Eastern Sicily by motorbike, from Aci Castello to Avola passing through the famous Ortigia in Syracuse and the Cassibile Reserve.
From the ancient Aci Castello, famous for the sea and "The Cyclops" we head south to discover the history of Syracuse and the island of Ortigia, the lakes of Avola and the baroque charm of this ancient village.
Content index
The tour of the Sicily by motorbike continue along the east coast in a southerly direction.
Aci Castello
Aci castello is a small seaside resort, nestled at the foot of an ancient Norman castle. The structure was built on a rock that emerged during the ancient eruptions
Etna, dates back to 1076 and is of Norman origin. The sea is also the first attraction of Aci Castello, so much so that this landscape between waves and lemons is one of the favorite corners of artists even abroad. In the municipality of Aci Castello there is a protected area consisting of the cyclops, rocks up to 70 meters high in basalt, also known as the coast of the Cyclops.
Syracuse and Ortigia
In Syracuse, if it's not too hot, we definitely recommend visiting the PArchaeological arch of Neapolis: which contains the most important testimonies of ancient Greek and Roman Syracuse thanks to which the city has the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site. Not far away you will also find the beautiful ones Catacombs of San Giovanni: an underground path will lead you to discover the largest Catacomb of Syracuse, an extraordinary place of worship for its beauty and history.
The island of Ortigia it is the beating heart of the city and can be reached by crossing one of the two bridges that connect the island to the mainland. Not to be missed during your walk along the sea is the Arethusa source, a source of water that forms a small lake where the only spontaneous papyri in Europe grow. In the historic center of Ortigia you will find churches, squares, baroque palaces, and the Duomo of Syracuse, one of the most beautiful examples of Sicilian Baroque. In Piazza Duomo you can admire the Vermexio Palace where you will notice the little gecko that Vermexio carved in the left corner of the building. Always here it is a must to visit the Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia, the Syracusan Patroness who guards the work of Caravaggio, "The burial of St. Lucia". Strolling on the seafront Alfeo you get to the beautiful Maniace Castle and subsequently the Temple of Apollo, the oldest stone Doric temple in the Sicilia which is located in Piazza Pancali. Other buildings worth visiting include Palazzo Bellomo, Palazzo Mergulese Montalto, Palazzo Chiaramonte, the church of San Martino and Palazzo Gargallo.
Avola
The beautiful town of Avola stands at the foot of worth of Noto and has a hexagon-shaped historic center, a wonderful example of Baroque perfection. Piazza Umberto I represents the heart of the historic center, with the Mother Church of San Nicolò (dating back to 1693), the first to be built in Val di Noto after the earthquake, with the narrow right aisle next to the elegant Pignatelli palace.
Leaving the square in the direction of the sea, you will find the municipal building and then the Parish church of Santa Venera, patron saint of the city. On the eastern side of the historic center of Avola we find the eighteenth-century one Church of St. John the Baptist whose naves, known for their refined neoclassical decorations in white and blue, are divided by ancient Corinthian pillars.
Also not to be missed are the civil buildings such as the clock tower, Ducal Palace and old Market, one of the most fascinating in all of Sicily. then we also recommend a refreshing escape to the Cavagrande del Cassibile Nature Reserve.
It is one of the most beautiful reserves in Sicily and is located between Syracuse and Avola and extends for over 2700 hectares, arranged around a fabulous canyon, formed by the Cassibile river. There are many paths that will take you to this corner of paradise and that the Sicilians call "lakes of Avola".
