Discover Scilla

Discover Scilla, the pearl of the Costa Viola, and the cliffs among which the monster that Homer sang of lived. It is a beautiful village, which is a must-see if you plan to visit the Calabria region.

Scilla has always been one of the places most covered by tourists and sea lovers. Why? Because of its excellent location, landscape and nature combine in a single great spectacle of colors and sensations. Experiencing the sea in this enchanted pocket offer the privileges of crystal clear water, rich biodiversity, and unforgettable sunsets through which you can see, beyond the Strait, the archipelago of the Aeolian Islands.

Scilla, history, and myth

Suddenly, the endless body of water separates the Calabrian and Sicilian coasts. Turning one’s gaze to the horizon, perhaps from the top of the imposing cliff that hosts the majestic Ruffo castle, it is possible to be overwhelmed by the landscape suggestive of very distant times and whose narration intertwines, inevitably, with history and myth. Namely, Ulysses and his men met the mythological monster Scilla, a legendary monster who lives on one side of a narrow water channel opposite her counterpart Charybdis; according to some myths, this beautiful nymph was turned into a beast.

Did you know?

According to Homer, the mermaids who lived here enchanted the sailors with their melodious voices, luring them to the rocky shore. And consequently, their ships drowned. Only the clever Odysseus managed to listen to them without any negative consequences after ordering his men to tie him to the mast of the boat. That’s why the beach of Scilla is called the Spiaggia delle sirene (the “beach of the mermaids”).

Things to Do in Scilla

Scilla is a small town, but there are many things to see. You can do it in summer by basking under the sun on one of its beaches, snorkeling, visiting the charming old town, or excursing to the fascinating surroundings.

However, let us concentrate on a few major attractions.

Chianalea di Scilla

It is the oldest settlement of Scilla, Chianalea. The houses of Chianalea descend to the Tyrrhenian Sea on a steep slope. The medieval streets resemble Venetian canals, so people call the village “The Little Venice.” Ultimately, a magical character earned it a place among Italy’s most beautiful little towns.

Castello Ruffo di Scilla

A plunge into history is assured by visiting the Ruffo Castle, positioned atop the cliff, which offers a panorama of unparalleled beauty. The fortress also hosts the Scilla Jazz Festival, an event of excellent artistic and cultural value.

Marina Grande beach or the beach of the sirens

The highlight of Scilla is the summer season, in which the Marina Grande beach welcomes many tourists in search of sun and uncontaminated sea. However, the pearl of the Costa Viola also owes its great attractions to its delicious food and wine tradition. Over there, you can eat a local specialty linked principally to swordfish.

Trips and excursions

One thing is sure. Like in the rest of Italy, this region has plenty of things to discover. You can rent a car (and discover its unique surroundings yourself) or pay for a guided tour. The last one is more expensive, but on the other hand, there is a guide who can explain everything. Consequently, it can make your trip more enjoyable.

Calabria is not that big, so driving is always an excellent choice. So before we pick up the lucky 3, we will give you a few ideas. If you’d like to learn more about car rentals, check our Travel resource page or our article about Tropea, another stunning village in the region.
So, Tropea is already on our list, followed by Regio di Calabria, Morano Calabro (one of the most stunning villages in the region), Taormina, etc.

So, Tropea is already on our list, followed by Regio di Calabria, Morano Calabro (one of the most stunning villages in the region), Taormina, etc.

Bova

Let’s pick the first one—the village of Bova. It’s not far from Scila, so you can easily organize a day trip by renting a car. So, why did we choose it? Bova is a unique old village on a hill 900 meters above the sea. Furthermore, it is also the center of the Italian-Greek-speaking population.

Consequently, beware of its fascinating and unique culture. It might be contagious. Namely, one can easily fall in love with it. And lastly, it is one of Italy’s ten most beautiful villages, undoubtedly worth a visit.

Eolian islands

On your summer vacation, nothing is more enchanting than swimming in the sea or going on a boat tour. More importantly, it is even better when you can combine both activities in one exciting boat tour.
If you are a fan, try visiting Lipari and Vulcano islands or even the most active volcano in Europe, Stromboli. The first one will enchant you with its unique whitewashed capital, and the second one with its wild, untamed nature. That must have been why the tiny island gave its name to all the Vulcans.
Many agencies will offer you such an excursion. Usually, they don’t have a website in English. But this is not a bad thing after all. Remember, the fewer languages they speak, the more authentic tours they offer. Our advice is not to book your tours online. Just visit the agency once you are there. There are plenty of them, and the prices are comparable.

Capo Vaticano

Thirdly, if you still don’t have enough of the beautiful sea, let’s do the boat ride to Capo Vaticano and Tropea. We will not concentrate on the latter since we wrote the guide about it but on the Capo Vaticano instead. Over there, you will find the most beautiful cliffs, which descend into the Caribbean blue sea. Indeed, it is a must-see when you visit Calabria.
If you are hungry for more, you can still dive into their culture and find some ethnic dancing groups performing “Tarantella Calabrese.”

The conclusion of the Discover Scilla article

So, what do you think? We loved it because Calabria is the region which indeed has everything under the sun. And finally, we will let you do the talking. Please, in the comments below, how do you like Italy and Calabria?