The Corricella, named from the
Greek term "kora calè", which
means beautiful meeting point, is the most ancient
marine on Procida. Dating back to 1600, the small
porti is characterised by a particular architecture:
a jumble of houses stacked one on top of the other
on the rocky coast, most with external staircases,
arches and terraces, all which form the most suggestive
and famous view on the island.
A natural cradle still only inaccessible to vehicles,
the Coricella conserves all of its antique charm.
With its silences, its slow rhythms and the sun-burnt
faces of fishermen who mend and prepare the nets
for fishing, it is truly a unique spectacle of
life.
Positioned to enjoy maxium sunlight from morning
to evening, it is the sweetest and most seductive
marine. Truly a world apart, an appointment with
silence and poetry, a refuge of which everyone
dreams, loved by writers, poets and artists. Indeed,
it was here, in this picturesque village with
an open sky, that late Italian director and actor
Massimo Troisi chose to shoot his celebrated film
Il Postino (The Postman).
Pink, yellow, white, green and red are the colours
which dominate this fishing village, a veritable
sea amphitheatre surrounded by fishing nets placed
along the wharf.
The Corricella is accessibile only via sea or
by four staircases, all of which adds to its charm.
The Pennino staircase is the principle path to
reach the village: Mediterranean-style stairs
which suddenly split in two amid buildings with
high arches, all which makes the trip more memorable.
The staircase begins in front of the small church
of San Rocco or San Francesco at the bottom of
the descending road from Piazza dei Martiri.
From the two extremes of this tiny porti it is
also possible to re-ascend following two more
recently constructed staircases: the ‘new’
one near the Santuario di Santa Maria delle Grazie
and that known as Callia, taking its name from
the lookout point of the same name, a stupendous
terrace from which visitors can admire the island
of Capri and the promontory of Terra Murata. Far
more interesting and entertaining is the ‘scalinata
scura’ (dark staircase) which is positioned
half way along Via San Rocco. It is a semi-public
staircase covered by barrel-shaped vaults interrupted
by lamps and home entrances and doorways, all
of which make visitors feel like they are violating
private property. The Corricella is thus a timeless
place for which it is difficult to justly describe.
One needs to visit, observe and remain motionless
to watch this magical place where the music of
silence reigns…
