Caltabellotta

Caltabellotta is one of the oldest villages in Sicily dating back to prehistoric times. It was invaded by many countries but remained strong due to it’s strategic defence position. Invasions occurred from the Romans in 99BC and the Arabs, Normans, French and the Spanish followed. These conflicts enabled Caltabellotta to expand its territory so much that it stretched to the River Platani and River Belice. War forced inhabitants of Caltabellotta to leave and create new urban towns and rural areas and these began to thrive from 1300s. Towns including Bivona, Sciacca and Alessandria were amongst those who’s populations and industries expanded.

Caltabellotta is a breathtaking mountain top village an impressive 949m above sea level with 4311 inhabitants. It’s only 19km from Sciacca but is a challenging steep and windy drive up to the village. The town lies on Kratas, a strip of southern sicani mountains. It rests on three peaks, Mount St. Pellegrino, Mounte Castello and Cliff Gogola. The panoramic views from this town are tremendous,and on a clear day you can see as far as the African Sea and Mount Etna to the east of the island. The best way to see Caltabellotta is to walk through the ancient streets up to the cathedral and the ruined Norman castle at the top of the village. The castle ruin is the highest point of the village and shows what is left of the powerful fortress today. A peace treaty was signed here in 1302 to end The War of the Sicilian Vespers. Below the castle is the serene cathedral that was originally built during the Arab invasion and was altered during the reign of Roger Norman from 1061. The catherdral sits perfecly into the rock and the atmosphere around the catherdral is very serene and peaceful. It's a perfect place to take in the views from miles around.Caltabellotta is a magical place to visit, for the amazing views to see by day and the twinkling lights of all the surrounding towns by night.

Restaurant - Mates

Vicolo Storto, Caltabellotta, Agrigento, Sicily, Italy
www.matesonline.it
0044 338 281 7862

After an afternoon of taking in the views of Caltabellotta we stopped to have dinner at a restaurant called Mates recommended several locals we spoke to. This restaurant was a real feast for the eyes complete with it’s own museum inside. The exposed stone walls in this old mill were painted with bright Sicilian yellows and blues with a wall display of ancient farming tools and a beautiful old olive press. There were homemade jams of orange blossom, pickles and olive oil for sale, grown by local farmers in Caltabalotta’s countryside and these graced a corner of the restaurant. As in many trattorias in Sicily, we put our trust in put in the hands of the chef who decided the three courses he would be preparing for us. We were certainly not disappointed with a trusty starter that included caponata, fried vegetables, pastry parcels and vegetable couscous and the main dish consisting of the most tender beef we have eaten yet on the island. The delicious meal was finished off with a desertf mouth watering cannoli. Mates wasnt cheap however it was worth it for the traditional and friendly atmosphere, attentive service and a gift of their homemade jam to go home with. Dinner here was a real cultural experience and is definitely another reason to visit this stunning village.