The main town on the Riviera, Acireale is set on a series of lava terraces that drop to the sea about 17km north of Catania. Although it’s not exactly undiscovered, it remains largely tourist free, a mystery given its stately baroque centre and imposing public buildings. An easy 2km walk downhill is Santa Maria la Scala, a tiny fishing village seemingly made for perfect seafood lunches.
Acireale is a coastal city and comune in the north-east of the Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, southern Italy, at the foot of Mount Etna, on the coast facing the Ionian Sea.
HIGHLIGHTS
It is home to numerous churches, including the Neo-Gothic St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Sebastian’s Basilica in the Sicilian Baroque style, and the 17th century Acireale Cathedral, and a seminary, for the training of priests. Acireale is also noted for its art and paintings: the oldest academy in Sicily, the “Accademia dei Dafnici e degli Zelanti“, is located here.
As an elegant baroque town, a few kilometers from Catania, Acireale rises upon a hill that overlooks the Ionian Sea: The Timpa, from which there is a beautiful panoramic view down to the Rivieraof the Ciclopi.
Became well known for hosting one of the most famous of the Carnivals of Sicily, Acireale contains important sights from its noble past that certainly deserve to be seen.
The Cathedral of Acireale, dedicated to Maria Santissima Annunziata, is located in the homonymous and scenic Piazza, the heart of the historic center of Acireale. The beautiful building’s structure dates back to the fifth century, but was later reconstructed, after the 1693 earthquake, with baroque re-facings.
On the outside, of particular interest, is the seventeenth century marble entrance depicting the Annunciation and the two bell towers that rise on either side of the façade in a harmonious Gothic-Roman style. Its large structure is divided into three aisles. Inside, is the city’s patron saint chapel of Santa Venera, which is finely decorated with sixth century frescoes. There are also various relics and a fercolo of silver that is used to take the Santa on procession during the patronal festival.
Also to be admired, is the perfection of the sundial made in 1843 by the German scholar Peters.
In the same square is the Basilicaof Saints Peterand Paul, flanked by a single bell tower, expected to be a twin, but never realized.
THE CARNIVAL OF ACIREALE
The Carnival ofAcireale has now become one of the most popular and colorful of Sicily.
The festivities go on for over a week, with flowered floats and parading masked groups in a joyful collegiate atmosphere. The cars made by various associations depict caricatures of historical and present-day personalities in mockery, contending the favor of the jury that will award the most beautiful wagon according to the category they belong.
The streets are crowded with people coming from all over Sicily, and soon are turned into carpets of confetti and streamers. Small playgrounds and other attractions are especially built for children. Because of its beauty and uniqueness, the Carnival of Acireale has been known for some time now as the most famous Carnival in Italy, the Carnival of Viareggio; and it is not to be missed.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ACIREALE
The town of Acireale owes its origins to the local populous who settled in the fertile area close to the sea with abundant fresh waters.
Colonized by the Greeks, it became a Roman town named Akis. It was the Byzantines who most probably built, around the eighth century, the castle of Aci to defend against Muslim hordes. In the medieval period, the town was the subject of numerous raids by foreign invaders, which is why many families left Acireale to situate themselves in safer areas, and why the small towns that sprang up in the area still bear the initial Aci in their name.
The earthquake of 1693 was a dramatic event in Acireale, destroying most of the buildings of that time: however, the reconstruction, brought many noble palaces, wide streets paved in slabs of lava stone, and important monuments. Lastly, in 1873, it was inaugurated as the prominent spa of SantaVenera.
Main sights
The church of San Biagio in Acireale contains some of the relics of the Venerable Gabriele Allegra, who had entered the Franciscan seminary in 1918.
Villa Belvedere and Parco delle Terme, two large public parks and “La Timpa”, a beautiful natural reserve overlooking the Ionian Sea, offer great nature sights. Piazza Duomo, with its St. Peter’s Basilica, is in the main square of the city. There are many beautiful historic Baroque buildings in town, such as Palazzo Pennisi and Palazzo Modò, which date from the 17th century, and Palazzo Musmeci dating from the 18th century. The commercial city center is primarily located in the streets including and adjacent to Corso Umberto and Corso Italia, which are the city’s principal thoroughfares.
The Fortezza del Tocco, a 16th-century fort, has been converted to a nature reserve.
