Syracuse

Distance from Syracuse Km. 50 | h. 01:00 | SS + SP

Pantalica

The Pantalica Nature Reserve covers an area of 3,700 hectares and, in addition to its role as a nature reserve, it is an area of significant archeological importance due to the presence of one of the largest stone necropoli in Europe. Pantalica is located near Syracuse and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. The site is located on a plateau surrounded by canyons which were formed over time by the Anapo and Calcinara rivers. In the first half of the 13th Century B.C., all of the coastal settlements suddenly disappeared with the arrival of the Siculi people and other peoples from the mainland of Italy. The indigenous population abandoned the coast and sought refuge in inaccessible and inhospitable mountain regions, chosen for their defensive characteristics, and re-grouped in large settlements. King Hyblon allowed the Megaresi people, lead by Lamis, to live in a strip of his territory and found the city of Megara Hyblaea in 728 B.C.. However, the subsequent founding and expansion of the city of Syracuse lead to the downfall of the kingdom and the continued expansion of the kingdom of Syracuse into the hinterland with the founding of Akrai in 664 B.C.. From this period traces of the so-called "Palazzo del Principe" or Anaktoron remain visible today as do the vast necropoli of over 5,000 tombs carved out of the rock face and traces of the stone oratories of Crocifisso, San Nicolicchio and San Micidiario. Various paths run through the reserve. The Anapo valley can be accessed via two inter-connected trails, one from the direction of Sortino and one from the direction of Ferla. The trails run for more than 10 kilometres along traces of the abandoned railway line that ran from Syracuse to Vizzini. The plateau can be visited from the so-called Sella di Filiporto which is accessible from the town of Ferla or, on the other side, from Sortino where you will pass over the Grotta dei Pipistrelli. The area is well maintained and accessible by bicycle, on horseback or on foot, however, there are few signs and limited information available so we recommend that you take a map and a guide book with you.

Distance from Syracuse Km. 40 | h. 00:00 | SS + SP

Palazzolo Acreide

… It is towards Palazzolo Acreide that you should rather direct your steps as you will not only appreciate its eighteenth century appearance, but you will also be seduced by the ruins dating to the Greek period. (Gesualdo Bufalino)  Palazzolo Acreide is one of the baroque villages belonging to the “Iblean Mountain Valley” that figure in the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List. Located within the province of Siracusa, Palazzolo Acreide is an important historic and cultural site, functioning as a significant historic-cultural reference site in eastern Sicily. Of great importance are its baroque and art nouveau Palazzi, its numerous baroque churches, its Greek theatre, and the delicious flavours of genuine Iblean gastronomy. This is one of the most ancient archaeological areas in the whole of Italy. Its urban network has been almost fully preserved and you can still observe the various historic layers that have succeeded each other: from the Siculian necropolis, dating back to the XII century, to the ruins of the Greek polis, as well as the subsequent reconstructions initiated by the Romans and the Byzantines. The Greek Theatre in Palazzolo is still used today for classical performances during the International Festival of Classical Theatre for Young People that takes place every year in the month of May. Another important monument in Palazzolo is the “House Museum Antonino Uccello” founded by the distinguished poet and anthropologist A. Uccello. This is a regional ethnographic museum where faithful reconstuctions of peasant living spaces, manor farms, olden oil-mills, as well as a splendid collection of Sicilian puppets (“pupi”) are on display. This allows visitors to re-experience these ancient atmospheres which would have otherswise disappeared forever. In Palazzolo it is possible to taste and buy excellent local produce such as “Monti Iblei” D.O.P. oil, local honey, organic mushrooms, local cheese and sausages. You will have a chance to relish in the renowned Palazzolo gastronomy in the many popular restaurants spread around the village. This type of cooking is renowned because it still maintains the genuine flavour of traditional Sicilian cooking. On 29th June Palazzolo celebrates his patron Saints Peter and Paul with a big religious and very old festival.

