Heading south along the coast, the proximity of Sicily becomes
the dominant feature. This stretch of the autostrada can claim
to be one of the most panoramic in Italy, burrowing high up
through mountains with the Straits of Messina glittering below.
Travelling by train or following the old coastal road, you pass
through SCILLA, with a fine sandy beach and lots of action in
the summer. Known as Scylla in classical times, this was the
legendary location of a six-headed cave monster, one of two
hazards to mariners mentioned in the Odyssey, the other being
the whirlpool Charybdis, corresponding to the modern Cariddi
located 6km away on the other side of the strait. Crowning a
hefty rock, a castle separates the main beach from the fishing
village of Chianalea to the north.