Nicolosi

The gateway to Etna 

Nicolosi is a volcanic town on the slopes of Mount Etna, bursting with sites of artistic and religious interest. Among the most renowned is the Monastery of San Nicolò l’Arena, now the site of the Etna Park. This 18th-century, Baroque-style structure, with a distinctive lava stone façade, houses a museum dedicated to Etna.

Don’t miss the church dedicated to the Madonna del Carmelo, full of paintings and statues, including an 18th-century wooden statue of the Virgin.

Also worth visiting are the Three Altars, built in homage to the saints who saved the locals from a lava flow. This three-arched monument depicts the three protectors: St. Anthony the Abbot, Our Lady of Grace and St. Anthony of Padua.

Other sacred buildings include the 16th-century Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which survived Mount Etna’s 1669 eruption, and the traditional 18th-century Church of the Anime del Purgatorio.

Finally, in Nicolosi you can enjoy excursions to Mount Etna, from which you can admire the Gulf of Catania.