Location
The Best Western Hotel Santa Caterina in Acireale is the ideal starting point for discovering some of Sicily‘s gems.
Sea
There are many ways to discover the splendid sea of our coast: rent a dinghy from one of the marinas in the nearby seaside villages, explore the paths of the Timpa Nature Reserve on foot, join a fisherman’s guide in the Isola dei Ciclopi Marine Protected Area, or relax at a delightful private club with sun loungers, umbrellas, a bar, and a restaurant, just a 3-minute drive from the hotel.
Catania
The city of Catania is primarily known for its proximity to Europe’s largest active volcano, Mount Etna, which has always played a major role in the city’s history. The city is also remembered for its strong devotion to its patron saint, Saint Agatha, celebrated in early February. The city is also remembered as the birthplace of illustrious figures in music and literature, such as Vincenzo Bellini and Giovanni Verga. Catania and its province offer pleasant surprises for those seeking authentic flavors and inimitable recipes: the civilizations of the sea, Mount Etna, and the Calatino area offer as yet unexplored itineraries. The fish of the Riviera, the wines of Etna, the pistachios of Bronte, the blood oranges of the plain, the prickly pears of San Cono, the grapes of Mazzarrone, the nougats of Belpasso, the bread of Ramacca, the granitas of Acese, the hazelnuts of Sant’Alfio, the mustard of Militello, the limoncello of Santa Venerina, the sausages of Linguaglossa and Grammichele, the “sangeli” of the popular districts of Catania, are just a few examples of the varied and colorful itineraries of the province of Catania, dotted with countless trattorias, osterias and typical restaurants.
Taormina
Beautifully nestled on a rocky plateau at 200 meters above sea level, Taormina occupies a stunning location, overlooking the sea and facing Mount Etna. A popular tourist destination since the 18th century, it was only in the last third of the 19th century that tourism began to flourish.
Many foreigners, especially English and German, decided to build villas in the city, and many dignitaries stayed there, from Emperor Wilhelm II to Edward VII to prominent families (the Rothschilds, the Krupps). The mild climate, the beauty of the landscape, and the tranquility that reigns all around have made Taormina famous throughout the world. The pedestrianized center of Taormina is centered around Corso Umberto I, the city’s main thoroughfare, from which all, or almost all, of the main attractions can be reached.
Siracusa
Syracuse is the city that best represents the famous Sicilian Baroque style.
A visit to the city cannot fail to begin on the island of Ortygia: an island connected to the rest of the city by two bridges, which constitutes the oldest part of Syracuse and its historic center. The sumptuous palaces that dot it and the maze of narrow streets that often lead to breathtaking views make it truly magical.
The Duomo, located at the highest point of the island of Ortygia, is the heart of the city: it stands on the ancient foundations of a Doric temple and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. The Piazza del Duomo houses numerous Baroque buildings, including the splendid Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia, with its Baroque façade, portal, and wrought-iron balcony. From Piazza del Duomo, you can reach the famous Fonte Aretusa, an ancient spring that flows from a cave and became famous thanks to the myth of the beautiful nymph Arethusa and Alpheus.
Strolling along the Syracuse seafront, you can reach Castel Maniace, one of the most beautiful castles in Sicily. Finally, a must-see is the absolutely characteristic Aretuseo dei Pupi Museum.
Val di Noto
The Val di Noto is the southeastern area of Sicily and includes 8 cities recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Caltagirone, Catania, Militello Val di Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa, and Scicli.
In 1693, this area was destroyed by a devastating earthquake that leveled cities and villages. At the beginning of the following century, however, architects and engineers worked to rebuild the destroyed areas and decided to give the buildings a style that exalted Sicilian Baroque: thus was born the Late Baroque of the Val di Noto, which utilized the malleable limestone, which is very white in the sunlight but takes on a wonderful pink hue at sunset.
Precisely because of this rebirth and evolution of the Baroque, 8 cities in the Val di Noto have been recognized as World Heritage Sites: among the criteria adopted by UNESCO, it is stated that “the cities of the Val di Noto represent the pinnacle and final flowering of Baroque art in Europe.”
Etna
The name Etna comes from the ancient Roman Greek word Aetna. In the Middle Ages, the volcano acquired a second name: Mongibello, which derives from the Italian “monte” and the Arabic “djebel,” which has the same meaning. Besides being a large active volcano, it is also a high mountain, located in the center of the Mediterranean, significantly exceeding the other Sicilian peaks in height (the second highest Sicilian peak after Etna is Pizzo Carbonara in the Madonie mountains, at 1,979 meters). Its climate is therefore quite variable depending on altitude and exposure; however, it is Mediterranean throughout, even at the highest elevations, where summer rainfall is scarce. The eastern side, directly affected by disturbances from the Ionian Sea, is decidedly wetter. Etna’s eruptions manifest themselves with explosions from craters or vents that periodically open near the summit. They are predominantly effusive and very spectacular; lava flows often affect only the upper reaches of the volcano. Over the last five years, volcanic activity has been mostly summit-based and almost continuous. This behavior may continue for several more years, culminating in less frequent and more dangerous lateral eruptions in the medium term. Due to its naturalistic, geological, and landscape significance, Etna has been declared a Natural Park. In Greek mythology, Etna was considered the kitchen of the god Vulcan, and also the home of the Cyclopes, enormous, one-eyed giants. Ulysses knows something about them.
All these itineraries, and many more, are easily accessible from the Best Western Hotel Santa Caterina: so many excellent reasons to book a stay at our hotel!