Caltagirone

Caltagirone is a wonderful city rich in history and traditions framed by an amazing natural environment.

Caltagirone is one of the most picturesque cities of Italy. It is known as the Queen of the Mountains because it rises on three hills. After the big 1693 earthquake, the city was completely rebuilt and enriched with new monuments and it started showing its typical baroque features, even if it still existed a heritage of the previous medieval culture and architecture. The most important cultural attractions of the town are the Archeological Area of Monte San Mauro, that includes remains of ancient houses from the Bronze Age, later occupied by the Greeks at the end of the seventh century BC; the Basilica of Saint Giacomo, one of the most important buildings of the town, has been re-built many times because of many incidents such as earthquakes and the bombings of World War II. It has an elegant baroque façade and a contemporary bronze door. The works of art and the relics that are kept inside the church have a great artistic and religious relevance; The Cathedral of Saint Giuliano was built during the Norman domination. It has three naves, and in the nineteenth century its walls were decorated with the wonderful frescos made by the Sicilian painter Giuseppe Vaccaro; the fascinating Convent of the Franciscan Friars Minors, built in the neo-Gothic style and decorated with beautiful frescos, includes the church of Saint Francis of Assisi. Thanks to its marvellous eighteenth century’s baroque façade, the church has been included in the Fund for Religious Buildings’ historical and artistic heritage.

Another important monument of the village is the Tondo Vecchio, a semi-circular building that recalls the shape of a theatre that looks towards the Valle di Ponente (Western Valley) and the coast. If you are curious and you want to take a deeper look into the history and traditions of this spectacular city, you might want to visit the Museum of Contemporary Ceramic, the International Museum of “Presepe” – a traditional Italian representation of the nativity scene that takes place every year during Christmas time – and the Theatre-Museum of the Sicilian Pupi.

People live here:

38.799

Attractions:

Kalta Comics (28-29/03), cosplay festival Caltagirone in Primavera, Art and Cultural festiva
La Scala Infiorita (19/05 to 15/06), thousands of vases with plants and flowers create one majestic illustration on the 142 steps of the Church of Santa Maria del Monte. Festa di San Giacomo(1-15/08), it is the patron saint celebration “A Truvatura” (September) vintage market Festa Immacolata Concezione e Sagra della Muffuletta(8/12), holy festivity and food festival

How to get there:

By Car:

From Palermo

Get on A19 Palermo-Catania, exit Enna. Follow SS 117bis

From Catania

Get on SS 417 Catania-Gela, exit Caltagirone Nord

Accommodations:

B&B Tre Metri Sopra il Cielo 2*

http://www.bbtremetrisoprailcielo.it/

NH Caltagirone Villa San Mauro 4*

http://www.nh-hotels.it/hotel/nh-caltagirone-villa-san-mauro

B&B Casa Alba