Distance from Syracuse Km. 103 | h. 01:00 | SS

Caltagirone

Caltagirone ("Caltagiruni" in Sicilian dialect) is nicknamed the Queen of Mount Erei. Located in the centre of the eastern part of the Province of Catania, its fame derives from the production, both ancient and modern, of the most refined, hand-painted Sicilian ceramics. For more than two thousand years Caltagirone was a stronghold in this part of Sicily for the Byzantine, Arab and Norman empires who controlled the plains of Gela and Catania from this position. Its historic centre is rich in churches, palaces and 18th century villas but the monument which really makes this place famous is the majolica staircase which has become a symbol of the city. The municipality is located in the Val di Noto which is classified as a UNESCO world heritage site. In the city's gracious and welcoming historic centre there are numerous shops selling ceramics and majolica; some only specialise in the sale of souvenirs to tourists but others display examples of true majolica ware, hand-made by Sicilian craftsmen, both new and antique. These hand-painted works include dinner services, bowls, vases and objects of various kinds, however, the famous Heads of Caltagirone representing historical and mythical figures, such as Saracen and Moorish warriors, are truly outstanding. Garden tables decorated with lava stone cut in various shapes and sizes are also very popular.

Distance from Syracuse Km. 44 | h. 00:00 | SS

Vendicari Nature Reserve

The Vendicari Nature Reserve covers an area of 1,500 hectares and is located in the Province of Syracuse between Noto and Marzamemi. The marshes in the reserve form an important staging post for migratory birds during the migration season. The reserve also contains a number of archeological remains which include traces of storage jars from an old fishery and, nearby, the remains of a small necropolis. The reserve has a humid, coastal climate and is of great biological importance due to the presence of different biotopes: rocky and sandy coastlines, Mediterranean scrub, marshes (both salt water and fresh water), salt pans, moorland and cultivated areas. In the past the salt pans were of particular economic importance and undoubtedly supplied a large tuna fishery inside the reserve which dates back to the 15th Century and whose remains are still visible today. There are four access points to the reserve: one in the area of Eloro; one near Cava delle Mosche where the famous Cala Mosche beach is located; the main entrance is located at the Torre Sveva where the main beach in the reserve is located; another entrance is located at Cittadella dei Maccari, the location of an ancient Byzantine settlement where a small temple and a necropolis are still visible today. Numerous species of birds stop over at Vendicari: waders, grey herons, flamingoes, wild ducks, seagulls, cormorants and black-winged stilts rest here on their journey from the Sahara desert to their nesting grounds in the north of Europe. December is the best month for bird watching.

Distance from Syracuse Km. 37 | h. 00:00 | A + SS

Cavagrande del Cassibile

The Cavagrande del Cassibile Nature Reserve is of geographical, anthropological, archeological, hydrological and speleological importance. The Reserve covers an area of 2,700 hectares in the region of Avola, Siracusa and Noto. The river Cassibile, or Kacyparis as it was called in ancient Greek, runs through the reserve and over the millennia the river has created a series of deep canyons stretching for more than 10 kilometres. Defended by the unassaibale sheer walls of the canyon and with access to water, the Siculi people first inhabited this place and created two stone villages here: one to the north which can be seen from the observation point and one to the south, almost opposite. The first settlement dates back to the 10th and 11th Centuries B.C. and features hundreds of tombs carved out of the rock face, one next to the other, on six different parallel levels. In the bottom of the valley the river has created a complex system of small cascades and uruvi filled with cool, crystal-clear water. The best examples are accessible from the Avola Antica vantage point. It takes about 30 minutes to reach the floor of the valley and you can either return via the same path or via a stairway located near to the dam. The same path also leads to the stone settlement of Dieri. To experience more of this beautiful location, you can continue for several kilometres towards the source of the river following the path along the middle level (which you cross around half way through the descent) to the area of Prisa where there is a lake that contains water used for hydro-electric power generation. Along the way you will come across numerous wild and unspoilt areas and experience the fragrance of aromatic plants such as sage, thyme, rue, cat mint and origano as well as other wild flora such as brambles, ivy and oak which can create some difficulties for inexperienced hikers. The southern stone settlement can also be accessed via this path as can the the river itself via unmarked paths, however, these paths are steep and a great deal of care and attention should be taken if you decide to follow them.

