Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EAST OF AGRIGENTO
The area east of Agrigento is one of marked contrasts. Travel a few kilometres inland from
the industrial horror show that surrounds Gela and you'll find a silent, rural world of green
fields, hills and sleepy medieval towns. The coast is free of tourist development and with
your own transport you'll find some wild, unspoilt beaches.
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Licata
The workaday port of Licata doesn't look like much as you approach, but hidden behind
the dreary suburbs is a charming, if rather worn, historic centre. The centre of action is
Piazza Progresso
, which divides the two main streets, Corso Roma, flanked by elegant
baroque
palazzi,
and Corso Vittorio Emanuele.
At the top of town, a 16th-century
castle
affords views down to the harbour. As pleasant
as it is wandering along Licata's bustling streets, the main reason to stop here is to eat. For
a memorable fine-dining experience,
Ristorante La Madia
( 092 277 14 43;
www.ristorantelamadia.it
;
Via Filippo Re Capriata 22; meals €60; Wed-Mon)
is Michelin-starred and considered one of Sicily's
finest. A labour of love for local-born chef Pino Cuttaia, it serves modern Sicilian dishes
based on authentic Mediterranean ingredients, such as
merluzzo
(cod) smoked over pine
cones or cuttlefish served with fennel cream. For something simpler, head to the
Hostaria
L'Oste e il Sacrestano
( 092 277 47 36; Via Sant'Andrea 19; meals €30; closed Sun dinner & Mon)
, a Slow
Food Movement recommended eatery just off Corso Vittorio Emanuele, where you can
feast on local meat and freshly fished seafood.
Beyond Licata, the unexceptional town of
Palma di Montechiaro
is the ancestral seat of the
princes of Lampedusa, made famous by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, author of
Il Gat-
topardo
(The Leopard). The family's 17th-century ancestral palace has been unoccupied
for some time, but the
Chiesa Matrice
still stands and can be visited.
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