Acireale
A Baroque town on a lava plateau, with a splendid cathedral square, famous for its Carnival floats and Sicilian puppet theatre.
Acireale lies between Catania and Taormina, built on the Timpa, a lava cliff overlooking the sea. It was rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake, and the cathedral, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, and the town hall surround a splendid Baroque square. The February Carnival, known for its giant allegorical floats and flower floats, is one of the grandest in Sicily. The town also has a traditional Sicilian puppet theatre. You can follow the stepped path down to the seaside fishing village of Santa Maria la Scala, and the Timpa nature reserve is good for hiking. Trains and buses to Catania take about 20–30 minutes.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Mount Etna
- Naxos Archaeological Park
- Giardini Naxos
- Corso Umberto & Piazza IX Aprile, Taormina
- Alcantara Gorge
- Villa Comunale di Taormina
- Castelmola
- Ancient Theatre of Taormina