Scylla, from the sea to Aspromonte

Where is Scylla

Calabria is one of the most peculiar regions of the Mediterranean, impervious and narrow as it is between two seas. And then, whether it is Tyrrhenian or Ionian, one goes from the sea to the mountains in the space of a few kilometers, whether one means as the crow flies or goes up one of the inland roads first among Mediterranean scrub, then among olive groves and cultivated fields, and finally among woods that have nothing to envy to Alpine forests. In this regional picture, Scilla stands out, stretching its territory from the promontory facing the Strait up to 1795 meters above sea level, thus joining the ranks of the 37 municipalities of the Aspromonte National Park.

Why it's special: a unique landscape, but not only.

Hand in hand, from maritime activities, swordfish fishing in primis, and tourism, with the entertainment of Chianalea and the beach umbrellas of the Marina Grande, one goes up to the Piani d'Aspromonte, far from all clamor, with olive groves and vegetable crops, especially the large "pappaluni" beans, white or mottled, very delicate. All around, chestnut groves, which unexpected at this latitude is putting it mildly. Climbing further, one enters the belt of pastures, which ensure the table a variety of cheeses, including a canestrato pecorino with a dark rind and intense flavor. Finally, the fir and beech forests, which, with mushrooms, complete the review of the products of a unique territory in terms of altimetry, literally from the sea to the mountains. Mentioning only the traditional role of larks, thrushes, quail and woodcock in the local cuisine.

The road from Scilla up to Aspromonte, first climbs in scenic hairpin bends to reach Melia and then passes through Sant'Angelo continuing on a lively incline until it crosses the Aspromonte-Ionian provincial road at 1300 meters. The route is a winding up and down but generous with wild views that reveal the most surprising soul of Calabria. An obligatory stop in Gambarie, a resort town frequented both in summer for hiking and in winter when skiing on Mount Scirocco with the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Strait all the way to Mount Etna in the background.

Not to be missed: a visit to Aspromonte National Park.

As for nature, one of the symbols of the park is the Abetazzo, a monumental silver fir that stands out at 1593 meters above sea level within an evocative mixed forest: oaks, beeches, elms... all trees of considerable size, but little to do with this giant, 32 meters in height and almost five in circumference, with the additional peculiarity of a second branch that detaches from the trunk a few palms from the ground and rises in a candelabrum fashion, making the tree even more imposing. A true apparition, it stands at the apex of the path to be followed to reach it with glimpses through the woods over the Straits all the way to the Sicilian coast.