Scilla between Fortress, Coast and Maritime Tradition

Scilla combines a striking fortress with churches, religious traditions, nature trails and maritime culture. If you are looking for a place where you can explore architecture and history alongside the coast, diving and regional cuisine, Scilla offers a range of ways to do so.

Fortress and Churches as Defining Landmarks

Castello Ruffo, also known as Castello Ruffo di Calabria, is an ancient fortress on the promontory of Scilla facing the sea area of the Strait of Messina. Its irregular fortress layout is defined by defensive walls, towers and loopholes. From Chianalea, you can walk up to the rock on which Castello Ruffo was built via alleyways and green paths. This allows you to combine the historic site with a route through the local built environment and landscape.

The religious buildings also reveal different facets of Scilla. The Chiesa dello Spirito Santo is located in the Marina Grande district and is considered one of the outstanding examples of religious architecture in the Reggio Calabria area. The Confraternity of the Holy Spirit dedicated to it was founded in the church's premises in 1778. In the Chiesa Matrice, the pronaos, namely the colonnaded area at the front, preserves a marble colonnade with six Ionic columns. It also houses a marble sculpture of the Apostle Peter attributed to the school of Bernini.

Pilgrimage and Local Traditions

The Church of San Rocco in Scilla is the destination of ongoing pilgrimages and is kept open year-round by volunteers. On Sunday evening, the statue of San Roccheddu is returned to the main church, while fireworks illuminate the Strait of Messina.

In Chianalea, traditional swordfish fishing is still carried out using Passerelle boats. This goes hand in hand with the district's maritime gastronomic character: Chianalea's cuisine maintains a maritime culinary tradition passed down over centuries. For your travel planning, this means a clear thematic connection between fishing, coastal culture and regional cuisine, without reducing these aspects to a single experience.

Nature Trails, Caves and Sea

Nature trails leading to the Grotte di Tremusa begin in Scilla, Favazzina and Melia. Fossil shells are still visible in the ceilings of the Grotte di Tremusa. From there, views extend over the Strait of Messina and the Costa Viola. If you would like to combine nature experiences with geological features and landscape views, this provides a distinct focus alongside the churches and fortress.

Punta Pacì has clear water and deep, species-rich seabeds with diverse flora and fauna, making it suitable for diving. Marina Grande is free to access and is also accessible to people with disabilities. The Scilla railway station of Ferrovie dello Stato is also located in the district. Marina Grande therefore brings together a beach and sea area, an aspect of accessibility and a specific arrival point.

Discover Scilla According to Your Interests

You can therefore explore Scilla from a cultural, spiritual or landscape perspective. Castello Ruffo and the Chiesa Matrice provide architectural highlights, the Chiesa dello Spirito Santo and San Rocco point to religious continuities, while the Grotte di Tremusa and Punta Pacì place nature and the sea at the centre. The places you choose to combine will therefore depend above all on whether you want to focus your visit on architecture, pilgrimage, nature trails, underwater worlds or local culinary traditions.

More Destinations for Planning Your Trip to Italy

Camini, Bruzzano Zeffirio, Cosoleto, Ardore Marina, Gallico, Oliveto, Portigliola, Bova Marina

To the overview of higher-level travel destinations: Reggio Calabria.