An imposing fortress surmounting the headland commanding Scilla, this castle has at times been a lighthouse and a monastery. It houses a luntre, the original boat used for swordfishing, and on which the modern-day passarelle (a special swordfish-hunting boat equipped with a 30m-high metal tower) is based.
Castello Ruffo
Calabria
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Museo Regionale Interdisciplinare
8.62 MILES
Messina's redeveloped regional museum is one of Sicily's lesser-known highlights, with an extensive collection of fascinating art and archaeology. Its…
Museo Nazionale di Reggio Calabria
10.36 MILES
Over several floors in Southern Italy's finest museum you'll descend through millennia of local history, from Neolithic and Palaeolithic times through…
26.22 MILES
If you have a car, don't miss the scenic drive north along Strada Panoramica to see the gorgeous, rugged coastline of Capo Milazzo. At the end of the…
Museo Nazionale di Locri Epizephyrii
28.81 MILES
Situated 3km south of modern-day Locri, the Greek colony of Locri Epizephyrii was founded in 680 BC, later subsumed by Rome and finally abandoned…
Parco Nazionale dell'Aspromonte
12.51 MILES
Most Italians think of the Parco Nazionale dell’Aspromonte as a hiding place used by Calabrian kidnappers in the 1970s and ’80s. It’s still rumoured to…
26.26 MILES
There are spectacular views from this rocky cape, around 7km south of Tropea, with its beaches, ravines and limestone sea cliffs. Birdwatchers' spirits…
25.79 MILES
Originally the site of a Greek acropolis, then an Arab-Norman citadel, Milazzo's enormous castle was built by Frederick II in 1239, expanded by Charles V…
9.76 MILES
Piazza del Duomo is home to Messina's cathedral and its curious campanile (bell tower). Soaring 60m into the sky, the tower incorporates an astronomical…
Nearby Calabria attractions
1. Museo Regionale Interdisciplinare
8.62 MILES
Messina's redeveloped regional museum is one of Sicily's lesser-known highlights, with an extensive collection of fascinating art and archaeology. Its…
9.21 MILES
Guarding Messina's harbour is the soaring golden statue of the Madonna della Lettera. A good spot to admire it and the harbour is from the seafront…
9.4 MILES
Located where Via Garibaldi spills into Piazza dell'Unità d'Italia, the 16th-century Fontana del Nettuno (Neptune's Fountain) is one of Messina's great…
4. Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani
9.69 MILES
This 12th-century church is a fine example of Arab-Norman architecture.
9.72 MILES
Messina's one great sight is the Norman Duomo (or at least a faithful replica of it). One of Sicily's finest cathedrals, its treasures include an…
9.76 MILES
Piazza del Duomo is home to Messina's cathedral and its curious campanile (bell tower). Soaring 60m into the sky, the tower incorporates an astronomical…
9.77 MILES
The pale marble Fontana di Orione (1553) depicts a lounging Orion, the mythical founder of Messina. The fountain was constructed by Giovanni Angelo…
8. Museo Nazionale di Reggio Calabria
10.36 MILES
Over several floors in Southern Italy's finest museum you'll descend through millennia of local history, from Neolithic and Palaeolithic times through…