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Tourist info
Overlooking the Ionian Sea , ACIREALE is well known for its hot sulphur springs and spa facilities. The city has many elegant baroque buildings, namely the Duomo, the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul - featuring a fine asymmetric façade with a single bell tower - and the Church of Saint Sebastiano . On the East Coast near Acireale there is the famous “Cyclops' Riviera ”, with the picturesque fishing villages of Acicastello, with the Norman fortress in lava stone, and Acitrezza, with the famous “faraglioni”.
CATANIA shows a modern aspect but it still retains numerous remainders of its past (Roman Amphitheatre, Odeon and other). The city has been damaged by lava flows and earthquakes on several occasions.The 17th century was particularly catastrophic. In 1669 a devastating lava river flowed into the city and, only a few decades later, an earthquake razed it to the ground.It followed a sumptuous reconstruction, mainly the work of the architect Giovanni Battista Vaccarini who designed a new plant of the city with many magnificent baroque buildings. The most relevant monuments are : the Duomo and its wonderful square with the “Fountain of the Elephant” which is the symbol of the town, the grandiose Monastery and the Church of San Nicolò l'Arena, the Opera House dedicated to Vincenzo Bellini and the Ursino Castle , built by Frederick II of Swabia in 1239-1250
TAORMINA is Sicily 's most famous resort town.Its magnificent views of the sea, the hidden corners, the atmosphere, the colours, the fascinating archaeological Greek and Roman monuments and Medieval homes enchant the travellers and make the town an ideal holiday place.
The city of PIAZZA ARMERINA has its own charm, in spite of its inner position.Founded during the Norman era, its historical quarter has some beautiful and interesting churches, including the baroque Cathedral, as well as the fortress of the Aragonese Castle .Most visitors, however, come here to see the world famous Roman Villa of Casale, in the country outside the city.What makes the Villa unique are its floors, mainly consisting of magnificent polychrome mosaics representing a great variety of subjects: mythological scenes, daily life, special occasions – a great hunt, circus games, feast days- alternate with geometric decorations.