Sant'Alfio is a small village located in the City of Catania in Sicily, about 160 kilometers east of Palermo on the eastern slopes of Mount Etna. It is situated at an altitude of 550 meters and it is a very quiet and cool countryside surrounded by hazelnut and chestnut groves, woods and vast vines that produce Etna DOC wine. The benchmark of the village is the oldest and largest chestnut tree in Europe, called the Castagno dei Cento Cavalli -or Chestnut of the 100 Horses. Sant'Alfio was founded in the 1600s as one of the "torre" (towers) of the County of Mascali, a vast feudal territory and retains its original street plan of cobbled alleys low houses, interspersed with little piazzas and adorned with grand palazzi. An interesting sight is found in the Piazza del Duomo, where a cathedral built of lava rock in a country Romanesque style stands proudly.
The wider region around Sant’Alfio is of great interest and includes some beautiful cities, such as the coastal towns of Giarre, around 7km away, which hosts the remains of an 11th-century church. Taormina to the north will charm you with its lovely beaches, its quaint town center, and a magnificent Greek-Roman amphitheater. If you are a Carnival lover, Acireale involves but is also home to several Baroque-style buildings and Roman thermal baths. Catania is Sicily’s second largest city, with an attractive historic center and fabulous fish market! The slopes of Mount Etna are dotted with hillside towns such as Zafferana Etnea and Milo, constructed largely out of black lava stone. In addition to visiting Mount Etna, a range of excursions, wine-tastings and adventure activities are also available.
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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