Aci Castello & Aci Trezza | Things to Do & What to See

Wayamaya detailed travel guide (things to do & what to see) with useful travel tips to:

Aci Castello and Aci Trezza

in the Metropolitan City of Catania in Sicily, Italy.

Aci Castello and Aci Trezza – a one day trip to Riviera dei Limoni

Fishing boats in harbor & Norman Castle, Aci Castello | Sicily, Italy

The east coast of Sicily is known as Riviera dei Limoni (because of its lemon trees), but it is famous for its volcanic rock formations and impressive Mount Etna in the background.

The beautiful seaside of Aci Castello and Aci Trezza is located about 10 km from Catania, near Acireale and is a very popular summer vacation destination.

Travel tip: don’t choose Aci Trezza or Aci Castello – visit both in one day 🙂

How to get to Aci Castello and Aci Trezza

Outdoor party, Aci Trezza | Sicily, Italy

Travel tip: You don’t need to rent a car to get there – it’s best to travel to Aci Trezza and Aci Castello by bus. Take city bus 534 which departs from the train station Borsellino near the Duomo Plaza in Catania to Aci Trezza. The bus also returns from Aci Castello to Catania.

Travel tip: There is a big parking in Aci Trezza if you are traveling by car.

Aci Trezza – Cyclopean Isles

Isole dei Ciclopi beach and sea, Aci Castello & Aci Trezza | Sicily, Italy

Aci Trezza (Aci Castello Acitrezza) is a nice fishing village with a beautiful seaside promenade (Aci Trezza Riviera dei Ciclopi) and a comfortable marina.

From the shoreline (lido), you will see the ridges of black lava stone constantly hit by the clear water of the restless sea.

What to see and things to do in Aci Trezza

Isole dei Ciclopi, Aci Castello & Aci Trezza | Sicily, Italy

1. Aci Trezza is famous for its isles formed from Etna’s lava (Faraglioni di Aci Trezza). Three of them – Cyclopean Isles (Isole dei Ciclopi) – are narrow and tall. The local legend says that these giant stones were thrown by the Cyclops at the vessels of Ulysses in Homer’s Odyssey.

2. Giovanni Verga set his famous novel I Malavoglia in Aci Trezza and Luchino Visconti made a movie La terra trema. You can visit the museum in the House of Nespolo (Museo Aci Trezza Casa Del Nespolo) and watch the film there.

Isole dei Ciclopi, Aci Castello & Aci Trezza | Sicily, Italy

3. There are no sandy beaches in Aci Trezza, but its rocky spiaggia is still perfectly suitable for sunbathing and swimming.

4. There is also a wooden beach club with umbrellas and a staircase into the sea for Aci Trezza diving, snorkeling and windsurfing.

Beach club, Aci Trezza | Sicily, Italy

5. Boat hire – in the summer it’s really worth to ask a fisherman to take you to the island of Lachea (Isola Lachea Acitrezza). From there you will have a clear view of the whole village and Etna volcano (if the weather allows).

6. U pisci a mari is a feast of patron San Giovanni Battista held on 24 June and the traditional pantomime parodying sword-fish fishing.

Botanical garden, Aci Trezza | Sicily, Italy

7. After taking many beautiful photos of Aci Trezza Cyclopean Isles, you should definitely take a pleasant walk to the small botanical garden full of different kinds of cactuses and palms.

Aci Castello – Castello Normanno

Beach and sea, Aci Castello & Aci Trezza | Sicily, Italy

The seaside town of Aci Castello (Aci di Castello) is one of the most popular places to visit in eastern Sicily.

In the summer months, it is full of tourists and Catanians on holiday. No wonder, because the location offers dramatic coastline views and a great atmosphere.

Aci Castello also has some of the best restaurants and very nice hotels.

What to see and things to do in Aci Castello

Norman Castle, Aci Castello | Sicily, Italy

1. History – Aci Castello is famous for its Norman Castle (Castello Normanno) which towers above the town. It was built in 1076 by the Normans upon lava rock on which Byzantine fortifications were located. It used to be surrounded by the sea, but it was later connected with the mainland by one of the many Etna lava flows.

2. There is a great Civic Museum in the castle and you can also go up the stairs to the top of the castle and take photos of the Faraglioni di Acitrezza and the whole Riviera dei Ciclopi in the distance. As for the museum opening hours, remember about siesta!

Norman Castle, Aci Castello | Sicily, Italy

3. On Piazza Castello, the main square of Aci Castello, you can sit on a bench, take wonderful photos of the castle and also enjoy beautiful views of the entire Cyclops Riviera.

4. You can visit the 16th-century church of San Mauro with a beautiful silver-plated statue of the saint.

Norman Castle, Aci Castello | Sicily, Italy

5. Aci Castello restaurants are excellent (most of them specialize in fish and seafood) and in the evenings you can drink and dance in discos and clubs on the sea.

6. Don’t end your day trip in Aci Castello (except for a visit to the museum), but go further along the coast and see the castle from the other side. The views are breathtaking and absolutely worth a long walk.

If you haven’t seen them already, check out wayamaya series of travel blog posts about useful Sicily travel tips, Sicily travel essentials, where to go in Sicily, things to do in Sicily, the best places to visit in Sicily and the top things to see in Sicily, Italy:

Covid-19 in Sicily

To know more about the state of Covid-19 in Sicily and new Italy Covid-19 travel and entry regulation rules, please check the main WHO website or the Italian website dedicated to Covid-19 before departure to Sicily.

It’s usually a good idea to get covered, especially in the current Covid-19 situation. No matter how long you fly, who you fly with, or where you fly. Remember to get insurance and use the one that well-known globetrotters recommend. Keep SAFETY in mind and a SMILE on your face.

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Aci Castello & Aci Trezza | Things to Do & What to See | Sicily, Italy

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