Catanian Coast
Explore the Riviera dei Ciclopi north of Catania where the jagged black lava sea stacks known as the Faraglioni dei Ciclopi, traditionally identified as the rocks thrown by the blinded Cyclops Polyphemus at Odysseus, create the most dramatically volcanic coastal landscape in Sicily with the backdrop of Etna above.
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Aci Castello
Visit Aci Castello where the Norman castle built on a basalt sea stack above the Ionian Sea at the beginning of the Riviera dei Ciclopi is one of the most dramatically positioned fortifications in Sicily, the castle museum and the black lava rock platform below it providing the first encounter with the volcanic coastal landscape north of Catania.
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Aci Trezza
Visit Aci Trezza, the fishing village made famous by Giovanni Verga novel I Malavoglia where the Faraglioni dei Ciclopi, the three great basalt sea stacks rising from the Ionian Sea, create the most striking natural landmark on the Catanian coast, the fishing boats still working from the small harbor below the volcanic rocks.
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Faraglioni dei Ciclopi
See the Faraglioni dei Ciclopi, the volcanic sea stacks of Aci Trezza identified in ancient tradition as the rocks hurled by the blinded Cyclops Polyphemus at the escaping ship of Odysseus, the basalt pillars rising from the Ionian Sea in the shadow of Etna creating one of the most mythologically resonant and visually dramatic landscapes in Sicily.
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Acireale
Visit Acireale, the most important city on the Riviera dei Ciclopi where the magnificent baroque historic center with its numerous churches, the thermal baths using the natural volcanic springs, and the Carnival of Acireale celebrated as one of the finest in Italy create a substantial destination above the sea-level fishing villages.
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Ionian Swimming
Swim in the Ionian Sea on the Catanian coast where the volcanic rock platforms and the small beach coves between Aci Castello and Acireale provide the finest swimming accessible from Catania, the water exceptionally clear and the underwater volcanic rock formations creating unusual snorkeling environments in the Ionian Sea.
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Seafood Villages
Eat seafood in the fishing restaurants of Aci Trezza and Aci Castello where the fresh catch from the Ionian Sea arrives directly from the boats to the kitchen, the restaurants serving the traditional Sicilian seafood preparations including the fresh pasta with sea urchin and the swordfish in the rich tomato and caper sauce in settings overlooking the volcanic sea stacks.
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