Distance from Syracuse Km. 38 | h. 00:00 | A

Noto

The original site of the ancient city of Noto is located 8 kilometres north of the current city. In 1693 the ancient city of Noto was razed to the ground by a powerful earthquake during which more than one thousand of the city's inhabitants died. Immediately after this terrible event the task of reconstructing the city further downstream was given to Giuseppe Lanza, Duke of Camastra. Noted architects and skilled craftsmen of the time were called upon to participate in the reconstruction. The reconstruction of the central part of the city took more than one hundred years and lasted until the end of the 18th Century. The city's streets are interspersed with beautiful squares and imposing flights of steps which connect terraces and different levels. The uniform process of reconstruction produced an urban network that was coherent and rich in examples of fine architecture: Cesare Brandi described Noto as a "garden of stone". The soft, local stone, somewhere between gold and pink in colour, was used extensively and intricately carved with lavish designs. The reconstruction took place under the guidance of the Duke of Camastra who was the Spanish Viceroy's representative in Noto. The city is covered with Baroque palaces and churches of the highest quality such as the Chiesa Madre San Nicolò (the cathedral) which was partially reconstructed several years ago to repair damage caused by a recent earthquake, the church of San Carlo al Corso, the church of San Domenico, the Porta Reale and the aristocratic palaces of Nicolaci di Villadorata, Trigona di Cannicarao and Landolina di San'Alfano. In 2005 Noto was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Noto's economy today revolves around tourism due also to the fact that two important nature reserves (Vendicari and Cassibile) and some long stretches of beach covered in fine, golden sand are located nearby. Noto is famous also for its production of the Eloro and Val di Noto DOC wines. In May each year the classical "infiorata" (carpet of flowers) takes place in Via Nicolaci during which the street is covered in flowers made up into numerous intricate designs.

Distance from Syracuse Km. 74 | h. 01:00 | A + SS

Modica

"The village was a theatre, a proscenium of pink stone, a feast of wonders. It is like the scent of jasmine at dusk. I can never cease to talk about it, to return to it to view myself in such a tender, distant mirage.." This is how the famous Italian write Gesualdo Bufalino describes the city of Modica in his book "I Sogni della Memoria". This is how the city presents itself to the visitor when viewed from the plateau, almost as if you were viewing it from a private box in an enormous open-air theatre. Modica is located in deep canyons carved out of the rock by the rivers which traverse the valley. Until the early part of the 20th Century the "Modicano" river flowed through the valley and in the 18th and 19th Centuries the river powered 20 water mills in the area. During this period 17 bridges were constructed and for this reason the area is often referred to as the Venice of the South. Another typical feature of Modica is the position of many of the houses in the old part of the city, constructed one on top of the other. Many of these houses are extensions of ancient grottoes inhabited since pre-historic times. There are around 700 grottoes that have been used or lived in or used at some time or another. Some are still on open view and others have been incorporated into new buildings. Of significant historical importance is the Necropolis of Quartiriccio in the Vignazza district of the historic centre. The necropolis contains several dozen tombs carved out of the rocks dating back to 2200 B.C. and remains in excellent condition. The urban fabric which clings to the two sides of the valley and to the hillside of Pizzo is a mass of small houses, tiny streets and long stairways. Here churches are not usually located in squares but face onto imposing and magnificent flights of steps. The predominant style of the architecture of the monuments in the city is what is commonly referred to as late Baroque. The presence of numerous churches, aristocratic residences and monuments of historic importance led to the classification of the city as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Of particular significance are the Duomo di San Giorgio, the undisputed symbol of Sicilian Baroque, the Duomo di San Pietro, the Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista, the Castello dei Conti di Modica, a fortified garrison, military base and prison which for centuries represented the seat of political and administrative power for the Counts of Modica and subsqeuently for the Governor of the city, the Palazzo della cultura, a former Benedictine monastery, the Palazzo degli Studi and the Teatro Garibaldi. Today Modica has become an elite tourist destination and many artists and architects, both Italian and foreign, have decided to move their base to the city attracted by its charm and by its hidden caverns. Modica has numerous top class hotels and restaurants which feature in some of the best guide books. The city is also famous for its chocolate which has been produced here since the Arab occupation and whose recipe remains, in part, a secret. Every year for the past few years a festival dedicated to this precious commodity, Eurochocolate, takes place between April and May.

