Calatabiano is a charming tiny village located in the province of Catania where it is possible to rich the beautiful Alcantara Gorges.
The village of Calatabiano is located close to the river Alcantara and its territory stretches from the sea to the last offshoots of the Valley. The landscape is predominantly rural with a lush vegetation of medlar and citrus groves that reach the wide and sandy beach of the village. On the hills, overlooking the valley, rises its ancient castle.
The name of the village has Arabs origins and it derives from the word “Kalat Bian” which referred to the “Castle of Bian” and to the Kakim Arab who used to live in the castle. The most important cultural attractions of the village are the Castel, built by Arabs in 900BC. The building has majestic windows from which it is possible to see the Alcantara Valley and the surrounding landscape; the Mother Church SS Annunziata, also known as the Church of San Filippo, includes impressive works of art; the San Marco Castle was a summer residence close to the beach, built in the late seventeenth century. The building has a rectangular plan and two towers highly decorated with floral patterns with Arabic style.
Close to the village you can the Alcantara Gorges – also known as Larderia Gorges – are located in the Alcantara Valley. These wonderful gorges offers a stunning natural canyon, created by the earthquakes that hit this area through time. The earthquakes broke the basaltic lakes that occupied the area letting the river’s water insinuate inside the cracks.
People live here:
5.437
Attractions:
Sagra della Nespola(9-10/05) food festival
Festa di San Filippo Siriaco, holy festivity
Sagra del Pesce, (10/08) food festival
Medieval Festival (16-18/08) traditional fest
How to get there:
By Car:
From Catania
Get on A18, exit Fiumefreddo SS. Take SS. 114 to Messina
From Messina
Get on A18, exit Giardini Naxos and take SS. 114 to Catania
Accommodations:
Hotel Castello di San Marco 4*
http://www.castellosanmarco.it/en/
Country House Antico Borgo 3*
http://www.borgoetneo.com/?cookieChecked=true#
B&B Alcantara
via Zoi, 95011 Calatabiano, Sicilia, Italia
Villa La Fenice
Assinos Palace Hotel 4*
http://www.assinospalacehotel.com/uk/index.htm
Sicily in Love
Hotel Inn 3*
Via Francavilla, 6 Trappitello, 98039, Taormina, Sicily, Italy
Restaurants:
Blue Ice Ristorante Pizzeria
Contrada San Marco, 95011 Calatabiano CT, Italy
Ph. +39 095 649594
La Tana Dell’Orso
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, 20, Calatabiano CT, Italy
Ph. +39 095 640298
Rosso Peperoncino Fusion Food
Piazza Armando Diaz n7, 95011 Calatabiano, Sicilia, Italia
Ph. +39 0959895082
Da Peppe
Via Garibaldi, 132, 95011 Calatabiano CT, Italy
Ph. +39 095 645623
Ristorante I Mastri Flavetta al Castello San Marco
http://www.castellosanmarco.it
Ristorante La Baronia Di Stefano Russo
http://www.ristorantelabaronia.it
Beaches:
San Marco