Montalbano Elicona
The less known places of Sicily, richness of the Mediterranean.
16 March 2023 - Categorie: The places of the heart, Cultural tourism, Nature tourism Tags:
Sicily in recent years has seen a significant and welcome increase in national and international tourism. The reasons for making our wonderful island a destination for your holidays are really as numerous as the types of tourism: from city tourism, visiting the best known and main cities of the Sicilian territory, to cultural tourism, visiting the places defined as World Heritage by the UNESCO, to the food and wine one (how can we forget the Sicilian cuisine?) to the natural one, filling the days with excursions and walks in the secret and mysterious places of our sunny island.
And today we want to focus attention on those places that our South still jealously and secretly guards. Places less known by mass tourism, still little publicized by the mass media but equally splendid and worthy of a visit. Driven by curiosity and the desire for new knowledge, we recommend 2 in particular among all the wonders scattered throughout the Sicilian territory that affect both the expert traveler and the locals. Our attention today will focus on north-eastern Sicily, in particular, on Montalbano Elicona and on the Argimusco plateau.
Montalbano Elicona is a charming village of 1,994 inhabitants located in the metropolitan city of Messina, in the splendid eastern Sicily. In addition to the charming atmosphere and the many activities that the village has to offer, it is an excellent starting point for exploring this wonderful part of the island during your journey to discover Sicily.
The toponym Montalbano of this delightful village is thought to derive from the Latin Mons Albus with reference to the mountains covered by snow; according to other scholars, it derives from the Arabic al-bana with the meaning of "excellent place". The name Elicona instead derives from the Greek elikon, that is tortuous like the river to which it inspires, which was added starting from the 4th century BC.
The first news of the village dates from the ninth century AD. when, conquered by the Byzantines, it took on the appearance of a fortified fortress. During the Norman conquest, it was the moment of the arrival of a Lombard colony which left its traces in the lexicon and phonetics of the local dialect. But the first official testimony came in the famous Book of King Roger by the geographer Al-Idrisi who described the village as "a very rough rock to go up and down but rich in every good".
And today we want to focus attention on those places that our South still jealously and secretly guards. Places less known by mass tourism, still little publicized by the mass media but equally splendid and worthy of a visit. Driven by curiosity and the desire for new knowledge, we recommend 2 in particular among all the wonders scattered throughout the Sicilian territory that affect both the expert traveler and the locals. Our attention today will focus on north-eastern Sicily, in particular, on Montalbano Elicona and on the Argimusco plateau.
Montalbano Elicona is a charming village of 1,994 inhabitants located in the metropolitan city of Messina, in the splendid eastern Sicily. In addition to the charming atmosphere and the many activities that the village has to offer, it is an excellent starting point for exploring this wonderful part of the island during your journey to discover Sicily.
The toponym Montalbano of this delightful village is thought to derive from the Latin Mons Albus with reference to the mountains covered by snow; according to other scholars, it derives from the Arabic al-bana with the meaning of "excellent place". The name Elicona instead derives from the Greek elikon, that is tortuous like the river to which it inspires, which was added starting from the 4th century BC.
The first news of the village dates from the ninth century AD. when, conquered by the Byzantines, it took on the appearance of a fortified fortress. During the Norman conquest, it was the moment of the arrival of a Lombard colony which left its traces in the lexicon and phonetics of the local dialect. But the first official testimony came in the famous Book of King Roger by the geographer Al-Idrisi who described the village as "a very rough rock to go up and down but rich in every good".
Always in the wonderful north-eastern Sicily, a destination for national and international tourism, rises the Argimusco: a plateau located in the province of Messina, just north of the Etna, between the Nebrodi and Peloritani mountains and is divided between the towns of Montalbano Elicona, Tripi and Roccella Valdemone. A perfect destination and starting point to explore the beauties of this fantastic island during your holidays.
The Plateau is a magical place from which you can enjoy an unprecedented view: you can admire the volcano Etna, the Aeolian Islands and various mountain ranges such as Rocca Salvatesta and Capo Tindari up close. And let's not forget the nearby Nebrodi which, with their 70 square km rich in suggestive woods, green high altitude pastures and silent lakes, offer endless destinations and tourist attractions.
The Castle
The Medieval Atmosphere
Overview
Megaliths
Argimusco Plateau
As already mentioned, these two splendid places will also give you the opportunity to visit the most sought-after tourist destinations by world tourism: Taormina with its architectural beauties, including the Greek Theatre, and from here leave for countless trips to the most popular tourist places such as the Etna Park, the Alcantara Gorges, the Nebrodi Mountains, Caltagirone and much more. And why not rest in one of our phenomenal luxury villas in the area with their swimming pools for exclusive use and their views over the city bay?
Recommended villas
Il Faro di Brucoli: In the heart of the small fishing village of Brucoli, in the province of Syracuse and a few minutes by car from Catania, this wonderful residence is born. Built in 1911 and recently restored with taste and elegance, the residence has been transformed into a luxury lighthouse, the only one of its kind in all of Sicily! Let yourself be inebriated by the senses of this splendid place that smells of the sea, let yourself be lulled by its breeze and let yourself be given that fantastic view of the Ionian Sea and His Majesty, the Etna.