Distance from Syracuse Km. 57 | h. 01:00 | A + SS

Ispica

The small town of Ispica overlooks the sea from a little hill and is an intriguing pre-historic site for its recent and significant archaeological excavations. It is surrounded by lush Mediterranean vegetation, which is typical of the Iblean caves. The town of Ispica was rebuilt in the eighteenth century after the 1693 earthquake. Amongst the most prominent churches is la Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore, dating back to the 18th century. Located within the homonymous square, the church shows its singular elegance through simple structures. Its façade has been embellished with a stunning wrought iron gate. In front of the church and all around the Basilica is the “Loggiato del Sinatra,” built in 1749 by Noto-born architect Vincenzo Sinatra who emulated Bernini’s arcade in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. The Rococo style loggiato has a semi-circular structure and is made of three central arcades, plus ten additional arcades on each side. These make a total of twenty-three logge (“halls”) that until the end of the seventeenth century hosted fairs organised on the occasion of various religious festivities. At the beginning of the eighteenth century the logge were closed to be used as workshops (“botteghe”). Presently these are subject to a conservative restoration. The Palazzo Bruno Belmonte (seat of the town hall) in corso Umberto is the most important art nouveau style building in the Ragusa province. It was designed and built from 1906 onwards by Ernesto Basile, one of the most distinguished architects in Europe at the time. From the town you can easily reach the Parco Archeologico della Forza and Cava d’Ispica through the one hundred steps (“le cento scale”) carved in the rock, where you can admire remnants of Byzantine frescoes. A 280-steps underground stairway leads to the deepest end of the valley. The Park is an archaeological area that allows you to discover the most beautiful spots of the cave as well as the history of medieval Ispica. It lies within the territory of the town of Ispica and extends up to Modica province. Through the 13 km long cave runs a river-carved canyon amidst stunning and alluring natural landscapes. This is a carved out valley made of grey, rust-stained limestones which abounds with troglodyte settlements, sanctuaries and cave tombs. The most varied sort of caves can be found here: from large natural cracks to cave tombs carved on perpendicular walls that are partly inaccessible, or else roofless parallelepiped-shaped cavities that have been halved by natural collapse; all these appear in a natural environment that remains unspoiled, allowing only a few remaining farmers to cultivate thriving vegetable gardens. An intriguing water mill (“Mulino ad acqua”) from the first half of the eighteenth century, called “Cavallo d’Ispica,” can be accessed from within the park. Having recently been put into function again, the mill has awoken old memories. Its paddles, hit by the harmonious flowing of the Busaidone river, have reactivated the antique millstone hub and like in the past the wheat is turned into flour through the unceasing pace of the grinding runner millstones. Within the park are a playground for kids, picnic tables and toilets. Admission is free. The route to be followed within the park is well signposted and it takes about half an hour. The sandy coast below the town of Ispica (signposted with a blue flag (“Vela Blu”) on the Legambiente guide) offers very long beaches that extend from “Marza” and “Porto Ulisse” to the beaches of “Castellazzo” and “Santa Maria del Focallo,” leading straight to Pozzallo. Elevated sand dunes protect these crystalline long beaches where acacia bushes, juniper trees and grass grow aplenty.

