A few hours in Calatabiano

One late-winter afternoon, when the air was just beginning to smell of spring, gave us the idea of going to visit Calatabiano castle. To reach Calatabiano Castle you just take the ME-CT motorway and exit at the Giardini Naxos toll booth, then head towards Catania until the junction with the provincial road that leads to Calatabiano. There, on top of a small hill about 210 m above sea level, stands the castle. To get into the keep, which is still being restored and therefore closed to visitors, you have to walk up a steep climb. Almost at the foot of the crag on which the castle stands is the Church of the SS Crocifisso, dating from 1484, also known as the church of San Filippo Ciriaco (or Siriaco, but sometimes also called Siriano), the town's patron saint and the setting — on the Saturday before the third Sunday in May — of the so-called 'Calata di San Filippo'.

Unfortunately the restoration work kept us from visiting the castle. Still, we were able to breathe the fresh, fragrant air of spring's first timid signs. The walk was a pleasure for the eyes too, thanks to the lovely view you get: below, the Alcantara; above, Etna; and towards the sea, the plain on which Giardini Naxos stands. A relaxing couple of hours, to be repeated as soon as the castle's restoration is finished.