Capo Schisò, formed from ancient lava flows, extends out into the sea from the harbour where Naxos once stood, colonised by the Greeks in the 8th century BC. Three centuries later it was occupied and destroyed by the Syracusans. The most splendid remains of the town include long stretches of the walls, built from crudely hewn blocks; an enclosing wall belonging to a great sanctuary; a temple, probably dedicated to Aphrodite, and two furnaces, a rectangular one for the manufacture of tiles and a circular one for vessels. Not to be missed is the Archaeological Museum of Naxos, home of many precious finds.

The town was already well known as a thermal resort in Roman times for its sulphurous waters. The largest of the towns on the eastern slopes of the volcano, Acireale is a gem of the Sicilian Baroque style. Attractively stretched along a ridge of lava overlooking the sea, Acireale is a centre of touristic, historical, naturalistic and cultural interest. The town brings together in outstanding harmony the strong contradictions between myth and history, sacred and profane, learning and religious devotion. Its architectural heritage reaches its height in the splendid Baroque style of its churches and palaces, as well as in its magnificent nineteenth century buildings.  Its winters are characterised by charming popular festivals; the feast of St Sebastian, whose eighteenth century litter is dragged through the streets of the town by worshippers, and its Carnival, rightly defined “the most beautiful in Sicily”. The rich variety of nature and landscape allows visitors to enjoy not only the Mediterranean maquis of the “Timpa” nature reserve, the sea and its characteristic cliffs, but also Mount Etna, the frequently active volcano with its snow-covered slopes. Don’t miss Aci Castello with its black fortified on a striking promontory and Aci Trezza with its basalt cliffs known as the “Rocks of the Cyclops”.

Ancient Katane is proud of its many records... Sicilian Baroque, the nightlife in its pubs and bars. Visit the Cathedral with the treasure of St. Agatha, the Biscari Palazzo, the Greek-Roman theatre, the Swabian Federico II’s Ursino Castle, Piazza Stesicoro, from which a suggestive underground trail starts with its early Christian archaeological remains.
Ancient Catania’s most important remains date from the Roman period. These are the splendid theatre and amphitheatre, both built during the imperial period in the 1st and 2nd century before Christ. The material used for their construction – lava stone – was to be used subsequently to build houses and monuments, thus giving the city its characteristic blackish colour.