Distance from Syracuse Km. 79 | h. 01:00 | A + SS

Scicli

In 1955, in his book Le Città del Mondo, the writer Elio Vittorini described it in these words: "... During one of those years which had seen us, men of today, as young lads or little kids, one late March afternoon, there was a shepherd in Sicily who entered the territory of the town of Scicli with his own son, around fifty sheep, a dog and a donkey. This town lies at the crossroad with three valleys, with houses on all sides up on its steep slopes, a large square at the bottom across a stream bed, and old church buildings that surround several sides like baroque acropolis, a semicircle of altitudes. It is situated at the south-east tip of the island, and who arrives from the mainland finds it suddenly at his feet, joyous with its mushroomed roofs, magpies and bells pealing; while who reaches it from the close seashore, spots it while nestled around ten thousand black windows covering the height of the mountain, between twisting threads of smoke, and here and there the glimmer of an open or close window, suddenly, against the sun... But what is it? - he asked - Is it Jerusalem? He had blue sparkles in his eyes that prevented him to discern his dad's faces. He heard him answering anyway: "I don't know what kind of city this is." With these words, he had not said that this could not be the City par excellence: "Jerusalem, or call it another name... How must these people be happy in this city!..."Indeed, Scicli extends itself along a large plain embedded in between three narrow and cut-through valleys called “Cave” (the valleys of Modica, Santa Maria La Nova, and San Bartolomeo), which originated from tectonic fractures of ancient times later transformed into waterbeds of torrential streams. Human presence in the territory of Scicli dates back extraordinarily to the Eneolithic era, as the archaeological finds at Grotta Maggiore (a cave situated near the Busacca hospital) show, which date between the Copper and the Early Bronze Age (III-II millennium B.C to XVIII-XV century B.C.). Scicli was dominated by various civilizations: the Arabs, under whom it experienced a period of great economic and agricultural growth; the Normans, under whom it became a city controlled by the Crown, a privilege granted only to very few cities in Sicily; the Aragonese, under whom it became a County to be later ruled by a number of noble old Sicilian families until 1860 (during the time of Garibaldi) when, through plebiscite, it was annexed to the territory of Piemonte. Through a gradual landscape evolution from hill to plain, Scicli took its present topographical shape between the XIV and the XVI century. Its population had notably increased, but the 1626 plague reduced it to almost two thirds, from 11000 to 4000 people. After the plague, and thanks to some economic incentives to the people who decided to reside in the town, Scicli went through a new demographic growth but the terrible earthquake in 1693 caused the death of 3000 people, as well as the destruction of a large part of the town. Scicli was born again out of the rubble as a baroque town, that is famous today for its numerous eighteenth-century structures, among which are Palazzo Beneventano, built in the XVII century in baroque style, and one of the most beautiful palaces in the whole of Sicily; Palazzo Fava and Palazzo Spadaro; some other important churches, such as the Church of San Matteo, the Church of San Bartolomeo, built in the XV century and storing a beautiful wood Christmas crib, the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, and the Church of San Maria la Nova, the latter of very ancient Byzantine origins. Together with the churches and the 4 monasteries, these palaces represent the beauty of this splendid town. Scicli has been included by the UNESCO in the World Heritage List since 2002.
But Scicli offers the visitor who strolls around its narrow streets the opportunity to relax him/herself while enjoying a “cannolo” or a “granite” in one of its famous cafes, or to rest in one of its old eating houses (“trattorie”) in the city centre, savouring a range of traditional dishes prepared with local fresh produce. Scicli’s  surroundings offer one of the most scenic stretches of Sicilian coast, with a few kilometres of golden sandy beaches between Donnaluca and Sampieri, a few sections of which belong to some environmentally preserved natural areas, such as the mouth of river Irminio.
Among the festivals and the annual events in Scicli, we signal “The Feast of the Militias” at the end of May, that enacts a representation of a battle between the Saracen Turks and the Christian Normans occurred in 1091, and “The Joy”, during Easter Day when the resurrection of Christ, “the living man,” is celebrated.

Distance from Syracuse Km. 82 | h. 01:00 | SS + SP

Ibla Ragusa

Ragusa was classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002 and is one of the most important cities of the arts in Italy due to its varied artistic and archeological riches, a legacy of its history which dates back several thousand years. The reconstruction after the earthquake in 1693 involved respected figures of the time such as Vaccarini, Palma, Ittar, Sinatra but, above all, the famous Rosario Gagliardi. These figures together with a considerable number of local sculptors and master masons contributed to the creation of a special and unique phenomenon: the Baroque of the Val di Noto. The city is adorned with local stone and spiral scrolls, with voids and filled spaces, with columns and capitals, with statues and with architectural compositions of which the Duomo di San Giorgio is probably the finest example. In 1693 a devastating earthquake destroyed nearly all of the city. Reconstruction took place in the 18th Century and divided the city into two large districts: Ragusa Superiore which was located on the plateau and Ragusa Ibla which was reconstructed according to the original medieval street plan on the ruins of the old city. The Ibla district is located above a hill at a height of about 450 metres. Its historic centre contains more than 50 churches and numerous mansions constructed in the baroque style. Its narrow streets rise and fall creating a maze of roads paved with stone which confer on the visitor an extraordinary appeal and a sense of being lost in time. In the alleys, bridges and small streets of this astounding corner of Sicily you will find a concentration of unique and extraordinary sensations which represent the fascination of Sicily and reveal the island's true spirit which today has been diluted to a certain extent almost everywhere else. Perhaps for this reason Ragusa has been described by illustrious scholars as "an island within an island" or "the other Sicily".

