Santa Maria del Monte staircase

The Scala di Santa Maria del Monte links the old town of Caltagirone with the new district laid out above it in the 17th century; work began in 1606. The staircase is a good 130 m long and climbs 40 to 50 m in height; today it has 142 steps. Since 1954 the risers have been faced entirely with multicoloured ceramic tiles, whose motifs show styles from the 9th to the 19th century, running in order from bottom to top.

The climb usually takes 15 to 30 minutes, but with photo stops and a stroll through the ceramic workshops of the old town you should allow an hour or more. The "Scala Illuminata", traditionally held on 24–25 July and 14–15 August, is especially striking: several thousand little lamps light the steps, though the town is then very crowded. In May the staircase is decorated with flowers for the "Infiorata". If you are travelling by motorhome, it is best to park on the edge of town and walk.