About Scalea
One of the most picturesque towns in Calabria, the town takes its name from its terrace-like layout on the steep hillside where the old town (Centro Storico) is situated high above the new town centre. It is a picture postcard setting, with the magnificent backdrop of the mountains and the incredibly blue ocean in front of it. Much of the old town has vanished over the years, but the remains of the ancient town wall and the tower are well preserved.
The walk up to the top of the old town is well worth the effort. The winding maze of narrow winding streets suddenly open onto small piazzas with incredible views. The new town is a well developed modern town, with all the amenities you require, including a wide selection of shops, restaurants, piazzas and parks. The sea front is well served with modern hotels and the beaches have well equipped bathing areas looking out onto a sea of incomparable beauty. The surrounding area has ancient olive groves, roadside fountains dispensing natural mineral water and endless rows of orange and lemon trees.
Scalea is also much more than a holiday town and has survived countless invasions, raids and maurauding armies. The old town has been inhabited from as long ago as the Paleolithic period and interesting pre historic finds have been made in a cavern near Torre Talao. The Aragonese and Spanish eras brought a wealth of culture and learning to Scalea and many of the ancient monuments and works of art can still be seen today. The Norman Castle, the Palazzo Palamolla and the Torre Cimalonga are all well worth a visit.
If your ideal holiday involves more than just sunny beaches and if you enjoy exploring untamed mountain ranges, you'll love Scalea and this part of Calabria. The Pollino Massif of the north merges south into the Catena Costiera mountains and these in turn drop to the Tyrrhenian Sea and east of Cosenza lie the beautiful Sila Mountains and forests. Scalea and the surrouding towns offer a huge variety of leisure activities including hiking, camping, mountain biking, white water rafting, swimming, scuba diving and more. It is also one of the few holiday destinations where you can ski in the morning and swim in the afternoon….about one and a half hours drive from Scalea are Calabria's main ski resorts located in the Sila Grande mountains near Cosenza.
There are three resorts, all with excellent facilities: Camigliatello Silano, Lorcia and CiricillaWater Rafting are very popular activities on the famous white waters of Fiume Lao.
The Canoeing and Rafting Office is located on Via Lauro in the centre of Scalea
For more information on Scalea and the surrounding area, please visit the Tourist Information Centre: Ufficio Turistico - Tourist Information Centre, Via Kennedy, Scalea Telephone: +39 0985 90679
To find out more information and videos of the local area go to Calabria Central
