HISTORY: Scilla is, above all, the place where the mythological monster Scylla lived. According to the Greek mythology, Scylla was a sea nymph who, out of jealousy, was transformed by Circe into a monster with six dogs heads in place of her legs, and long snake tails. The monster, who lived on one side of the Strait of Messina, opposite her counterpart Charybdis, was met by Odysseus on his travel, hence the expression "between Scylla and Charybdis", which means to be forced to choose between two similarly dangerous situations.
In the 5th century BC, Reggio Calabria reached a considerable importance, and the tyrant of Reggio, Anaxilas, defeated the Tyrrhenian pirates who threatened the city. The pirates settled on the rocky shore of Scilla and, over time, they have turned into farmers and fishermen.
GEOGRAPHY: Scilla is, today, a town of almost 5000 people in the Province of Reggio Calabria, in the Calabria Region, about 22 kilometers from Reggio Calabria, about 70 kilometers from Tropea and about 140 kilometers from Catanzaro.
TRANSPORT: The closest airport is Reggio di Calabria Tito Minniti Airport, also know as Aeroporto dello Stretto (Airport of the Strait), but you can also fly to Lamezia Terme Sant’Eufemia International Airport, located at about 110 kilometers north.
You can get to Scilla by train, coming from Lamezia Terme, in about an hour and a half, and from Reggio Calabria, from the south, in about half an hour. The cheapest train ticket from Reggio Calabria Centrale, the main train station in Reggio, is 2.4€, while the cheapest ticket from Lamezia Terme Centrale, the train station located about 2 kilometers from the Lamezia Terme Airport, is 7.4€.
By car, you can reach Scilla from Reggio Calabria in about 25 minutes, following Autostrada del Mediterraneo (Mediterranean Highway) and then the E45 road, or from Lamezia Terme, in about 1 hour, on the same E45 European route.
LANDMARKS: Scilla is mainly known for its coastal district of Chianalea, a charming and picturesque place with narrow streets and old buildings, for its magnificent Ruffo Castle, an ancient fortification built on the promontory of Scilla, and for its beautiful beach Spiaggia delle Sirene.
MORE INFO: Official Website | Lamezia Airport | Train Schedule | Hotels in Scilla
