Scifo: Bay, maquis and Roman finds

Punta Scifo is a bay in the municipality of Crotone, just south of Capo Colonna. It lies within the Capo Rizzuto Marine Protected Area. Scifo thus combines a clearly defined coastal landscape with archaeological traces beneath the sea. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Scifo, you can consider whether the coast or the history of the Roman marble cargo will be the deciding factor in choosing your destination.

Coastal landscape and location

The Bay of Scifo is framed by Mediterranean maquis. At Punta Scifo, rocks in the sea and Mediterranean maquis shape the landscape; the vegetation extends to the beach with its fine ochre-colored sand. The bay, rocks and beach are distinct points of reference in the coastal landscape. If you are comparing beaches as a reason to travel, it is also worth considering the rocks in the water and the maquis that reaches down to the sand in Scifo. Beach conditions can change seasonally, so check conditions for your planned travel dates before your trip.

Roman traces in the bay

A merchant ship carrying a valuable cargo of marble from Asia Minor sank in the Bay of Scifo in the first half of the 3rd century AD. The Roman shipwreck Punta Scifo D lies about 160 meters southwest of the rocky headland of Capo Pellegrino, at an average depth of 6 meters. The headland at the capo provides a specific geographic reference for the wreck; its direction, distance and depth locate the site in the sea. The story of an ancient cargo and a precisely located find site offer two ways to explore the bay’s Roman past.

At a depth of 6 meters, 54 large, intact marble blocks are visible, belonging to the cargo of a ship carrying marble. Another marble group, Eros and Psyche, was found in the sea near Punta Scifo beach and belonged to the cargo of a Roman shipwreck in this area. The blocks and the marble group show different ways in which marble is connected to the maritime history of this place. The valuable cargo also originated in Asia Minor. For travelers interested in archaeology, Scifo thus links a specific coastal location with the history of Roman ships and their marble cargoes.

The tower at Capo Pellegrino

Another historical landmark is the tower at Capo Pellegrino. It was built there in the early years of the 17th century. Initially, it was called Torre di Capo Pellegrino; later, it became known as Torre di Scifo. The two names link the place names Capo Pellegrino and Scifo, while the tower’s construction dates to a much later period than the Roman ship and cargo remains. Capo Pellegrino is a recurring point of reference for locating these sites: the wreck Punta Scifo D lies southwest of its rocky headland, and the tower was built at the capo. This makes it possible to locate an underwater find and a historic tower using the same place name, while keeping their different time periods clear.

For the broader travel overview: Crotone.