Scilla is an ancient fishing village dominated by a great castle-crowned promontory.
The rocks surrounding the city have an air of mystery…..as written by Homer…who tells the passage of the ship of Ulysses between the monstrous Scilla and the voracious Charybdis. I do have to brush up on my Greek Mythology!
Here they have special boats for fishing swordfish, a common fish in the area. The boat has a mast which holds a man who sights the fish swimming on the surface. These boats are very fast, with the harpooner standing at the end of a footbridge from the bow of the boat.
The castle, belonging to the Ruffos (a family of Italian nobility), faces the sea and is listed among the most beautiful Norman castles in the entire region of Calabria.
We walked the streets and had lunch here…amazingly fresh seafood!
Driving on after lunch, we found, immersed in this amazing landscape and overlooking the Gulf of Sant’Euphemia, our next lodging…the Popilia Country Resort. It was a huge property with orchards, recreational amenities and walking paths. A very enjoyable stay for two nights!
