Fodor's Expert Review Scala Santa Maria del Monte
While you can see examples of Caltagirone's long ceramic tradition throughout the city, the most impressive display can be found in the 142 individually decorated tiled steps of this monumental staircase leading up to the neglected Santa Maria del Monte church. On July 25 (the feast of San Giacomo, the city's patron saint) and again on August 15th (the feast of the Assumption), the stairs form a tapestry design with illuminated candles. Months of work go into preparing the 4,000 coppi, or cylinders of colored paper, that hold oil lamps—then, at 9:30 pm on the nights of July 24, July 25, August 14, and August 15, a squad of hundreds of youngsters (tourists are welcome to participate) spring into action to light the lamps, so that the staircase flares up all at once.
