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(text by Giuseppe M. Licitra –
Photos by Alfio Garozzo)
The Iblei mountain relief occupies the whole
south-eastern corner of Sicily. It appears like a vast
plateau culminating in Monte Lauro, 986 metres high, and
sloping towards the edge with a series of stepwise
faults, and delimited on the outside by a high fossil "cliff"
(an ancient rock line) at the foot of which there
extends a modest coastal plain. The surface water
system, characterised by deep valleys with almost
vertical walls, referred to as 'cave' ("gullies"),
developed along the preferential directions of the fault
lines; and seeing the imperviousness of the whole area,
precisely the gullies constituted, until recent times,
the only routes penetrating into the region, causing
relative isolation and singular homogeneity in language,
culture and traditions, making it a true island within
the island.
The 1693 earthquake, which was set off precisely by the
particular tectonics of the Iblei and destroyed all
towns and villages in this corner of Sicily, contributed
much to the consolidation of the singular architectural
homogeneity, since in the late seventeenth and early
eighteenth centuries all these places were rebuilt in
that elegant and original Baroque which reached its
greatest expression in Noto.
A visit to the natural and artistic beauties of the
Iblei area may even take several days, but a not too
difficulty bike itinerary (almost all on tarmac, with
descents prevailing over climbs) makes it possible to
visit two of the most significant towns in the whole
area: Palazzolo Acreide and Noto, respectively the
starting point and end of the itinerary.
Palazzolo, set in the heart of the Iblei, descends
directly from the ancient Akrai, founded by the people
of Syracuse in 664 B.C., as a defence against the Siculo
town of Pantalica and for control of the road westward.
The town was first destroyed by the Arabs, who rebuilt
it as Balansùl; and then again by the terrible
earthquake which brought an upheaval to the whole
south-eastern part of the island in 1693. The old part
of the town now has the elegant and original Iblei
Baroque look, but there are also very important vestiges
of antiquity, like the acropolis with the Greek theatre
and the Bouleuterion (senate meeting house), and the
Intaglianta and Intagliatella quarries, with tombs from
the Christian and Byzantine epochs.
After a visit to the old part and to the museum-house of
the ethnologist Antonino Uccello, you start pedalling
from the gate of the acropolis, and ride through the
town to get to state highway 287, the main road of our
itinerary. You proceed for some kilometres on a restful
quasi-plateau which slopes gently to the east. To the
right, set right in its rock bed and shown up only by
the luxuriant vegetation marking out its course, there
runs the Manghisi stream, which is to intersect the road
under an old bridge about 15 kilometres from Palazzolo.
Here you leave the tarmac road for the first time, and
for about two kilometres you go along a track which
flanks the stream at the bottom of the gully, until it "dies"
amid the vegetation, which is as thick and impenetrable
as a primeval jungle. Coming back onto the tarmac road,
you go for about five kilometres until you come to a
turning on the left, where a rusty sign for tourists
invites you to a long digression (12 km. per stretch)
towards Cava Grande (the big gully).
From here to the Cava Grande belvedere (two more
turnings, on the left, clearly marked) only curiosity
and available energy will decide the number of
digressions to be made along the numerous tracks
starting from the provincial road, some of which, on the
left, afford magnificent views of the Manghisi canyon,
which gets deeper and deeper, and the tributaries on the
right. At the belvedere, you can stop to admire the
superb panorama. The bed of the Manghisi (here referred
to as Cava Grande) winds under your eyes two hundred
metres below, at the bottom of a spectacular canyon
marked by countless pools and little waterfalls, with
rich aquatic fauna. The gully is a special nature
reserve, entrusted to the custody of the Forestry
Commission.
If you make a visit to the gully – this must be made on
foot, and you can leave your bike at the refreshment
place at the belvedere – this takes up the rest of the
day, so that when you come back it pays to go to Avola
(12 km., downhill), where you can spend the night. If
instead you have made do with enjoying the panorama from
above (possibly with a good pairs of binoculars), you
can go back along state highway 287, for another four
kilometres. The next turning is on the right,
immediately after Villa Vela. A sign indicates the
shrine of the Madonna della Scala, and it is only after
entering the diversion that you glimpse the sign for
Noto Antica (old Noto), half-hidden among olive leaves.
After a brief stop at the shrine to admire the image of
the Madonna, which is believed to date from the
Byzantine epoch and, according to a legend, was found on
a rock nearby, you go another four kilometres as far as
the ruins of old Noto, on the Alveria hill.
The Porta Reale (royal gate), at the back of which the
tower of the fortress still generates a sense of awe,
leads into the ancient town that gave the name to the
Val di Noto (Noto valley), one of the administrative
divisions of the island made by the Arabs. Today there
remain but a few ruins wrapped in ivy and brambles,
marking what was once one of the most important and
richly endowed strongholds on the island.
