Aci Trezza between marine nature and maritime history

Aci Trezza is shaped by the Isole Ciclopi Marine Protected Area, Isola Lachea, and the town’s maritime history. These themes offer different ways to shape your stay: nature and activities at sea, or fishing, film, and boatbuilding.

Isola Lachea and the Marine Protected Area

Isola Lachea is the largest island in the Isole Ciclopi archipelago. It formed around 500,000 years ago when an underwater volcano erupted. Archaeological investigations suggest that the island has been inhabited since prehistoric times and was regularly visited during the Late Roman and Byzantine periods.

Divers can choose from eight underwater routes in the Isole Ciclopi Marine Protected Area. Visitors can explore the seabed off Aci Trezza with a mask and snorkel; sea conditions and local offerings vary. An announcement dated June 3, 2024, described a protected 1,100-meter open-water swimming route along the coast, from Lungomare Scardamiano in Aci Castello to the south pier of Aci Trezza harbor. Check local conditions before using the route.

Fishing and boatbuilding traditions

The historic Cantiere Navale of the Rodolico family is located next to the Antico scalo dei Malavoglia. Typical wooden boats from Aci Trezza are still built there today. The boats have been included in the Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Sicily as an ethnological-anthropological asset worthy of protection.

“U pisci a mari” also tells the story of local fishing: the tradition dates back to around 1750 and parodies swordfish fishing. During the performance in the waters in front of the harbor, a fisherman at the end of the pier, known as “U Raisi,” directs the depiction of the fishing. Participating restaurants offer a culinary connection to the catch, where local chefs can prepare it according to Sicilian recipes. The participating restaurants may change; ask in advance what is on offer.

Film, fishing history, and local life

The Museo Casa del Nespolo is housed in an old dwelling in the historic center, next to the Church of San Giovanni. Its “La terra trema” exhibition room contains photographs, film posters, and other items related to Luchino Visconti’s film. It was shot in Aci Trezza in 1947 with amateur actors who were all from the town.

The “Stanza dei Malavoglia” room presents the world of Aci Trezza’s fishermen in the mid-19th century through old tools and household objects. It also includes photographs taken by Giovanni Verga himself, as well as a collection of letters to his brother Pietro. The film and collection offer different perspectives on local history: one through Visconti’s film, the other through objects and records of fishermen’s lives.

The history of the town also includes the Church of San Giovanni, which officially reopened for worship on October 14, 1696. After hopes of rebuilding the former parish church were abandoned, the parish title passed to San Giovanni. The Festa di San Giovanni is celebrated on June 24, combining religious faith with folklore; the exact program may vary.

Bastioncello, also known as “Torre dei Faraglioni,” was the smaller of two bastions built to monitor the waters in front of the Faraglioni of Aci Trezza. Today, only the ground floor remains visible. It adds another historical perspective on the town to the stories of fishing and the church.

Visitor center and getting there

The Isole Ciclopi Marine Protected Area visitor center is on Aci Trezza’s main road. It provides public information and booking for visits; the address is Via Provinciale 5/d. Visitors arriving from the north on the A18 Messina–Catania should exit at Acireale and continue to Aci Trezza via the SS 114. Signage and traffic conditions may change; check both before you travel.

AST buses to Aci Trezza depart from Piazza Giovanni XXIII at Catania’s main train station. Check bus connections before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Paternò, Fondachello, Nunziata, Licodia Eubea, Vizzini, Mirabella Imbaccari, Fiumefreddo Di Sicilia, Catania.

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