Avola, an Ionian beach town, is a blend of ancient and new. With its past as a tuna fishing port, the town places a strong emphasis on the sea. The ruins of the Vecchia Tonnara are now a stone background to the sandy beaches near the port. Avola was founded by the Sicani, a pre-Greek population. The Greek colony was founded in the 8th century BC, followed by the arrival of the Romans in 227 BC. Avola has retained some of its historic features, such as its palm-lined piazzas. Restaurants, cafés, and pastry shops, as well as a variety of stores and services, provide regional delicacies. The town is known for the wine named after it, Nero d'Avola, a robust red type sold all over the world. Almond trees, citrus plantations, and vegetable farming are also found here.
Festivals, particularly food feasts, are popular in the town, as well as a summer lineup of concerts and parties. A Sagra del Vecchio Mare is celebrated at the former tuna fishing port to honour the town's heritage and the tuna fishing industry, which was once its lifeline. However, the sea and the large beaches, are a big part of Avola's allure. The Ionian shoreline is clear here, and the large stretches of sandy beaches are ideal for children. A lengthy pier that juts out into the sea runs along the shoreline and is a popular site for a romantic stroll.
Sicily is the largest of the Italian islands, separated from the Continent by the Strait of Messina and washed by the Ionian, the Tyrrhenian, and the Mediterranean Seas. It is a true gem of Southern Italy and is a place with abundant nature and rich history and traditions along with outstanding architecture. Nature here seems to have embraced all its versions: mountains, hills, and above all the most magnificent azure sea, with its crystal-clear water and the impeccable beauty of its colorful seabed. Sicily also involves three volcanos, with the most famous being Etna which adds one more color to the unique palette of this mythical island.
The birthplace of the Roman Empire and Renaissance, Italy, showcases many of the world’s greatest artworks, architectural buildings and over the top gastronomical proposals. This is the country where the word “style” expresses the whole nation. Italy has more Unesco World Heritage cultural sites than any other country; among them are Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera, Michelangelo’s David and Sistine Chapel and da Vinci’s The Last Supper.
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