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We visit it at the end of our 10-day trip through Sicily. The truth is that until the last day we didn’t decide whether to spend the final night in Aci Trezza or in Aci Castello, both towns very near to Catania.
Finally, we opted for Aci Trezza due to its nearness to the Isole dei Ciclopi (similarly referred to as Faraglioni). These are minute islands shaped by the amazing underwater undertaking of Etna volcano over 500,000 years ago.
We spent a single day in Aci Trezza. However, that amount of time was more than sufficient. Distances were quite short and even in just one afternoon, one can see everything there is to see.
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TOP THINGS TO DO IN ACI TREZZA IN ONE DAY
There is not much to do in Aci Trezza, except enjoy its coastal cuisine, its Faraglioni and relaxation on one of the beaches. However, visiting Aci Trezza in one day can provide the relaxing moment you need after an action-packed tour around Sicily.
BOAT TOUR BY THE FARAGLIONI DI ACI TREZZA
The best thing a person can do in Aci Trezza is to walk along the waterfront admiring the Faraglioni and taking a boat tour that allows seeing them from up close.
In our experience the chosen tour (the first observed upon arriving at the port) was very fortunate. The captain and his wife were extremely cordial offering juice and drinks to us and the other couple of Italians who had selected the excursion. They discussed the legend of Ulysses and the Cyclopes indicating the cave where the myth develops.
LEGEND OF THE CYCLOPES
Homer`s epic poem the Odyssey relates that Ulysses arrived at the Isole dei Ciclopi islands with his boat, where they discovered a cave full of food and drink. Ulysses and his men began enjoying a hearty feast.
Suddenly Polyphemus, the mightiest of the Cyclops and owner of the cave caught them inside.
When the giant with one eye had already consumed several of the intruders, Ulysses offered him the strongest wine to drink. Intoxicated, Polyphemus asked his name and he stated he was going by “Nobody.” At the moment Polyphemus fell into a very deep slumber due to the alcohol; that moment Ulysses and the survivors took advantage to insert a branch in the single eye, leaving him blind. Because of the pain, Polyphemus awoke and began to cry out that no one had attacked him. The rest of the Cyclops after hearing this thought he would be drunk or insane and they did not come to help him.
Following dawn the giant directed his herd grazing. Although blind, he contacted the again part every sheep ensure none Odysseus` companions rode them. However missed contacting his udders, where Ulysses others attached escaping. Realizing entice Polyphemus scorched rage. Accepted enormous stones projecting hoping achieve ship where Ulysses endeavoring leave.
According to Greek mythology the Faraglioni of Aci Trezza is nothing other than the stones that Polyphemus threw at the boat of Ulysses.
As he told the story, he sailed in the direction of Aci Castello. Before turning back we were allowed to take a dip in the deep waters of the sea.
I do not recollect the company name we hired for the tour. Upon arriving at the port, several boats were available providing this service, priced at €15 per individual.
VIA LUNGOMARE DEI CICLOPI
Following the tour we went for a bath in front of the Faraglioni, on the Via Lungomare dei Ciclopi. The shore wasn`t sandy but rocky. Even so, there were lots of tourists, particularly Italians. The views were simply spectacular. However, they should put more effort into cleaning the Area Marina Protetta Isole Ciclopi a bit more, because it was full of trash. And it`s a shame because the setting is incredibly beautiful.
After a little exploration, we found a marginally cleaner corner and we spent the whole afternoon leaping into the sea from the rocks.
VISIT to ACI CASTELLO
After dinner, we opted to visit Aci Castello. It takes about 20 minutes to get there on foot.
The atmosphere was in a class of its own. It made us think somehow of Palermo.Countless groups of teenagers were racing on their scooters and competing to see who played the loudest music. The city felt like a strange street party. Not only young people from Aci Castello, but also from Catania, Aci Trezza and surrounding villages. The worst part was the reckless way they drove their scooters.
We spotted, briefly, the Castello Normando di Aci Castello, situated in the main square. After having some ice cream we returned, with the fear of being run over by a scooter.
sunrise at THE FARAGLIONI DEI CICLOPI
The next morning we woke up to enjoy and photograph the sun rising behind the Faraglioni.
Of course the best time to enjoy the Riviera dei Ciclopi is at dawn, when there are no tourists and a serene atmosphere prevails.
WHERE TO EAT IN ACI TREZZA
In our day in Aci Trezza, in addition to purchasing arancini multiple times from a bakery near our lodging, we tried two different restaurants.
3. Do not fall asleep. Almost all the National Parks have very minimal light pollution. If you have the option to choose the dates in which you travel, do so during the New Moon and take the opportunity to photograph the Milky Way.
For our evening meal, we dined at the pizzería called L’Aragosta, where we relished our final Sicilian pizzas.
Both dining establishments are highly recommended. What I would propose, as we will be eating out for many days, is purchasing international travel insurance of the highest quality.
If this is simply one of the multiple trips you have scheduled in the next 12 months, I suggest you purchase annual travel coverage to conserve a significant amount of money compared to buying independent insurance for each of your trips.
WHERE TO STAY IN ACI TREZZA
We stayed at this lodging, which was conveniently situated and reasonably priced.
If this choice is not preferred, you can also explore other lodging in Aci Trezza here.
