Etna Nord - Linguaglossa

It is somewhat on the edge of the Etna Park and there are two theories about its name as well as its origin. One traces it to a large tongue of lava that erupted after 1634, the other claims that the locality was colonised with Gallo-Italic-speaking people, whose speech caused the neighbouring population to refer to them as "those of the coarse tongue."

Regardless of the origins, whether true or legendary, what is certain in Linguaglossa is the Church of St Francis of Paola from the 1500s, with a beautiful marble statue by Domenico Gagini, father of Antonello Gagini (whose works you may come across in Bronte, for example, or Randazzo). In the central square inside the Mother Church, the precious wooden choir from 1728 merits attention. The Church of Sant'Egidio is also worth seeing: it is certainly the oldest, of medieval origin, with a beautiful Gothic portal. If, however, you are looking for relaxation in the midst of nature or doing sport, Piano Provenzana is within easy reach of the village. You can go there to ski, but it is also a starting point for hiking and off-road excursions to the top of the volcano. There is no shortage of food and wine delicacies: from Etna DOC wine to Evo DOC oil, and from black pork sausage to hazelnuts.