Fortresses and domains
The Sicilian territory extends from the mountains to the sea in 25.722 kmq. This is the why of large presence of castles in the island. Usually, the castles were placed in strategic points, in order to have control over all the landed estates. During the past, it was necessary to defend the edges by the enemies from different parts. These buildings are several in the countryside. Especially on the hills, we found ancient villages like Mussomeli, Sperlinga, Montalbano Elicona ext. Here, we propose just a short selection.
Acicastello Castle
On the East side, near Catania, you could visit the sea village of Acicastello. It is an interesting destination spending your free time into the sea. Then, the local cooking is really much appreciated. Literally, Acicastello means ‘the castle of Aci’. Indeed, it represents the symbol of the village. The castle is completely black for using of the local lava rocks. It is located inside the Civic Museum with three section: mineralogy, paleontology and archeology. There is an amazing panorama from up to there you can’t miss! The castle is open every day from 09:00 to 01:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 09:00 pm. Visit Catania, Acicastello and surroundings choosing our villas with pool in Sicily !
Maniace Castle
This castle is shaped like a huge square. During the 13th century, it represented the imperial palace of the Frederick II, the king of Sicily. Now as then, the Maniace Castle dominates the ancient part of Siracusa city, Ortigia island. Maybe, you are wondering about the origin of the name. The Maniace family was the last owner of the palace. Going around the seafront, you’ll see the extreme point of the Ortigia island with a giant yellow castle. There, you’ll have the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful Norman palaces of Italy. The palace is accessible every day with different opening times. The ticket costs 8 euro including one exhibition. Indeed, this incredible space is also used for art and show projects.
Donnafugata Castle
As many know, this place is really famous for ‘The Leopard’ movie. Indeed, the location represents an extraordinary mixture of styles from different periods and tastes. It has 122 rooms of which 22 are accessible to the public with the original furniture of the 18th period. This neo-gothic place was the elegance residency of Chiaramonte family, Counts of Modica and surroundings. It is open every day, except for Monday. We suggest to consult the guide to know the visiting. Indeed, the exhibition itinerary are several: 1. The Donnafugata castle includes the fashion and textile museum. 2. The fascinating park you could explore around the castle. Ragusa represents a special destination, not only for the baroque architecture, but also for the blooming countryside. If you decide to know this zone, tale a look our beautiful historical villas.
This article was written by Giulia Sofi
Today, she creates editorial content for cultural magazine and exhibition project.
Her articles have been published in some art magazine like CityRivista and Insideart.