of Cosenza]] in the [[Calabria]] region of [[Italy]]. It is a beach resort on the [[Tyrrhenian Sea]].

==Geography== The 2&nbsp;km long beach is the main attraction for tourists. It is sandy at its northern end but increasingly pebbly moving southwards. During the summer months, the beach is divided into about 50 lidos, although intermittently there are unprotected slivers of beach open to the public at no cost.

At the southern end of the town, about 100&nbsp;m from shore sits a rock outcrop called Dino Island which features a number of large sea caves, accessible by small craft and paddle boats. At the most southerly extremity of the beach, a medieval tower, built by [[Byzantine]] forces to guard the coast, sits on an outcropping of volcanic rock with a commanding view of the sea approaches to Praia a Mare. [[File:Praia a Mare - Spiaggia.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2|The beach in winter, with Dino Island in the background]] {{clr|left}} About 50 meters up the slopes of a mountain that rises precipitously above the town is another large cave complex, also carved by wave action several million years ago, inside of which is a completely built church of [[Madonna della Grotta]], and an open air [[sanctuary]]. Both the church and sanctuary are both in use today. Other sights include the ''[[Rocca (architecture)|Rocca]]'' (14th century), built by the [[Italo-Normans|Normans]], and the 16th century ''Fortino'' ("Small Fort"). [[File:Praia a Mare - Chiesa di Santa Maria della Grotta - 13.jpg|thumb|left|The cave church of [[Madonna della Grotta]]]] Near the sanctuary is the site of an archaeological excavations: findings include bones of a prehistoric shark.

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Province of Cosenza}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Praia A Mare}} [[Category:Cities and towns in Calabria]]

{{Calabria-geo-stub}}