Nerello Mascalese: Splendid country residence located on the slopes of the Etna volcano, very close to the characteristic town of Randazzo. With its 5 bedrooms, it is ready to welcome you whether you are with family or friends for a holiday of peace and quiet, detached from the chaos of the city. The residence has many shaded corners in which to relax and a delightful private swimming pool in which to cool off in the hottest hours and be able to observe the wonderful panorama over the hills of Eastern Sicily.
Buena Vista: Majestic and elegant private villa in one of the most sought-after cities by world tourism: Taormina. With its 3000 square meters of garden, get ready for a holiday in the colors of eastern Sicily, enjoy the quiet inside the wonderful Jacuzzi located on the terrace of the house to give you an unprecedented view of the sea and the bay of the city since always most praised by writers, philosophers and artists such as Goethe, Nietzsche and Klimt.
Borgo degli Aranci: In the village of Fiumefreddo, at the foot of Mount Etna and in front of the Ionian Sea, this spectacular residence is born, surrounded by citrus trees whose scent of oranges will delight your holidays. The residence is divided into three wonderful houses close to each other and surrounded by 11 hectares of land whose green lawn will lead you to the splendid swimming pool overlooking the gentle slope that naturally slopes towards the sea.
Viagrande: Luxurious villa with private pool located in Viagrande, on the south-eastern side of Etna. Furnished with taste and elegance but with a modern spirit, this splendid residence will give you moments of absolute quiet on its well-equipped and covered terrace or in its swimming pool immersed in the green of the English lawn and surrounded by Mediterranean plants.
Vecchia Dimora Resort: Wonderful residence that was born a few kilometers from the Etna Volcano Park, detached from the chaos of the city and the classic tourist circuits to give you the opportunity to breathe the pure and nostalgic Sicily of an aristocratic past. Villaetna is an aristocratic home that has been renovated with great taste and attention to detail to preserve its splendid Baroque architecture. With its fantastic private swimming pool surrounded by the green nature of eastern Sicily, it is ready to give you immense peace and tranquility but also an excellent starting point for exploring this delightful part of the island.
Villa Tao: Immersed in a garden of over 2000 square metres full of plants with Mediterranean colours and scents, Villa Tao is a sensational villa with a modern and Sicilian taste far from the chaos of the city despite being a 10-minute walk from the town of Letojanni. With its splendid private swimming pool, its 6-seater Jacuzzi and its large and shaded patio, the residence is the perfect solution for large groups and is ready to give you moments of total peace and harmony while surrounded by the sounds of north-eastern nature.
Nerello Mascalese: Splendid country residence located on the slopes of the Etna volcano, very close to the characteristic town of Randazzo. With its 5 bedrooms, it is ready to welcome you whether you are with family or friends for a holiday of peace and quiet, detached from the chaos of the city. The residence has many shaded corners in which to relax and a delightful private swimming pool in which to cool off in the hottest hours and be able to observe the wonderful panorama over the hills of Eastern Sicily.
Buena Vista: Majestic and elegant private villa in one of the most sought-after cities by world tourism: Taormina. With its 3000 square meters of garden, get ready for a holiday in the colors of eastern Sicily, enjoy the quiet inside the wonderful Jacuzzi located on the terrace of the house to give you an unprecedented view of the sea and the bay of the city since always most praised by writers, philosophers and artists such as Goethe, Nietzsche and Klimt.
Borgo degli Aranci: In the village of Fiumefreddo, at the foot of Mount Etna and in front of the Ionian Sea, this spectacular residence is born, surrounded by citrus trees whose scent of oranges will delight your holidays. The residence is divided into three wonderful houses close to each other and surrounded by 11 hectares of land whose green lawn will lead you to the splendid swimming pool overlooking the gentle slope that naturally slopes towards the sea.
Viagrande: Luxurious villa with private pool located in Viagrande, on the south-eastern side of Etna. Furnished with taste and elegance but with a modern spirit, this splendid residence will give you moments of absolute quiet on its well-equipped and covered terrace or in its swimming pool immersed in the green of the English lawn and surrounded by Mediterranean plants.
Vecchia Dimora Resort: Wonderful residence that was born a few kilometers from the Etna Volcano Park, detached from the chaos of the city and the classic tourist circuits to give you the opportunity to breathe the pure and nostalgic Sicily of an aristocratic past. Villaetna is an aristocratic home that has been renovated with great taste and attention to detail to preserve its splendid Baroque architecture. With its fantastic private swimming pool surrounded by the green nature of eastern Sicily, it is ready to give you immense peace and tranquility but also an excellent starting point for exploring this delightful part of the island.
Villa Tao: Immersed in a garden of over 2000 square metres full of plants with Mediterranean colours and scents, Villa Tao is a sensational villa with a modern and Sicilian taste far from the chaos of the city despite being a 10-minute walk from the town of Letojanni. With its splendid private swimming pool, its 6-seater Jacuzzi and its large and shaded patio, the residence is the perfect solution for large groups and is ready to give you moments of total peace and harmony while surrounded by the sounds of north-eastern nature.