First in a series

Calabria

Today begins a log of locations from my novel-in-progress, The Falconer. The sequence is close to what the novel follows, but I can’t guarantee an exact match because … well, edits.

We first meet Otto of Brunswick as he’s about to invade the Regno. Otto is at Scilla, at the very tip of the toe of Italy. Across the narrow straits (also the location of Scylla and Charybdis) lies the island kingdom of Sicilia. Otto goes hunting in the rough mountains nearby, then feasts in the castle.

Scilla (yup) comes very close to what I picture, but without the church. It’s a resort town, but then every town on the Italian coast is a resort town! This photo shows both the castle on the promontory and the steep mountains behind.

On a clear day, the island of Stromboli can be seen from the castle. Sicily would be south, to the left, from this view.

Next up, the Baths of Caracalla