How to go to Aci Castello and Aci Trezza
Catania, famous Sicily’s town, known for its good food, its beautiful sea and its volcano (Etna) is more then a simple storic centre. It’s also those neighboring suburbs that make up its province. Two of the most important of them are Aci Castello and Aci Trezza. Theses can be reached by bus, the line is the number 534. The race starts from Borsellino Square and runs along the seafront, firstly from Ognina to Aci Castello (C.Colombo stop) and then Aci Trezza (Piazza Scuole stop). The most enterprising people can rent a car or a scooter for better enjoy the Ionian sea coast.
The road that leads to Aci Castello is really particular, because on the right side tourists can see a wonderful and rare landscape. In the same place there are green of Mediterranean vegetation, black of lava rocks and blue of Ionian Sea. Here, in summer season, there’s a lot of shores where people sunbathe and take a bath. There are also some places where you can stop for better admire landscape.
Piazza Castello, 23, 95021 Aci Castello CT, Italia
Aci Castello: the norman castle
So, running Pezzana Road, you arrive at the most important square of Aci Castello: Castello Square. On the right side, looking out from the railing that runs alone the sidewalk, you can admire a cliff over the sea. However looking up you see the Norman Castle overlooks the square. The headland where this castle stands is entirely composed of lava rock; it raise since 500.000 years ago. It linked with the coast as a consequence of volcanic eruption in 1169 A.C. It’s origin is still debated. Anyway, the castle was property of Ruggero di Lauria during Sicilian Vespers. Today it’s a civic museum. In center, there's a quadrangular tower and inside there are severals archeological relics, most of them from sea. On the left of the castle, you arrive the end of Castello Square: here there’s a panoramic point that shows an incredible seascape and, from there, you can see the famous Aci Trezza’s faraglioni. On the left side of the square, you can find some bars and restaurants.
Via Lungomare Dei Ciclopi, 183, 95021 Aci Trezza CT
Aci Trezza: Malavoglia's hometown
On the way, continuing by bus or by your rentend vehicle, you arrive in Aci Trezza, Malavoglia’s hometown (as the sign at the entrance says). After Piazza Scuole bus stop, walking trough a small street you can reach the coast. The seafront is full of bars and restaurant, where you can eat delicious fish dishes. Along the seafront, there’s also a little bar (typical name is ‘chiosco’). Here you can taste several typical drinks of Catania: lemon seltz and salt (prepared with seltz water, lemon squeezed and a teaspoon of salt), lemon mandarin (prepared with seltz water, lemon squeezed and mandarin syrup), tamarind (seltz water, lemon squeezed and tamarind syrup).
In Aci Trezza there’s also the famous Nespolo house. There is a clear reason why the sign at the entrance of the suburb defines it “Malavoglia’s hometown”. It was there that the sicilian writer Giovanni Vega set his famous novel “The Malavoglia”. This house is a simple house, divided in two rooms. It’s located near the church of San Giovanni Battista. The house has a beautiful yard with a medlar tree. Inside there’s a little musem. However, Aci Trezza is also famous for being the set of Luchino Visconti’s film “La terra trema”. It was shot with locals non-professional actors.
