Ionian Coast - Sicily - page 377

built over the centuries and now all that remains is the keep. But most impressive are the sweeping views up to
Etna.
Continuing on the SP229 you'll pass huge fichi d'india (prickly pears) and orange groves (and piles of litter)
on the way to Biancavilla , a small town founded by Albanian refugees in 1480 but now typically Sicilian
with many baroque churches. The market town of Adrano , 3km further, boasts a robust Norman castello
rising from a huge fortified base, commissioned by Count Roger II in the late 11th century. It now houses a small
museum. Nearby, on Via Catania, you can see the remains of Adranon, a 4th-century-BC Greek settlement.
The SS284 heads directly north through acres of nut groves to Bronte , famous throughout Italy for its
pistachios (make sure to try a pistachio ice cream from the main strip, Corso Umberto). Beyond Bronte, the road
leads through an increasingly rugged landscape, interspersed with chunks of lava flow, as it heads up to
Randazzo , the most interesting of Etna's towns.
Heavy bombing in WWII meant that much of the town's grey medieval centre had to be reconstructed. The
main sights are the three crenellated churches - the Cattedrale di Santa Maria, the Chiesa di San Nicolò and the
Chiesa di San Martino - which in the 16th century took turns to act as the town cathedral. Round off the day with
dinner at San Giorgio e Il Drago, a Slow Food-recommended trattoria with outdoor seating in the historic centre.

Eating

Agriturismo San Marco
( 38 94 23 72 94; www.agriturismosanmarco.com ; meals €23) Find your way to this welcoming agrit-
urismo (farm stay) near Rovitello for authentic farmhouse food in a lovely bucolic setting.
Kick off with a selection of cured meats and local cheeses, before tucking into a bowl of
fresh pasta with meaty ragú and a secondo (second course) of succulent grilled meat.
Bookings are required, but you'll need to call for directions anyway.

AGRITURISMO €

Antico Orto Dei Limono
( 095 91 08 08; Via Grotte 4; pizzas from €5, set menu €26; Wed-Mon) There can be few better ways
of rounding off a day in the mountains than with a meal at this delightful Nicolosi restaur-
ant. Tastefully housed in a converted wine and oil press, it specialises in delicious tried-
and-tested country fare. It's all good but the abundant house antipasto (a mix of creamy
ricotta, salami and marinated vegetables) is a knockout.
Also try the excellent pasta with ragù , peas and mushrooms. If you're really hungry, go
for the pharaonic set menu, which at €28 is excellent value.

SICILIAN €€

Orientation

The two main approaches to Etna are from the north and south. The southern route, sign-
posted as Etna Sud, is via Nicolosi and Rifugio Sapienza, 18km further up the mountain.