ARCHITECTURE + AIRBORNE European Travels: SCILLA, ITALIA [CALABRIA]

August 28-31, 2015
Scilla is an amazing fishing village located south of Tropea in the Reggio Calabria province. It is most known as being the home of Scylla, a sea monster from Greek mythology who, along with Charybdis, guarded the narrow Strait of Messina.

Scilla has an amazing beachfront; however, that is not what we went to see. Our main focus was to check out the area known as Chianalea [below], the district that is least visited by tourists but, in my opinion, is the biggest must-see in the village. This is the area where the local fishermen live. During our short time there we were able to watch many men and women fish from the rocky coast, and it is common to see locals swimming with nets and cleaning their catches. We also watched some people enjoy their Friday by lounging in the crystal clear water on tubes. The coast is also a social area for the locals, where they sit in their chairs and look out over the sea. The streets are narrow and lined with traditional houses and colorful wooden boats. There are lots of restaurants, cafes and bars as well as a few bed and breakfasts. The area is simple but beautiful.

It is also worth noting that Chianalea is listed as one of the 'Borghi più belli d'Italia' which means 'most beautiful villages in Italy'.

One of the most beautiful places!

Homes where people fish from the rocks

The landscape is amazing! And a good workout.

Flowers everywhere

The castle in the distance

Traditional boat

Narrow streets

Another popular attraction is the Ruffo Castle. It is built high on a cliff, not unlike the monastery in Tropea, and looks over the sea. It was originally built for military purposes but was later converted into a residence by Paolo Ruffo, the count. Ruffo took over Scilla in 1532 and lived in the castle for several years. One can see the Aeolian Islands from atop the cliff.

Ruffo Castle

While there, it is important to try some seafood. Scilla is proud of its fishing heritage and specializes in swordfish [pesce spada]. I tried some of the local specialty at Ristorante Il Casato and loved it! We had an amazing table over the sea with views of the castle and the coastline.