CALTAGIRONE , an hour's ride southeast from Piazza Armerina, is one of the least known of Sicily's inland towns, with a fine central body of monumental buildings that dates from the rebuilding after the 1693 earthquake. As the town is a noted centre of ceramics, the effect is lightened by tiled decoration found all over Caltagirone, most effectively as flowers and emblems flanking both sides of a bridge (the Ponte San Francesco) on the way into the centre. The grandest statement, though, is made by the 142 steps of La Scala , which cut right up one of Caltagirone's hills to a church at the top, the risers in between each step covered with a ceramic pattern, no two the same. Accommodation in the centre is rather limited, but La Scala 2 (tel 0933.51.552, fax 0933.57.781; L60,000-90,000/?30.99-46.48) has rooms to rent right in the main square at Piazza Umberto I, no. 1, and the comfortable hotel Monteverde (tel 0933.53.682, fax 0933.53.533; L90,000-120,000/?46.48-61.98), just south of the town at Via Industrie 11, also has a good restaurant . In town, the Scala , right by the bottom of the eponymous steps, is not cheap but it does some good dishes and the location is unbeatable, with a mountain stream splashing through (closed Wed).