The first audio guide of the city of Scalea

SCALEA

Located in the enchanting Riviera dei Cedri, a long stretch of coastline on the Calabrian Tyrrhenian sea, Scalea is one of the most ancient and fascinating cities in Calabria and heir to to the Greco-Lucan City of Laos and the Roman colony of Lavinium. In the sea caves of the islet on which Torre Talao was built, archeologists have found ancient stone artifacts...

TALAO TOWER

The Tower is the symbol of the city of Scalea and the rock on which Talao Tower stands was once a small island, completely cut off from the mainland. However due to significant movement of the sea floor and changing sea levels over the last century, the sea has retreated and the Tower is now part of the mainland...

HISTORIC CENTER

NORMAN CASTLE CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA D'EPISCOPIO CHURCH OF SAN NICOLA DEI GRECI ANTIQUARIUM / CIMALONGA TOWER MAGGIORE DE PALMA SQUARE PRINCESS PALACE CHURCH OF SAN NICOLA IN PLATEA GREGORIO CALOPRESE HOUSE

NORMAN CASTLE

At the highest point of the Historical Centre are the ruins of the perimeter walls and a tower of the ancient Norman castle. The castle was built by the Normans as a military fortress during the 11th century, and was erected on the remains of a Lombard fortress as a sign of dominion over the feudal lands. It was enlarged by Ruggiero d'Altavilla...

CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA D'EPISCOPIO

According to some historians, the Church was thought to have been built by the Basilian monks of the 8th century and dedicated to St Annunziata , but more recent studies indicate that it dates back to the Norman era. During the 12th century it was enlarged and entrusted to the Benedictine monks of the Abbey the Holy Trinity of Cava dei Tirreni...

CHURCH OF SAN NICOLA DEI GRECI

On the upper level of the historic town centre, not far from the Church of Santa Maria d' Episcopio, a small church was rediscovered in 1967. This beautiful little church houses precious Byzantine frescos. It was an integral part of the Monastery of San Nicola dei Syracusani,founded during the Byzantine period by monks...

ANTIQUARIUM / CIMALONGA TOWER

Located In the panoramic Piazza Cimalonga Square is a tower of the same name. The cylindrical Tower is built on level with three openings ,two embrasures and a loophole. The tower was built in the 15th century, the period of Aragonese domination and historians believe that the Tower housed armed guards and several large cannons...

MAGGIORE DE PALMA SQUARE

This is one of several iconic squares in the Historical Centre. The square can be reached from the nearby Piazza Spinelli or by climbing a series of steps from the Porta Della Marina. The Square is dedicated to the bravery of Major Francesco De Palma who valiantly fell during the Great War...

PRINCESS PALACE

This majestic buildings known as the Palazzo Dei Principi can be found in the lower area of the Historical Centre. The buildings are a testament to the medieval architecture of the 13th century and was built close to the city walls,probably as part of a defence tower at one of the access gates to the ancient town. Currently owned by the Municipality of Scalea...

CHURCH OF SAN NICOLA IN PLATEA

At the foot of the historic centre there is the imposing structure of the Church of San Nicola in Platea. Visitors to the church have to cross the ancient Porta Della Marina in Largo Saverio Ordine and then climb a series of stairs. The term in Platea derives from the Latin Platea meaning wide street or square...

GREGORIO CALOPRESE HOUSE

The house is set at the foot of the historic town centre and adjacent to the Porta Della Marina.It is here that Gregorio Calaprese lived and taught between 1711 and 1712. Famous as a Carthusian scholar, philosopher, doctor and mathematician, the external facade of the house carries a plaque bearing the words "Here the philosopher Gregorio Calaprese taught"...

MADONNA DEL LAURO'S SANCTUARY

The church of Santa Maria del Lauro is located in the heart of the town centre of Scalea and belongs to the parish of San Nicola di Platea. Built in the 18th century by the fishermen of Scalea and of Meta di Sorrento to fulfil a vow made to the Madonna during a violent storm,it was elevated to Sanctuary status on 7th September 1987 by Msgr.Augusto Lauro...

AJNELLA CLIFF

This cliff formation is located to the north of the town and takes its name from the symbolic Beach in Scalea. The stunning rock formations include angular outcrops of anthracite coloured rocks and natural grottos and caves that can only be admired from out at sea. Close to the shoreline is the Grutticella Rock with it's characteristic arch...

SCALICELLA (or JUDAS) TOWER

This once impressive tower stands on Petrosal Hill , north of the historic centre. Today the tower is just a ruin surrounded by modern houses, but it was once one of the watch towers of the castle and from its strategic position the long stretch of the Calabrian Tyrrhenian coast is clearly visible as far as the Gulf of Policastro. According to legend, the tower was so named...