February 3, 2016

Catania

SICILY - Catania.
Sant'Agata Celebration. 

03/Feb/2016 to 08/Feb/2016.

CLICK HERE for the post about the 2020 Sant'Agata celebration
CLICK HERE for the post about the 2019 Sant'Agata celebration
CLICK HERE for the post about the 2018 Sant'Agata celebration
CLICK HERE for the post about the 2017 Sant'Agata celebration
CLICK HERE for the post about the 2015 Sant'Agata celebration
CLICK HERE to read more about the Sant Agata procession in Catania (Italian language) 



(Click to EXIT)

Wednesday 03/Feb/2016.
Home to CATANIA journey.

- 12:00-13:25, Alitalia AZ335 flight from Marseille to Rome, 1h25.
- 14:40-16:00, Alitalia AZ1741 flight from Rome to Catania, 1h20.
      (238€ for these two flights, including the two return flights).



 

Sant'Agata celebration announcement.

 Crowded Piazza Universidad, admiring the giant firewworks above distant Piazza Alcala.

Belgian Fries ! That's a new shop in Catania.
 
Also this import from Marseille is new in Catania.

Confusion in Pasticceria Savia on Via Etnea.

 |---| Casa Lantana, San Gregorio di Catania, Italy, 35€/night incl breakfast.
Thursday 04/Feb/2016.
CATANIA, SYRACUSA, AVOLA.
 
Early morning mass, at 6:00 AM : the Messa dell'Aurora.
Trapped in the left aisle of the cathedral.  Impossible to go any further.
 
At the end of the mass service,
the silver bust of Sant Agata is carried to the procession cart, waiting outside.

After the mass service, it takes 15 minutes to leave the duomo.
Sant'Agata is mounted on the cart and makes her first tour (Giro Esterno).
 
Breakfast : a lot of confusion in the bar.
Syracusa, the duomo and the chiesa Santa Lucia alla Badia.

A 'Spritz' in front of Syracusa's duomo.

Avola (famous for the Nero d'Avola wine), the main square.

Cava Grande de Cassibile.
Unfortunately The 'Scala Cruci' trail to descend into the canyon is closed.
Cava Grande del Cassibile canyon, with the beautiful lakes, now inaccessible.
A perfect swimming spot during the hot summer days.

Cava Grande del Cassibile, cluster of cave dwellings in the canyon cliff at the other side.
Fishing boats near to the dolmen of Marina di Avola.

|---| Casa Lantana, San Gregorio di Catania, Italy, 35€/night incl breakfast.


Friday 05/02/2016.
SANT ALFIO, CATANIA.
The Cento Cavalli chestnut tree in Sant Alfio, over 2000 years old.
The Eastern slopes of the Mount Etna volcano, as observed from Sant Alfio.
Snow chains being sold in Zafferana Etnea (550m), required for the mountain roads.
Saint Mary of Providence church, Zafferana Etnea.

Sant'Agata Procession, Catania (second day, the Giro Interno).
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festa_di_sant'Agata 
 








The 'Catanisi' (habitants of Catania) appreciate cedrate lemons.

The 'Catanisi' (habitants of Catania) like street grilled shorse meat.

|---| Casa Lantana, San Gregorio di Catania, Italy, 35€/night incl breakfast.
Saturday 06/02/2016.
OASI DEL SIMETO, CASTIGLIONE DI SICILIA, MESSINA.


One more excellent B&B breakfast at Casa Lantana.

Simeto Natural Reserve.

Found some useful plastic on the beach, washed ashore : a chair and a basket.

Castiglione di Sicilia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castiglione_di_Sicilia

Castiglione di Sicilia, San Antonio church (closed, as all of their churches).

Bruschetta, to start the lunch.

Antipasto 'Sine Tempore'.

Pasta alla Norma (aubergine, ricotta cheese and tomato),  
with a second carafe of Etna wine.

Ravioline con ricotta.

  
And lastly, 'un buon caffè'.
All together 17€ for this excellent lunch, including water, wine and coffee.
(Ristorante Sine Tempore, Castiglione di Sicilia http://www.ristorantesinetempore.com).
Mount Etna, with its volcanic activity observed from Castiglione di Sicilia.

Maniace, Nelson Castle, the very last feudal place of Europe.
http://www.bronteinsieme.it/BrIns_en/2st_en/nelson-duchi_en.html

The North-Western slopes of Mount Etna, as observed from Maniace.

|---| Casa Lantana, San Gregorio di Catania, Italy, 35€/night incl breakfast.  


Sunday 07/02/2016.
CAVA GRANDE, PANTALICA.

Cava Grande del Cassibile, canyon hike.


The 'Sentiero Carrubella' is marked in yellow dotted lines on this map.
Pantalica necropolis and Anapo canyon hike.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necropolis_of_Pantalica 



The cliffs of the Pantalica canyon count more than 5000 tomb caves,
dating from the bronze age.

The trail crosses the river five times (some tourists manage it without accident).

Few caves still contain religious paintings.

|---| Casa Lantana, San Gregorio di Catania, Italy, 35€/night incl breakfast.


Monday 08/02/2016.
Catania to HOME journey. 

- 06:15-07-35, Alitalia AZ1722 flight from Catania to Rome, 1h20.
- 09:45-11:10, Alitalia AZ334 flight from Rome to Marseille, 1h25 (late by one hour).

 |---| Home, Aix-en-Provence.

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