Holiday apartment in Castelmola: churches, paths and panorama

Holiday apartment in Castelmola: between village history and sea panorama

Castelmola is a medieval village situated steeply above the Ionian Sea. As a historic village, it preserves medieval features: a network of lanes as well as stone and wrought-iron signs. Castelmola can be reached via the SP10. For your planning, this makes it possible to consider the landscape, paths and architectural history as different areas of discovery.

Piazza Sant’Antonino has viewpoints offering panoramic views of Taormina, its castle, the Ionian Sea and the nearby coast of Calabria. This square creates a clear landscape accent while also providing a concrete connection to the destinations that shape Castelmola’s townscape.

Churches and historic buildings

The Chiesa Madre San Nicolò was built in 1934–1935 on the site of an existing church that probably dates back to the 16th century. Its architecture combines Romanesque, Gothic, Arab and Norman elements. The church also houses a still-functioning, ornately decorated wooden organ. Its bellows are still operated by hand using wooden levers.

The Chiesa San Giorgio has a single nave. The ancient Chiesa di Sant’Antonino was built between 1400 and 1500. The Chiesa dell’Annunziata in Castelmola was built in 1100 by Roger the Norman. The Chiesa di San Biagio was the first church built in Castelmola. This historical spectrum is complemented by the Antico Arco, which dates to around 900 AD and was inspired by Greco-Roman architecture. Castelmola’s ancient water cisterns date from 367 BC.

Paths, walls and distinctive village features

The ruins of the ancient Norman walls remain at the Castello di Mola in Castelmola. The Via dei Saraceni is also known as Piano delle Ficarre. It is a footpath with the Antica Porta dei Saraceni; prickly pears grow along the route. A tourist path begins at Contrada Annunziata and leads to Monte Venere and the Scalazze. These were once built to transport nobles through the Grotta dei Monaci to the countryside.

Festivals, traditions and local specialty

The feast of San Giorgio, the patron saint, takes place in Castelmola every year on 23 April. During the celebration, the statue of the saint on horseback is carried in a procession through the village lanes. Other seasonal village scenes have been handed down from the area around the ancient castle: falconry displays were held there. At Christmas time, impressive nativity scenes were created in the lanes of Castelmola. At the Antico Caffè San Giorgio, visitors can discover and buy Vino alla mandorla.

Choose the right focus for your holiday apartment

When choosing a holiday apartment in Castelmola, you can align the focus of your stay with the village’s distinctive features: the viewpoints of Piazza Sant’Antonino, churches and architecture, historic paths, the procession during the patron saint’s feast or the local specialty Vino alla mandorla.

Other destinations for orientation

If you would also like to discover other places: Santa Teresa Di Riva, Chianchitta-pallio, Acquacalda, Milazzo, San Marco D'alunzio, Montalbano Di Elicona, Ginostra, Terme Vigliatore

For the higher-level travel overview: Messina.