From the hermitage of the Madonna della Provvidenza,
high up on the rock spur dominating the Asinaro stream,
you can see the valley in all its wild beauty, as far as
the sea. Leaving your bikes with the custodian of the
hermitage, you can get down to the bed of the stream
along a rough path; here you can still make out the
remains of ancient mills and tanneries, and wandering
aimlessly among these millenary stones wrapped in
vegetation, you almost feel as if you were in a jungle
in Guatemala. The earthquake of 11 January 1693
destroyed in a few seconds what men had taken thousand
of years to build, and only the ruins of the fortress,
and a piece of the wall of the Jesuit monastery, now
recall the site of Neetum, dwelt in since prehistoric
times.
After getting back your bicycles, you set out along a
white track in very good condition which starts to go
downhill from the aedicule of the Madonna. After about
one kilometre the descent becomes very steep, and for a
few hundred metres you find yourself jumping up and down
on very hard cobblestones, which however soon give way
to smooth cement, down to the bottom of the valley,
where, after a small ford, you come back onto tarmac.
There is nothing much to say about the rest of the
itinerary; you proceed amid citrus plantations and
vineyards as far as the non-descript suburbs of modern
Noto. From the Villa Vela diversion, the distance
altogether is about 23 kilometres.
Noto, rebuilt in the valley starting from about 1695,
has been damaged by time and neglect, as well as by the
1990 earthquake; but despite the blemishes, highlighted
by fences and scaffolding around churches and mansions,
the town still exerts a subtle fascination on the
visitor, who is enchanted by the fantastic battlements
that a thousand faceless and nameless chisels have
engraved forever in its honey-coloured stones. And so,
though tired by the long ride, you cannot avoid
wandering at sunset around the paved roads of this town
which has caught the sun in its churches and mansions,
stopping to admire the picturesque Piazza del Municipio
(Town Hall square), where the original Senatorial
Building, dedicated to the Siculo king Ducetius, faces
the picturesque cathedral church, the symbol of temporal
power opposing spiritual; or the incredible ledges that
support the balconies of Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata.
And at the end of this roaming, which is full of
surprises, you can sit down exhausted at a table at the
Caffè Sicilia, in the avenue, to enjoy a priceless lemon
"jelly"
A FEW SUGGESTION
The best period for this excursion is spring or late
autumn, away from the fierce heat of summer (with
temperatures which may exceed 40 °C). You only need some
light clothing integrated by a pullover and a K-way in
case there should be a shower; light shoes (unless you
want to go down to Cava Grande) and a helmet. If you
make the excursion on the third Sunday in May, you can
assist at the traditional "flower procession" in Noto.
Palazzolo is connected to Syracuse every day by AST
coaches, which also go to Noto and Avola; to the latter
two places there are also various local trains,
connected with the long-distance trains to and from
Syracuse for the most important places on the mainland.
Modest but satisfactory accommodation is available: at
Palazzolo there is the Hotel Anapo (tel. 882286) and the
"La Torre" camping site (from May to October; tel.
882789); in Noto, the Hotel Stella (tel. 835695); at
Avola, the L'Ancora (tel. 822875) and Mignon (tel.
821788) hotels and the "Sabbiadoro" camping site (from
May to October; tel. 822415). The area code is 0931.
There are plenty of family-run eating places at
Palazzolo and in Noto.
Anyone requiring something more sophisticated can try
"La Trota" (tel. 875694) on the banks of the Manghisi,
about 5 kilometres from Palazzolo, along state highway
287, where, inside a natural grotto, very fresh locally
bred trout are served in a thousand different ways.
Visit the website |
Inclusion
in the prestigious World Heritage List UNESCO
"Late
Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto": Caltagirone, Militello
Val of Catania, Catania, Modica, Famous, Palazzolo Acreide,
Ragusa Ibla, Scicli.
An
archaeological zone between most ancient in the Italian
panorama, with a beautiful greek theatre, roman-hellenistic
road.
The
site hosts 12 large reliefs called "Santoni". It is the
greatest sanctuary to date uncovered, dedicated to the cult
of the oriental goddess of fertility Cibeles.
The
ruins of the Norman castle and the surrounding medieval
urban planning structure.
An
historical center of great architectonic value, strongly
characterized from a Baroque architecture, fruit of the
reconstruction post-earthquake of 1693 and, subsequently,
from the season of the Art Noveau.
The
religious manifestations like the festivity of S. Paul and
S. Sebastiano, known in all the Sicily.
International
Youth Festival of Classical Theatre.
The
several exhibitions proposed by the House-museum "Antonino
Uccello", the agricultural and food- Review of the products
and typical food... and more...
Carnival
is very lively in Palazzolo Acreide and is one of the oldest
in Sicily. As well as the parade of the allegorical cars and
groups dressed up, you may taste in various food festivals
the typical Palazzolo's food products like the sausage,
trout pastry, macaroni, cavatieddi (a typical local pasta)
and cannoli.
A
extremely varied landscape, with the Natural Reserve
of Cava Grande and the Natural Reserve of the
Anapo-Pantalica.
The
presence, in the beam of little kilometers, archaeological
and historical important archaeological zone like Kasmenai,
Ancient Avola, Castelluccio, Pantalica, the several
bizantine churches, etc.
