Trecastagni is a commune in the Metropolitan City of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located southeast of Palermo and north of Catania.
Sitting on the hills on the lower slope of the mt. Etna, Trecastagni has great views. The surrounding area is characterized by small volcanic cones and the high peak of Etna rises above. But it’s the very panoramic setting that is at the heart of Trecastagni – right where the hills go down to Viagrande, opening up to the bay of Siracusa and Calabria in mainland Italy. You can enjoy the best summer activities and winter skiing.
1. Cyclopean Isles
The Cyclopean Isles, noted for their rows of basaltic columns piled one above another, lie not far from Mount Etna off the eastern coast of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea.
2. Benanti Winery
The Benanti winery was founded in 1988 by Giuseppe Benanti, a pharmaceutical entrepreneur from Catania who decided to turn his family’s long-standing traditional passion into an ambitious and challenging new venture. The wine had been produced by the family for several generations, mostly for private consumption, until Giuseppe finally decided to establish the winery with the aim of preserving the unique terroir of Etna’s volcanic slopes, whilst cherishing and developing the indigenous Etnean varieties.
3. Old Town
The old town retains its city gate as an entrance and welcomes to the town, opening to streets lined with once-grand palaces and different-styled churches. Since its name means “three chestnut trees” the town naturally celebrates its primary product with a festival every October. It is just 15 kilometers to the beaches and about 30 kilometers to the ski slopes. They have a festival dedicated to the Sicilian “carretto” – highly decorative horse- or mule-drawn carts that once transported goods into villages, from which vendors would sell their wares, a big festival on December 6 to honor Trecastagni’s patron saint, San Nicola (St. Nicholas). There is a line-up of summer entertainment, and the town’s historic theater, the Teatro Comunale, still hosts shows and plays.
4. Monte Serra Natural Park
Monte Serra Natural Park is located on Etna hillsides at 450 m a.s.l. in Viagrande municipal district. It extends for 30 hectares around Mount Serra, an ancient horseshoe-shaped volcanic crater. Visitors can enjoy a rich natural environment thanks to nature trails winding in the oak wood and the Mediterranean scrub up to the top of the hill.
5. Acireale
Acireale is a surprising city on the Etna Coast. Resting at the foot of Mt. Etna on the Ionian Sea, it has an elegant historic center and a buzzing local life. The splendid Piazza del Duomo is a beautiful Baroque gathering spot flanked by inspiring architecture. Acireale is home to the oldest art academy in Sicily.