Our Fiat was leading us up and down the mountains on curvy and narrow streets, on the old national road towards Scilla. This small pittoresque town is located on the Straits of Messina, just before Reggio Calabria, the toe tip of the Italian boot. 
After Nicotera, above Palmi, on Monte Sant'Elia we made our first breath taking pitstop. From 600 meters above sea level you have 180 degree sea view with the Calabrian coast line underneath and Sicilly in the South. You can't tell where the sea ends and the sky starts. It feels like flying.A few kilometers further South we finally reached Scilla.
To find a parking spot at an Italian sea side village in the middle of August is like winning the lottery. Especially because our Italian family has grown to a party of nine in two Fiats.
Having lost and found sight of half of the group and having solved the different priorities, like visiting the old town, having lunch or finding a beach, we visited the town by strolling down one small aley at the Marina to finally jump into the refreshing sea at a small beach near a small church.
It happened that we met a local gentile signore who not only gave us the same hint for the restaurant we got from another amico, but he also gave my son a collection of shells.
The recommended restaurant 'Glauco' was only 50 meters from our little beach and made us all happy. When we climed up the stairs to the restaurant, I was overwhelmed by the terrace 'sul mare' and its beautiful view of Scilla on the left and the coast on the right.
I immediately had to think of the movie 'The big Blue' where Enzo (Jean Reno) had to eat Mama's pasta on a similar terrace.
To top my impression, Dino, the owner of the restaurant, gave my son a few more shells.
I ordered spaghetti Glauco - they come with a sun dried tomato sauce and pine seeds - and had some white wine and was happy for the rest of the day. (photo left: linguine cozze e vongole)(Maybe I should also mention, that the restaurant was all ours, as it was around 2.30 pm when we arrived from the beach.)
Back home, I realized that I had lost something to Scilla...
The red pants of my son, he jumped in the sea with, that are still drying on a fisherboat.
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RISTORANTE GLAUCO
via Annunziata 95, Chianalea
89058 Scilla (Reggio Calabria)
Tel./Fax +390965 754026
open from February to end of November
Antipasto Misto Mare 8,00 Euro
Spaghetti alla Glauco 12,00 Euro
Linguine Cozze e Vongole 12,00