Distance from Syracuse Km. 55 | h. 00:00 | A + SP

Marzamemi

Marzamemi is one of the most charming and authentic seaside villages in western Sicily. It is 3 km away from Pachino, within the province of Siracusa, and is surrounded by the deep blue Ionian sea which creates two natural small seaports along the coast, called “Fossa” and “Balata.” The multicoloured harbours abound with blue-, red and yellow-coloured Sicilian fishermen’s boats rocking slowly over the sea. This “enchanted village”, as it is often called, extends around Marzamemi’s well-known tuna-fishery ("Tonnara"), famous since Arab sovereignty as one of the largest and most productive tuna fisheries in Sicily for its plentiful catching of tuna fish and for its salt drying and oil canning preservation. Today the Tonnara, the Palazzo di Villadorata (once the owner’s residence) and the nearby warehouse buildings have been recovered, thanks to attentive restructuring; some sections are being partially used as tourist accommodation and as venues for special events, as well as for Sicilian-style wedding receptions. The village is made of many low-roofed little houses facing the sea made from local sandstone. The so-called “fishermen’s houses”, once the houses where the tuna fishery’s workers lived, all extend around the tuna fishery and the main Piazza Regina Margherita. This is a typical Sicilian piazza, square-shaped, coloured in red geraniums in the morning, extremely attractive at sunset and when nicely lit up in the evening. Strolling around the village of Marzamemi, with its old narrow alleys shining under the warm light of the sun, leaves you somewhat enchanted while at the end of each alley you perceive the intense blue of the sea. Here one breathes an air that tastes like salt, a calmness of ancient times, the atmosphere of that very old and important Sicilian profession – a fascinating one – that was once the fishing trade. Both around the square and along the two seaports overlooking the sea, it is possible to savour excellent Sicilian dishes such as fresh Mediterrenean fish dinners, while enveloped by the ancient charm of this village you sit at a table under the stars. Night clubs and local bars where to find your almond or mulberry granita at breakfast, a scrumptious cocktail at sunset or an after-dinner drink are aplenty. It is possible to buy tinned fish or Pachino tomatoes conserve in Marzamemi, as well as excellent homemade condiments and Mediterrenean tomato sauces in two large grocery stores selling organic products. A famous local product is the red tuna bottarga (dried tuna roe) which you can use to prepare a simple spaghetti recipe. Bottarga is produced locally using ancient drying techniques originating from the Arab-Phoenician cultures. Additionally, Marzamemi boasts a beautiful long beach accompanying its crystalline sea. It also offers access to well-equipped beach areas and numerous landing places for pleasure boats. From “la Balata” seaport  the celebrated and much-photographed “Isolotto Brancati” is visible, on which stands a charming red house along the dock. This was the house where Vitaliano Brancati, eminent Italian novelist and screenwriter from the twentieth century who was born in Pachino, found inspiration for his novels. In 1993 the historic village was used by the film director Gabriele Salvatores as the location for his movie “Sud” (“South”) with Silvio Orlando, Claudio Bisio and Francesca Neri as leading actors. Since the year 2000, Marzamemi hosts the International Border Film Festival at the end of July. The village, the square and the surrounding seaside area turn from film backgrounds into film sets. For a week Marzamemi truly becomes an open air cinema hall.

