A mythical wonder
The fishing village
Everyone has heard of the fishing village of Scilla, but what would happen if they went to Scilla and not Chianalea? It would be a real tragedy just like it could have been for Ulysses had he not been clever enough to escape these two deadly sea monsters. Scylla and Charybdis would wreck any passing ship and eat sailors at first glance. Make sure you visit this little district. It is the highlight of Scilla.
“He saw tentacles arching over him, they were like the arms of an octopus”, from the famous quote of Ulysses. Read more about these sea monsters here.
Directions to the fishing village of Chianalea
This has got to be the most beautiful gem of Calabria. It is right next to Reggio Calabria. Perhaps not having read up on Scilla, where is Chianalea you are probably wondering?
It is not so easy to find. It is on the other side of Scilla. You have to follow the road which takes you through a covered walkway and after a few minutes, you will see many fishing boats moored.
Walk past the fishing boats and follow the road on to a very narrow street where you can admire the many floral embellished balconies from every direction with bright colourful flowers everywhere and smell the sea air as you are only a stone’s throw away from it.
Local restaurants in the fishing village
You can always get a glimpse of the sea as you pass the many fish restaurants serving the local delicacy sword fish. These restaurants are very characteristic as they are built on stilts and overlooking the sea. I always come here for my birthday treat.
I could never tire of this picturesque delight. The seafood is always fresh as it comes fresh off the fishing boats and delivered directly to the many fish restaurants in this area.
I definitely recommend lunch or dinner here. The views are breathtaking as well as the sunsets. It is known as the Viola coast (purple coast) because of the colour of its sunset. The sky lights up with different shades of purple. A real spectacle. Read about my weekend to Scilla here.
