Dominating the Ionian coast from above, Castelmola, which views offers you a suggestive landscape where the splendid Taormina and the gracefulness of the Ionian Sea separated by an elegant strip of land, so thin as to seem drawn on canvas with a brush.
Once in Castelmola you will have the opportunity to visit one of the few Sicilian villages still imbued with that same magical atmosphere that was breathed in the Middle Ages and that only some scenes of the most evocative films set in that era will be able to give it you.
The first destination we invite you to visit is the central square, where you can admire the incredible mosaic floor entirely made of lava stone. From here the suggestion is to enter the now former Church of Sant’Antonio, now used as a municipal auditorium, where you can enjoy beautiful photographic images depicting the arched entrance and the staircase, which unfortunately were lost in 1928.
Another unmissable stop, the Mother Church, an imposing structure which, thanks to the numerous interventions over the centuries, contains different styles ranging from Romanesque to Baroque. Inside you can be enchanted by its four marble altars, arranged in such a way as to look at each other, and the wooden statue of Mary Magdalene.
Castelmola is not only art and history but, like all Sicilian towns, it is very tied to food and wine and offers delicious products that will coddle even the most refined palates. The almond wine, a white wine, is certainly the one capable of striking every tourist, based on Zibibbo, with a classic dry and aromatic taste, which presents notes of bitter almond, herbs, spices, caramel and citrus fruits.
To enjoy a simple aperitif or even have lunch, in an absolutely unusual place, you could go to the notorious Bar Turrisi, which has become a destination for all the tourists of the place. It is basically an inn where every single object recalls bold phallic forms without having to resort too much to the imagination.
The patronal feast is celebrated on 23rd April, on the occasion of San Giorgio while in winter it is possible to admire the numerous artistic cribs made with various and unusual materials such as matches, scraps of bread or bottle caps: excellent time to taste the typical Christmas sweets.
