Holiday apartment in Roccavaldina: culture, churches and panoramic routes

Roccavaldina combines architectural history, sacred art, traditional working life and an interactive culture of remembrance with an e-bike route through varied landscapes.

Castello dei Valdina and Duomo

Castello dei Valdina has a Renaissance loggia connecting its two building sections. At the castle, a Renaissance loggia meets the transitional style between the Renaissance and Baroque. The baronial palace section features the transitional style between the Renaissance and Baroque. Construction of the present-day Duomo probably began around 1505, after an earthquake destroyed the former Chiesa di Gesù e Maria.

The Duomo houses the panel painting Madonna di Termini by the painter Angelo Chirico. The main chapel also contains a statue of the Madonna delle Grazie, created in 1566 and attributed to Andrea Calamech.

The ceramic vessels at La Farmacia were modelled in 1580 in the workshop of Mastro Antonio Patanazzi in Urbino.

Church art and architectural ornaments

The Chiesa di Gesù e Maria contains a painting of Jesus and Mary attributed to the school of Camarda. The Chiesa Madonna della Catena was built around the year 1000. Its exterior walls, bell tower and façade preserve architectural ornaments made from embedded pieces of roof tiles.

Remembrance, art and former everyday life

Casa Vermiglia houses a contemporary art collection that originated from a donation by the painter Nino Cannistraci Tricomi. In the Sala Immersiva, the walls have a fully touch-sensitive surface. There, a virtual mist reveals historical images of Roccavaldina. Each photo is accompanied by audio fragments containing stories from oral memory and carefully reconstructed ambient sounds.

The Antico Lavatoio was used by the women of Roccavaldina until the beginning of the 1970s. The Museo Farmacia di Roccavaldina is a museum in Roccavaldina.

Olive processing and wine presses

At the Antico Palmento, an old stone mill with a single large millstone preserves the memory of olive processing. The millstone was moved by oxen or mules to grind olives. The Antico Palmento also contains two large wine presses with the associated containers for collecting the must. The must was then taken to the cellars and stored in barrels.

E-bike route and public green space

The e-bike route begins at Polo Olivettiano di Roccavaldina and runs along gravel roads, technical sections and paved stretches. Along the way, it offers panoramic views of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Aeolian Islands and the surrounding valleys. The varied surfaces on the Roccavaldina route shape the planning of an active day. Gravel roads, technical sections and paved stretches require different levels of attention.

The area around the Chiesa dei Cappuccini has been developed as a public green space with recreational facilities.

More places for planning your trip

If you would like to discover destinations beyond Roccavaldina, you can find Castelmola, Rinella, Sant'angelo Di Brolo, San Filippo Del Mela, Rocca Di Capri Leone, Itala, Rometta and Letojanni here.

For the main travel overview: Messina.