Aci Castello

Aci Castello

The beautiful Aci Castello is the first center of the Cyclops Riviera, so called because of the rocks that emerge from the sea and seem thrown by a giant. Legend has it that it was the blinded Polyphemus who hurled them against Ulysses as he fled. The town was destroyed by an earthquake in the second half of 1100. The inhabitants were forced to flee to nearby locations, which in turn then developed as autonomous centers. Today they are recognizable by the prefix Aci (Acitrezza, Acireale etc.). Aci Castello is  a small seaside resort, nestling at the foot of an ancient Norman castle.
The sea is definitely the first attraction of Aci Castello. The landscape consists of the castle and the coastline, dotted with lemon trees, agaves and palm trees. It has been one of the corners of Sicily most painted by artists and therefore very famous abroad.

Aci Castello and The Cyclops Riviera

The castle dates back to the Middle Ages, which, spartan and massive, hangs over the threatening sea. The structure was built on a rock that had emerged during ancient volcanic eruptions of Mount Etna. It was built in precisely 1076 and is of Norman origin. The structure is really well preserved considering all the attacks it has suffered; volcanic eruptions having besieged it, and it luckily escaped the dangers of the Second World War. In the town of Aci Castello there is a special protected area consisting of islands and rocks of volcanic origin that are located a short distance from the coast. These are The Cyclops Rocks, fragments up to 70 meters high consisting of basalt prisms. This protected area of over 600 hectares is known as The Cyclops Riviera or Coast.

Aci Castello Cuisine

A local cuisine rich in the smells, tastes and colors of the island, it has drawn on the culinary traditions of the various peoples who have lived on the island: The Arabs, The Normans, The French, The Spanish.
Delicious seafood: different fish and shellfish. Among the tastiest dishes are a salad of seafood, swordfish carpaccio (thinly sliced raw fish), carpaccio of anchovies and carpaccio of shrimps, spaghetti al nero di seppia (spaghetti with squid in its black ink). The grilled fish is always fresh and of excellent quality.
There are excellent guaranteed-of-origin (DOC) local wines and typical Sicilian desserts: ice cream, granita (water ice), topped with hand-whipped cream (for real connoisseurs) Sicilian cannoli with ricotta in cascades. real connoisseurs). Sicilian cannoli with ricotta cascatelle (cascades).