Acireale is a seaside town located in Sicily, Italy. Known for its rich history and vibrant culture, it is also home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the region.
Acireale is the second largest city in Catania. It is located at the foot of Etna, on the Ionian Sea. It is dwarfed by Catania and Taormine. Acireale is truly unique and famous for its carnival, considered the most beautiful in Sicily and one of the best in Italy, but it also has much more to offer. It is worth seeing wonderful monuments – the church of San Sebastiano, considered the most beautiful in the city, and other beautifully decorated buildings. The unique panorama of the Cyclops Riviera will surely delight you.
CYCLOPS RIVIERA
This stretch of beaches and rocky islets north of Catania were named for their role in Homer’s legend of the Odyssey. In the story, it was here that Odysseus encountered the cyclops Polyphemus, and the lava rocks jutting from the sea are said to have been thrown by Polyphemus as the hero sailed away. Today, the beaches around Acireale and Aci Trezza are beautiful and popular summer hangouts.
BEACHES:
Faraglioni Aci Trezza is a stunning beach known for its unique black rocks and volcanic gravel, highlighting the clarity and beauty of the surrounding waters. It is part of the Riviera dei Ciclopi, offering a variety of landscapes including hidden coves, rocky cliffs and rich underwater diversity.
Spiaggia di Praiola is a picturesque pebble beach famous for its volcanic origin and prominent tufa rock, which highlights the landscape value of the area. The unique natural beauty of the beach is characterized by the sea changing color from shades of turquoise to blue and indigo.
Spiaggia del Mulino in Acireale is a picturesque beach known for its natural beauty, characterized by the presence of an ancient water mill on the seashore. The bay, surrounded by mountains, offers an impressive view of the Aeolian Islands on the horizon.
Lido Azzurro, also known as Spiaggia Azzurro is a beach club famous for being the largest in the area, offering a multitude of services and attractions for visitors. The beach club features a vast expanse of fine sand, creating a soothing atmosphere with the sound of the waves.
- Faraglioni Aci Trezza
- Spiaggia di Praiola
- Spiaggia del Mulino
- Spiaggia Azzurro
NATURE:
- La Timpa oriented nature reserve
The La Timpa Nature Reserve in Acireale was created to enable the conservation, protection and improvement of an area with an enormous natural, geological and landscape heritage. This area covers a section of the coast of the northern Ionian side of Mount Etna. It is a tectonic area of regional importance, formed by lava rocks from various periods with a maximum height of approximately 80 meters above sea level with plant formations of significant natural value, in a highly anthropoized and urbanized area. Timpa is a long stretch of coastline overlooking the sea.
Between Pietra Monaca and Santa Maria la Scala, at the foot of the escarpment, along small pebbly beaches, you can observe numerous springs, such as the ferruginous ones in the Acqua del Ferro area. Important geological features include: Grotta delle Colombe, which contains charming columnar basalts that in ancient times formed a cave along the Santa Maria la Scala cliff, and the lava flow cave, which was created during an eruption that occurred along the route of the old railway. For a beautiful place – the contact with nature is stunning.
MONUMENTS:
- Fortress of Tocco
The Fortress of Tocco is a military fortress that was used as a defensive castle in the 16th century during the war against the Turks (Battle of Lepanto). In the 17th century the fortress was used to make forced labor for the convicted. For this reason, the fortress was expanded and a cannon was placed, with which the people were warned of the attack of the enemy. From this use the monument takes its name.
- Villa Belvedere
The public garden of Acireale, also called Villa Belvedere, thanks to the beautiful view it offers to its visitors, is at the end of the Corso Umberto, the main street that links the Villa to the Cathedral of Acireale. From its balcony it is possible to admire Taormina, Etna and the Timpa. Built in 1848, it is the largest garden of Acireale, rich in avenues and flowerbeds. It houses the busts of famous men of Acireale who lived in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The most important artwork there is the tub with marble statue of Aci and Galatea. Meeting and entertainment place, recently it has been restored becoming a venue for musical and cultural events.
- Cathedral Acireale
The Cathedral of Acireale was built as a simple parish church in 1597. It was then considerably enlarged to receive the relics of St. Venera, one of the two patron saints of the town. The two bell towers, in Mannerist style, are built centuries apart: the one in the south, like the dome, was built in 1655, and the one in the north, with the rose window, dates back to 1890. The Baroque interior dates from the 17th century. The church has been the seat of the bishopric of Acireale since 1870.
- Basilica di San Sebastiano (18th century)
The Basilica of San Sebastiano, proclaimed by UNESCO as a monument and messenger of a culture of Peace, was built by the brothers of the bimartyr saint who was once honored in the current church of Sant’Antonio di Padova, on Via Vittorio Emanuele, a small building built after a 15th century plague at the gates of ancient Aci Aquilia. The works began in 1608, starting a basilica structure which was damaged by the earthquake of 1693. The devotion towards the Saint caused the walls to be restored in a short time, creating a baroque structure which should be noted for the unity of the arts.
- Basilica di San Pietro
The Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul is dedicated to the holy princes of the apostles, the first became the head of the church, while the second was defined as the apostle of the Gentiles. The current sacred building dates back to the beginning of the 17th century and was built at the behest of the brotherhood of the same name which owned an Oratory in this place.
MUSEUMS:
- Mostra permanente Uniformi Storiche
The collection of historical uniforms, which previously belonged to the engineer Aldo Scaccianoce, was purchased in 1988 by the Regional Department of Cultural and Environmental Heritage and Public Education. Today it is located in the Costarelli hall of the Municipal Palace of Acireale, which dates back to the 18th century. Uniforms and souvenirs from the period from 1796 to 1928 are presented, which are the result of research lasting over 30 years.
Acireale – THE BEST CARNIVAL IN SICILY !
Carnival in Acireale is the most important event in the town of Acireale, which takes place at the turn of January and February. An unforgettable spectacle takes place on the streets and squares of the Baroque city, culminating in parades of allegorical and grotesque performances. From morning to evening it is covered with streamers and colorful confetti and a colorful costumed crowd. During this special time, every year, a river of costumed people flows through the baroque center of the town from early afternoon. There are also fancy vehicles where various characters move, make fun or scare people on platforms built by the designers. The carnival in Acireale attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world, and the city’s hotels fill up quickly.
