Scylla: myth and landscape at the entrance to the Strait of Messina
Scilla is a municipality in the metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria, located on a promontory at the northern entrance to the Strait of Messina. The ancient name of the strait recalled Scylla and the shape of the landscape has fueled tales of navigation and myth for centuries.
History and identity
Scylla's origins are confused between history, legend and poetic images. In Greek mythology Scylla was a nymph transformed by Circe into a sea monster; the story appears in the Odyssey and Ovid's Metamorphoses. The sources also recall the tradition of the inhabitants as expert navigators and connoisseurs of the routes.
What to see
The Scillèo Promontory, jutting out at the northern entrance to the strait, is the geographic key to the visit. The shape of the rock, described by Strabo as similar to an island, and the tradition of local navigators connect the real landscape to the myth of Scylla and Charybdis.
Understand the place
Check sea conditions, wind and access to coastal routes before your visit. The promontory creates differences in level and exposed passages: it controls roads, parking and connections between the different levels of the town.
Where to stay
A hotel near the coastal nucleus facilitates the relationship with the strait and the promontory; higher accommodation may change access and walking times. Compare elevation differences, parking, local transportation and seasonal conditions before booking.
Prepare the visit
Times, access conditions and transportation may change. Before the trip, check the official pages linked from the source, protect the heritage and leave the entrances to the homes free. Source in local language.