Towns and cities in Sicily
Palazzolo Acreide Travel Guide
Hidden away in the mountains, Palazzolo Acreide is something of an outlier, an off-the-beaten-track secret. Most visitors to southeast Sicily tend to concentrate on the baroque jewels of Noto, Ragusa, Scicli and Modica, but Palazzolo Acreide, which is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Val di Noto, is their equal in many respects. Founded as Akrae by Greeks from Syracuse in 664 BCE, the town hosts an impressive archaeological site whose star attraction is a panoramic 3rd-century BCE theatre.
Villa Matchmaking service
Because our local experts have personally visited each of our destinations, we know exactly what makes them special. Tell us what your ultimate villa holiday looks like, and allow us take care of the rest
About the town
The road leaving Noto to the north climbs steadily up into the Iblei Mountains. Riven with steep limestone ravines and crisscrossed by drystone walls, the scenery is dramatic, ancient and rugged. Olive, almond and carob trees share the rocky land with wild juniper bushes, prickly pears, gorse and other hardy, low-lying shrubs. To the west, hidden from view below, is the valley of the Asinaro river and the remains of ancient Noto; to the east is the spectacular gorge of Cavagrande del Cassibile. At around 500m above sea level, the landscape changes and a benign plateau of fertile green fields opens out. Trees more suited to higher altitudes proliferate into woods, and the light takes on a new clarity. Then, after a journey of around half an hour, Palazzolo Acreide comes into view. The drive up is a delight, and what awaits is very much worth the effort.
Things to do in Palazzolo Acreide
- Stroll through the old town centre: there are numerous striking baroque buildings to enjoy in Palazzolo Acreide, including: the Chiesa dell’Immacolata, home to a wonderful statue of the Madonna and Child by the renaissance sculptor Francesco Laurana; the stunning Basilica di San Sebastiano, whose resplendent, 35m-high, three-tiered baroque façade features the whole gamut of baroque decorative forms; and Palazzo Caruso, whose 30m-long balcony, supported by an entire cast of grotesque figures and delimited by wrought-iron railings, is said to be the longest of its kind in Europe.
- Visit the archaeological site: complete with a superb Greek theatre (which hosts an annual festival of classical plays in May and June), a bouleterion (a council chamber), and the foundations of a 6th-century Temple of Aphrodite, the archaeological site is a must-see.
- Take in a museum of two: the town hosts three interesting museums: the Museo Archeologico Gabriele Judica; the Museo dei Viaggiatori in Sicilia (Travellers in Sicily); and Il Casa Museo di Antonino Uccello (a house stuck in time that gives an idea of how Sicilian peasants once lived).
- Taste the town's gastronomic specialities: the delicious mountain fare of the town includes mushrooms and truffles (foraged from the surrounding woods), cheeses, cured meats, wild boar, ricotta-based patisserie, and, most importantly of all, the town's signature sausages, which are protected by the Slow Food Presidium.
Your keys to our house
Sign up to our newsletter for beautiful villas, destinations and things to do
Voted best villa rental company in the world seven years in a row
