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A chance discovery: the caves along the cliff
A hike along the cliff rising at the end of Marina Grande beach, towards Capo Pacì, marks the beginning of an incredible adventure. It is 25 October 2022 when Giovanni Luca Bellantoni, FIE hiking guide from Scilla engaged in an on-foot exploration of the cliff, discovers an unknown cavity. “Fascinated by such wonder, I searched for historical or photographic documentation,” Giovanni recounts. But he finds nothing. So he sets to work methodically: surveys, measurements, photos, GPS coordinates. Soon he identifies six medium-sized cavities and three smaller ones, which he names after the Sirens Ligea, Leucosia and Parthenope.
The names of the caves: between myth and history
Giving a name means recognising an identity, assigning value. For his caves, Giovanni draws on Myth, connecting it to the historical, mythological and landscape context. There is the Cave of Glaucus, the immortal fisherman in love with Scilla, and the Cave of Circe, the sorceress jealous of that love and seeking revenge. There are the Caves of Polyphemus and Ulysses, recalling the epic adventures sung by Homer. There is the Cave of Saint Jerome, who, on his journey to the Middle East, stopped in Scilla and received valuable advice on how to continue his route. And finally, there is the Cave of Morgana, the closest to the Strait, where the “Fata Morgana” phenomenon appears.
Speleological adventures: how to reach the caves
Giovanni explains that reaching the caves is truly adventurous. The Cave of Morgana is largely submerged and therefore almost invisible. One must dive, swim underwater and finally resurface inside the cavern, where a soft ray of light filters through the water. To reach the Cave of Circe, you enter a vertical crack in the rock, then find a vertical shaft leading to a tunnel; the tunnel slopes down towards the sea and opens into the cave, where a Y-shaped fissure offers a glimpse of Ruffo Castle. We, instead, approach safely with the guides of the Magna Graecia Association.
History set in stone
The Cave of Morgana, besides being highly evocative, also tells part of the geological past of the area thanks to certain faults belonging to the Scilla fault system. More broadly, the study of the caves is still ongoing and involves the Magna Graecia Association, ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Research and Protection) and the Regional Cave Register of Calabria… who knows what secrets will be revealed!
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The Map thanks:
Scilla, dove peschiamo sorrisi – Comune di Scilla – PNRR Ministero della Cultura M1C3, Mis. 2, Inv. 2.1 “Attrattività dei borghi storici” – Finanziato dall’Unione europea, NextGenerationEU – CUP: F79I22000150006 – CIG B8DCA761AB
Enter the Map of Italy's Undiscovered Wonders and find treasures where you least expect it... Inspire, Recommend, Share...
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