Distance from Syracuse Km. 65 | h. 00:00 | A

Catania

Catania is the second most important city in Sicily after the capital Palermo but considered the most important from a commercial and industrial perspective. The city was originally a settlement of the ancient Sicani people about which little is known. Around 729 B.C. the city was conquered by Greek colonisers and subsequently fell to various occupying powers which include the Romans, Byzantines, Normans and Svevi who constructed Castello Ursino. Subsequently under the Aragonese domination it was declared the capital of the Kingdom of Sicily in 1282 and remained so until the formation of the Kingdom of Italy. Today the city is located on the east coast of Sicily at the foot of the volcano Etna facing the Ionian Sea. It is surrounded by the vast plain of the volcano and by the nature reserve of the Simeto river, the most important in Sicily. An underground river (the Amenano) runs under the city. In the past, a short distance outside the western walls of the city, the Nicito lake could be found, however, the lake was covered by a lava flow in 1669. The position of the lake can be identified today by the street of the same name. Today the Amenano river is visible at the Acqua a Linzolu, a fountain made from white marble located between the Pescheria (fish market) and the Piazza del Duomo, and in the cellars of the Ostello Agorà. The surrounding landscape changed considerably during various eruptions of the volcano that took place between 1169 and 1381 which created the rocks to the north of the port and partially covered the old Porto Ulisse. This part of the coast is now called La Scogliera and includes the small beach of San Giovanni li Cuti. The area south of Castello Ursino (once right next to the sea) was created during the great lava flow of 1669 which encircled it and pushed it several kilometres towards the sea. The coastline south of the port was severely affected and the stretch of coastline now known as La Plaia, which is sandy, was created at this time.
Few traces of the Greek period remain in the city today, however, a larger number of Roman remains can still be seen such as the Roman Theatre (from the second century), the Odeon (from the third century), the Amphitheatre (from the second century), the Indirizzo Baths, the Rotonda Baths, the Achilliane Baths, various other bathing structures (in Piazza Sant’Antonio, Piazza Itria and Piazza Dante where a paved road has been uncovered and is partially visible today), the remains of an Aqueduct near Via Grassi and various buildings where funerals took place. The Cappella Bonajuto dates from the Byzantine period, the church of Sant’Agata al Carcere and Castello Ursino from the Svevi period, the church of Santa Maria del Gesù and the so-called Walls of Charles V from the Aragonese period. Rare examples of Sicilian Baroque architecture can be found in the churches, monasteries and palaces of Via dei Crociferi where the church of San Benedetto is located. Via Etnea is today considered the ‘living room’ of the city stretching across Catania from north to south, arriving at Piazza Università and 100 metres further on at Piazza Duomo where, in addition to the cathedral, the symbol of the city can be found: an elephant with its trunk pointing towards the sky.  The street is lined with beautiful palaces, churches and basilicas and numerous elegant bars and restaurants.  Catania is a rich and multi-faceted city with an artistic soul. Many painters, musicians and entertainers were born here. Another feature of Catania is its various markets and one of the best places to sample daily life in Catania is at the fish market (La Pescheria), always a mass of colours, sounds and smells. Another famous market is the market located in Piazza Carlo Alberto, commonly-known as the “Ferra o Luni” or “Fiera del Lunedi” because originally the market operated only on Mondays. In the same square on Sundays there is a large flea market. Another market open on Sundays sells bric-a-brac under the “marina” arches near to Villa Pacini. Another popular market takes place on Fridays in Piazza I Viceré in the district north of Barriera del Bosco. Catania also makes a good base from which to visit a large part of the eastern area of Sicily which includes numerous protected nature reserves such as the Etna National Park, the Alcantara River Nature Reserve and the nature reserve on the Simeto river.

