If you’ve read many of my posts on The Unexplorer, you know I prefer the off-the-beaten-path towns over the major metropolises. Well, you don’t get much further off the path than Scilla. It’s located at the very tip of the Italian boot, and a stone’s throw away from Sicily.
None of my Italian friends had visited it, despite it being a lovely beachside town.
Scilla è Bella, Day and Night
First, a little history. If you’ve read The Oddyssey (or even the Cliff’s Notes) you might remember Scylla and Charybdis, the sea monster and deadly whirlpool that sent many a sailor to his death. Well, this is where the sea monster (Scilla, in Italian) allegedly lived! I love a good myth!
The houses in Chinalea, the old fisherman’s village, are gorgeous. The pedestrian-only alleys wind around, and some of the houses (many turned to picturesque restaurants) sit directly on the sea.
And oh, the sunsets! Pictures don’t do them justice. Every one took my breath away. I wonder if the locals stop to admire each one, or if it’s old hat to them by now!
And once the sun has set, the tower, which overlooks the sea, becomes its own lovely landmark.
About Those Stairs…
I mentioned stairs, and stairs you shall have in Scilla! I counted at least 300 from the beach all the way up to the center of town. There are also stairs down to (and up from!) Chinalea. Stairs, stairs, stairs! That’s what you get in a cliffside beach town. At least my legs are firmed up now!
Speaking of the beach, it’s gorgeous. The water is clear and calm, and I could float in it all day long.
All in all, I recommend a few days in Scilla. It’s less touristy than Tropea (especially right now), cheap, and lovely.