Montalbano Elicona

The village of Montalbano Elicona (Muntarbanu in Sicilian) is characterized by the presence, in the ancient part of the village, an ancient castle that was the summer residence of King Frederick II of Aragon. The appellative Elicona dates back certainly to the Greek colonization. During this period (VII-VIII century B.C.), Dori, thinking to the mythical mount of the Muse, called Helikon a site, coinciding with the rise on which rises the medieval village and a torrent near whose tortuous course justifies the name.

The first testimonies on the existence of the village dates back to the XI century, when it was a State possession. In 1232 it revolted against Frederick II of Swabia, and supported the Pope together with other centers. Later it has belonged to different feudatories: to Matteo Palizzi in 1350, Vinciguerra d'Aragona in 1359, to launch in 1396, the Roman Column, Bonannos in 1587.

Between the churches of artistic interest is certainly stress from the Basilica of Mary Assumed into Heaven (Duomo) with its works of art, in particular those of the Gagini. Montalbano also hosts the "Photographic Museum dr. Eugenio Belfiore", at which they are exposed more than two hundred photographs in black and white that represent more than a century of history of the country and of the whole Sicily.

BY CAR

• From Messina: take the A20 Messina - Palermo motorway to the Falcone exit;
• From Palermo: take the A20 Palermo - Messina motorway to the Falcone exit and continue towards Montalbano.
• From Catania: take the A18 Catania - Messina motorway and then the A20 Messina - Palermo motorway to the Falcone exit and continue towards Montalbano.
• From Catania or Taormina: leaving Catania you can take the A 18 motorway to the Fiumefreddo junction. Proceed along the Linguaglossa - Randazzo - Santa Domenica Vittoria road, reaching the Favoscuro crossroads and then continue towards Montalbano.

BY PLANE

• Catania airport