City: Acireale - Pop.52000 - Alt
: 161 m a.s.l. - Location: Sicily
Description: Acireale is a small baroque town
situated on a lava tableland very rich in a vegetation of citrus orchards on the slopes of Volcano
Etna, falling sheer to the sea. Acireale has been destroyed many times
from eruptions or earthquakes. The town, since Roman times, has been
famous for its thermal waters.
Sights and Attractions: The Duomo of Acireale is
very famous, has a beautiful baroque portal with interior very rich in frescos and sculptures •
Church of Sant'Antonio da Padova with Gothic portal • The Basilica dei Santi Pietro Paolo • The Palazzo Comunale with
richly decorated facade and windows • The library "Zalantea"
preserving about 150000 books • The "Pinacoteca" art gallery • "San Camillo", a
beautiful baroque church with a splendid cycle of frescos • Church of San
Sebastiano • Piazza Vigo, which is the main square of Acireale • Villa Belvedere
public gardens (commanding views) • Santa Venera thermal spas built next to
the ancient Greek and Romans spas.
Nearby: Santa Maria la Scala, a small village of
fishermen, 2 km away for the
city center • The characteristic and picturesque lava stone built
villages of
Santa Tecla and Stazzo.
Museums: The Archeological museum •
Events: Jan 20,Feast of San Sebastiano (procession
and final fireworks) • The
spectacular Carnival of Acireale dating back to 1594 • Ester, Good
Friday
procession • July 26, Feast of the city patron saint, Santa Venera,
with
procession and fireworks • Sept 29, Feast of San Michele (procession
and
fireworks) • Dec 8, Feast of Virgin Mary (procession and spectacular
fireworks)
Market day: Saturday
Typical products: Gelato, granita, cannoli,
Sicilian cakes, almods, pistachios,
citrus fruits and fish.
Surrounding smaller towns and hamlets: Aci Platani,
Balatelle, Capo Mulini,
Guardia, Mangano, Pennisi, Piano d'Api, Pozzillo, Santa Maria la
Scala, Santa
Tecla, Santa Maria degli Ammalati, Santa Maria delle Grazie, Santa
Caterina,
Santa Maria la Stella ,
San
Giovanni Bosco, Scillichenti, Stazzo.
Neighboring towns: Aci Castello, Aci Catena, Aci
Sant'Antonio, Giarre, Riposto,
Santa Venerina, Zafferana Etnea
Nearest airport: Catania airport
Nearest train stations: Acireale has its own train station
Public transportation:
Distances: Agrigento 182 km; Catania 20km; Florence km;
Giardini Naxos 35, Messina 85 km; Modica 123 km; Noto 111 km; Orvieto
881 km; Rome 780 km; Palermo 226 km; Siena
km; Syracuse 85 km;Taormina 42 km; Volcano Etna 10 km.
