Aci Castello was founded as a fishing village dominated by a basalt cliff on which is perched a stunning Norman Castle. This fortress, built in 1076 using lava stone, currently houses the Museo Civico, that consists of three sections: mineralogy, paleontology and archeology. After exploring the castle, our expert-led tour will continue with a visit to the Mother Church of Aci Castello, that boasts the frescoes painted by Pietro Paolo Vasta.
Few kilometres separate the center of Aci Castello from Acitrezza, an ancient fishing village founded as a port at the end of the 17th century, in which Giovanni Verga set the events of the novel “I Malavoglia”. The landscape of this charming village is dominated by the imposing eight basaltic rocks that, according to legend, were thrown into the sea by Polyphemus to hit Odysseus escaping.
