Day 01
Acireale Baroque Heritage and Coastal Views
- The guided tour of Acireale, made famous by the beautiful scenic floats that embellish it during Carnival, is a journey through history and tradition in a town located a short distance from Mount Etna and the sea, starting from the heart of the ancient city and its most representative church.
- The tour begins with a visit to the Maria Santissima Annunziata Cathedral, dedicated to the cult of Santa Venera, the patron saint of the town.
- The frescoes covering the columns and ceiling are especially evocative, making this church a jewel of Sicilian Baroque, with two bell towers overlooking the beautiful Piazza Duomo, where the city's main buildings are located, including the Palazzo Comunale.
- A few steps away, the visit continues with the Opera dei Pupi Museum, which contains different types of typical Sicilian puppets, the history of their origins and performances, and a small theatre.
- Along the main street, discover another Baroque jewel: the seventeenth-century Basilica of San Sebastiano, whose facade features an elegant balustrade and statues of figures from the Old Testament.
- Inside, there is much to admire, beginning with its vast Latin cross and numerous frescoes depicting the life of the saint, as well as an impressive treasure museum that includes very ancient relics and works of Sicilian craftsmanship.
- Walking through the alleys, you can smell the typical sweets - cannoli stuffed with ricotta and honey zeppoline - and come across several historic Baroque buildings, symbols of the power of Sicily's noble families. You can also admire one of the most important buildings, the Zelantea Picture Gallery, which houses a library with precious manuscripts, an eighteenth-century carriage, a collection of Greco-Roman finds, evocative collections of fossils, coins, minerals, and paintings by Guercino, as well as etchings by Van Dyke.
- The guided tour ends by admiring the view of the Sant'Anna lighthouse and the splendid beaches of the La Timpa Nature Reserve, a wild volcanic coast with cacti and rocks on the beach, a unique setting that makes it one of the most iconic places to visit in Acireale.
