STAY > Il Casato, Scilla Italy (15/20)

Il Casato Deluxe Rooms is a polished little waterfront hideaway in Chianalea di Scilla, pairing modern, simple rooms with a spectacular over‑water restaurant that makes the most of the Costa Viola light. 

AMBIENCE >

Chianalea is the most evocative corner of Scilla, a tight weave of alleys, stone houses and fishing boats nosing up to doorsteps, often called the “little Venice of the south”. Il Casato occupies an elegantly restored mansion that steps down to the water, its restaurant deck essentially hovering over the Tyrrhenian Sea with uninterrupted views to the Ruffo Castle and the Strait of Messina.

Upstairs, just eight rooms reinforce the feeling of a private guesthouse rather than a conventional hotel. The design by local talent Fabio Aloi is restrained and contemporary: neutral tones, total-white furniture, exposed timber ceilings and carefully considered LED lighting that warms the spaces once the violet hues of the Costa Viola fade for the night.

SLEEP >

The “Deluxe Rooms” moniker is not just marketing. Beds are topped with new memory foam mattresses, dressed in high‑quality linens and anchored by proper blackout and soundproof windows, ensuring calm despite the waterfront address. Bathrooms are compact but efficient, with rainfall showers, Pascal Morabito amenities and plush towels adding a quietly luxurious note.

Most rooms look directly to the sea, some with small balconies that sit almost at eye level with the fishing boats, turning sunrise and late‑afternoon into private theatre. Details such as air conditioning, heating, minibars, safes, complimentary slippers and laptop‑friendly desks make longer stays practical, whether you are here to work, stage a Calabrian wedding or simply drift for a few days between swims and swordfish lunches.

EAT >

Downstairs, Il Casato Sea View Restaurant is the social heart of the property: a timber and glass platform suspended over the water, open for lunch and dinner and reserved for house guests at breakfast. Mornings bring a generous sit‑down spread by Italian standards – eggs cooked to order, pastries, fruit and local products – served with unhurried, highly personalised service; regulars speak of bespoke vegan plates and off‑menu touches.

By night, the restaurant leans confidently into Scilla’s maritime pantry. Expect ultra‑fresh fish and shellfish, daily catches of swordfish and tuna landed metres away, and pastas that foreground the sea rather than overwhelm it. It has the feel of a hidden gem – many guests end up cancelling external reservations to eat here twice – and yet the mood remains relaxed, driven by a local clientele as much as travellers.

DRINK >

The drinks offer is compact but thoughtful. A small cellar tilts towards Calabrian and southern Italian labels that make sense with the kitchen’s seafood focus: crisp whites from the Tyrrhenian side, minerally rosatos and a handful of structured reds for those inevitable orders of grilled fish or richer primi. Aperitivo hour is best taken on the deck, where a glass of local wine or a classic spritz arrives with simple snacks and the soundtrack of hulls knocking gently against the quay.

There is no destination cocktail bar, but the team is happy to mix uncomplicated classics, and the setting does most of the heavy lifting. For something more low‑key, a nightcap on your balcony with a bottle sourced from a nearby enoteca is arguably the most honest way to engage with Scilla’s night air.

WORKOUT >

There is no gym or spa at Il Casato, and that feels entirely intentional. The location instead invites you to move in more elemental ways: morning swims off the Spiaggia di Scilla, reached on foot in a few minutes; slow climbs up to Castello Ruffo for views over the Strait; and unscripted walks along the Costa Viola as the light shifts from silver to deep purple.

For runners and walkers, the compact scale of the village encourages multiple laps between the marina, the beach and Chianalea’s laneways. Those intent on something more structured can improvise stair workouts on the steep stone passages that lace the old town; the reward is always another new vignette of sea, rock and fishing boat.

PLAY >

Scilla is a destination where myth, sea and everyday life overlap. Il Casato puts you in the centre of it: you are steps from Lido Chianalea and the main spiaggia, close to swordfish‑spotting boats and within easy reach of waterfront bars, gelaterie and casual trattorie. Day trips might swing south to Reggio Calabria for its museums and lungomare, or across the Strait to Messina and onwards into Sicily.

Back in Chianalea, the entertainment is as simple as watching the changing light on the Costa Viola from the restaurant deck or your room. On summer nights, the village hums with low‑key energy: locals dining late over fish and vino bianco, kids darting between tables, the castle lit like a film set above it all.

CONCLUSION >

Scilla is one of the most beautiful towns in Italy, it is also one of the lesser known. The views, the pretty town and the beach all add up to an ideal location for a relaxing short stay. Il Casato Deluxe Rooms is one of those rare addresses that feel both finely edited and deeply rooted, a contemporary eight‑room guesthouse that still smells faintly of salt, history and boat sheds. Come for the design‑driven rooms and spellbinding sea views, stay for the quietly excellent restaurant and the chance to live, briefly, inside Scilla’s mythology rather than just looking at it from the beach.

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Image Credit | ALMANAK & IL CASATO

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