Distance from Syracuse Km. 60 | h. 01:00 | A + SP

Capopassero

Portopalo di Capo Passero is the furtherst strip of coast in the south of Sicily, the last mainland outpost between the sea and the sky to the south of the Tunis parallel. This strip of coast alternates long beaches with sandy dunes and sheer cliffs. The pretty small town of Portopalo develops around the main street (“corso”), bordering the Ionian Sea on one side and the Sicily Canal on the other. Walking along the corso you’ll reach the lively harbour and fish market where a large fleet of trawlers still operate. Portopalo di Capopassero is a natural bay that lends itself to fishing, where you can taste the most delicious catch of the day from the Sicily Canal. The tuna fishery (“tonnara”) in Capopassero dates back to the VII century. You can visit its well-known “balata” (“dock”), its gallery, the furnace building, the manor house and the gentry chapel built in the seventeenth century. This tuna fishery has been active until 2000. From the main square you can see the island of Capopassero, a 1300 metre long and 500 metre wide nature reserve extending for 37 hectares. The Ionian and the Mediterrenean seas lap its shores. Judging it a natural treasure, the Italian Botanical Society included the island in its list of most botanically fascinating Sicilian biotypes for the abundant presence of dwarf palmettos, sea lilies and sea rocket. The entire island is a nature reserve, also because the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta Caretta) has returned to lay her eggs along this coast. The island has a high and steep seashore profile to the east and a sandy shoreline to the west, where the combined action of tides and winds over the years has created a gorgeous beach. The small island, only a few kilometres away from Portopalo, is connected to the mainland through a narrow sandy isthmus. It is dominated by a lighthouse and hosts the remains of a defensive tower from the XIV century. It is also possible to visit l’Isola delle Correnti (not far from Portopalo), which is the most southern point of the European continent, joined to Sicily by a very narrow isthmus, sometimes covered by the sea. An explosion of colours occurs in springtime, when heathers, rock roses, lentisks and gramineous plants start to blossom. Opposite l'Isola delle Correnti the coast is extremely shallow with very broad and beautiful beaches, among which are the beaches of “Carratois” and “Punta delle Formiche” from where you can view splendidly colourful sunsets. There are also several well-equipped beach areas in the summer, providing sun loungers, parasols, showers and a few bars.

Distance from Syracuse Km. 71 | h. 01:00 | A + SS

Militello in Val di Catania

Situated between the Val di Noto, a few hills watching over the perfumed orange groves in the plain of Catania and the valley of the river Lèmbasi, Militello is a town of history and art, but also of oranges and traditional must and prickly pear cakes. Together with Caltagirone, Catania, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa, Modica and Scicli, Militello is one of the eight “comuni” (“municipalities”) which was declared a “World Heritage Site” by the UNESCO, hence included in its World Heritage List with the aim of protecting the “Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto.” Its place-name derives from the Latin “Militum Tellus,” that is “land of soldiers.” Indeed, according to tradition the town was founded by the Roman consul Marcellus during the siege of Syracuse in 214 BC. It was very likely a Byzantine rural home as this is evidenced by remains of religion-inspired frescoes discovered in several caves. The place was later occupied by the Arabs, and during the feudal period it was under the control of the Marquis of Barresi and Branciforte. Rich in churches, palazzi, and abundant buildings that display baroque decorations on their corbels, balconies and tympanums, their facades and gates, this artistic and cultural heritage of medieval and baroque origins makes Militello one fascinating stop over for the ones embarked on a Sicilian Baroque itinenary. On via Matrice, over an elevated platform with a molten rock staircase is La Chiesa Madre. Dedicated to Saint Nicholas and Saint Salvator, the church was rebuilt after the earthquake in 1693. It displays a beautiful twentieth century dome, while stuccoes (“fine plasters”) and valuable paintings from the eighteenth century, as well as a baroque wooden crucifix can be found inside the church. Nearby is the Museum of San Nicolò, which holds precious works of art and sacred objects from the sixteenth century. In Piazza Municipio is the large complex of the Church of San Benedetto built in 1623 by the architect from Catania Valeriano De Franchis. Inside the church is a beautiful wooden choir displaying scenes from Saint Benedict’s life and a painting by Giovanni Battista Baldanza junior. Annexed to the church, the Benedictine Monastery, now seat of the town hall, was completed in 1649. A few other churches in Militello deserve attention: the Oratorio di Santa Maria della Catena, with its coffer ceiling and baroque stuccoes with gold inlay from the late seventeenth century;  the Church of Sant'Antonio di Padova; the Church of San Francesco d'Assisi, housing paintings by Filippo Paladini; the late gothic style Church of Santa Maria la Vetere, and the 1722 Church of Santa Maria della Valle, with an independent and solid bell tower and a painting attributed to Andrea Della Robbia. Other examples are the church of Santa Maria la Stella with its facade full of intagli (“carvings”) from the 1700s, the Oratorio dell’Angelo, with its stunning 1785 maiolica pavement from Caltagirone, the aristocratic Palazzo Baldanza, Palazzo Baldanza-Denaro, Palazzo Majorana, Palazzo Reforgiato, Palazzo Rametta Reburdone. Traditional gastronomy from Militello is mainly based on confectionery. Almonds and mulled wine are the main ingredients of all sorts of cakes, hence their scrumptious Mediterranean taste. Militello is also well-known for its prickly pear mustard.