Case Vacanza Sicilia

To the discovery of Avola and outskirts

Avola is famous in Europe for delicious Almonds, named after the town itself, and for the famous black grape wine "Nero d'Avola".

Avola is a little city close to the principal interesting places in the South Est of Sicily. You will have a confortable point for visit all area. A perfect base for relaxing and exploring the nearby beaches and baroque towns. By car, by moto or by bus from Avola a lot of places are far only 10-20 minutes.

The geographical location of Avola allows you to soak up the culture and enchanting atmosphere of this historical city and quickly reach all tourist itineraries of the area: Noto, capital of Baroque, is only 8 km far from the city. Syracuse, with its Greek monuments and medieval village, and its very important Museum is 20 km far.
In 30 minutes you can reach the famous Lakes of Cava Grande di Cassibile and in 20 minutes the Natural Reserve of Vendicari. Even the town of Scicli, Ragusa Ibla, Palazzolo Acreide and Modica are wonderful to visit and easy to reach too.

The location is really good. By car you are pretty fast to anything in the south east. A perfect mix of beach and culture holiday.

Avola is still an undiscovered beauty in this exciting corner of Sicily.
Some may recognize the name of the Sicilian excellent blue grape Nero d'Avola that is believed to originate from here.
Originally the town (Avola Antica) was built on a small hill, but the extensive and devastating earthquake in 1693 meant that the city had to be reconstructed on another site. Therefore it was relocated on a plain not far from the sea.
As several of the other beautiful towns in this corner of Sicily, Avola's main attraction is its architectural appearance which is dominated by the ubiquitous baroque design. Avola is also known for its beautiful surrounding nature which is primarily dominated by almond trees.

The town has a very peculiar hexagonal layout and five squares and shows many Art-Nouveau buildings.
Close to the larger one, named after Umberto I Place, there is the Mother Church, with a widening in the front.

The church was built in the 18th century according to the taste of that period, which loved the scenographic and monumental effects.
The facade is delimited by towers and there is a beautiful immense portal.
The interior has a basilical structure, that is a rectangular layout divided in three naves by rows of columns.
The church keeps a splendid 18th century pipe organ and an original choir for choristers.

The most important monuments are the Mother Church, the Baroque church of Our Lady of the Annunciation and the church of St. Anthony Abbate, the Neo-classical Garibaldi Theatre, the Regina Elena Place.

In the hinterland of Avola, you will find the "Sicilian Grand Canyon", the Riserva Naturale di Cava Grande del Cassibile.
This lovely nature reserve is pervaded by heavenly calm. Lush maquis, fragrant oleander and giant plane trees line the descent into the river valley of the Cassibile. At the bottom of the gorge, at a depth of 250 metres, you are welcome to take a refreshing swim in the water basins and afterwards a sunbath on the heated rocks.

Being a fine resort to visit, tourism is good in springtime and especially in summer to enjoy the wonderful seaside. Warm temperatures can be enjoyed until the end of October. In winter temperatures are not below 10° C (usually around 16° C).

Avola is well-known for its black wine Nero d'Avola and its cultivar almond "Pizzuta Avola", the main ingredient of its famous sweet. You can taste the dishes based on fish of the own sea.

Baroque splendour at nearby Noto

Noto, located only 8 km from Avola, is considered the most beautiful baroque town of Sicily.
The main building material used was local compacted limestone, a substance that seemingly absorbs the sun’s aureate rays and transforms them into a soft golden-honeyed glow. The effect at sunset is quite something.

The main thoroughfare is Corso Vittorio Emanuele along which many of Noto’s most representative buildings stand. It begins at the Porta Reale and extends east via three piazzas, each with its own church. The public gardens are situated along this road as are the Monastero del Santissimo Salvatore with its graceful tower, the inspired Palazzo Ducrezio, the Cathedral, the Church of San Francesco, the Jesuit Church and College and Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, the magnificent Church of San Domenico and Fountain of Hercules..

All these buildings are obviously Baroque in style but each is unique with its own fascinating design: grotesque masks, cherubs and curlicues jostle with volutes and other embellishments, and puffed-up wrought iron goose breasted balconies abound.

At the end of May, Noto celebrates the marvels of Spring and the coming summer with a colourful "Festa" known as the "Infiorata". The street of Corrado Nicolaci becomes home to flower artists who create the most beautiful mosaics using petals.

Syracuse was the most important city of Magna Graecia. It defeated the mighty Athens in 413 and was home to many a great Greek, including the inimitable Archimedes. At the height of its economic, political and military powers, the city, according to Cicero, was “the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all”.

For those travelling to Sicily today, Syracuse is not to be missed. It is relatively easy to visit in two days: one dedicated to the archaeological site, the other to the island of Ortygia.

The archaeological site is home to a staggering number of well-preserved Greek and Roman remains. The main attraction is undoubtedly the Greek theatre that dates back at least until the 5th Century BC. The theatre is still used for an annual Greek theatre festival running from the middle of May to the end of June.
Just over the ridge from the theatre are the old stone quarries (latomie). Of most interest is the famous “Ear of Dionysius”. The Roman amphitheatre, built in the 3rd Century AD, was used for spectacles with gladiators and wild animals.

Ortigia - Syracuse's island heart

The best way to see the island of Ortygia is just to wander. It’s difficult to get lost (it measures just 1km by 500 metres), but packed with over 2.500 years of history. Architectural styles vary widely, encompassing Greek and Roman remains, Mediaeval Norman buildings and a great deal of understated Baroque.

To visit: the fountain of Arethusa, the Temple of Apollo, Piazza Archimede.
Into the real centre of Ortygia, there is Piazza del Duomo. This delightful pedestrian square is home to the wonderful Cathedral built on the site of an ancient Temple of Athena as can clearly be seen from the original Doric columns that were incorporated into the building’s main structure. Also on this square is the beautifully symmetrical Baroque Palazzo Beneventano and the church of Santa Lucia, the town’s patron saint.
Wandering around the eastern limits of Siracusa, you fill find a maze of streets that eventually open out at the southern extreme of the island and the Castello Maniace, a true bastion built by Frederick II in 1239.
Other sights of interest on Ortygia include the Byzantine Miqwe (Jewish baths) under the Hotel alla Giudecca.
However, as already mentioned at the beginning, the best way of visiting Ortygia is to simply follow your nose and soak up the atmosphere.