ZAFFERANA ETNEA
THE COMMUNE
POPULATION: 9537
SURFACE: 76.87 KM2
POST CODE: 95019
GPS COORDINATES: 37 ° 41'N 15 ° 06'E
Zafferana Etnea rises to 574 m above sea level, on the eastern slopes of Etna, which is the largest active volcano in Europe. Its territory includes landscapes of inestimable naturalistic beauty like woods and a dry area of lava, creating a desert-like environment. Zafferana is one of the access points to the volcano, thanks to the Etna provincial road that connects it to the tourist resort of Rifugio Sapienza (Nicolosi) on one side, and to that of Piano Provenzana (Linguaglossa) on the other. It is one of the municipalities of the Regional Park of Etna and its territory includes the three great valleys that, according to accredited hypotheses, represent the testimony of the sequence of the genesis of the volcano: Valle del Bove, Val Calanna and Valle San Giacomo.
The history of this town begins with the foundation of the Priory of San Giacomo, a Benedictine monastery built in the Middle Ages, of which there are records from 1387, in a document signed by the Bishop of Catania, Simone del Pozzo. From a papal stamp of 1443, we were able to learn of the existence of an attached church dedicated to St. James, sacramental and parish, which suggests that the first group of inhabitants who lived around the monastery frequented it.
In a document of 1694, the toponym "Zafarana", which will then evolve into the current name of the village, appears for the first time. On the 21st of September in 1826 a decree of Pope Francis I ordered that the districts of Zafarana Etnea, Sarro, Rocca d'Api, Bongiardo and Pisano were to unite, detaching themselves from the municipalities of Trecastagni, Viagrande, Aci SS. Antonio and Filippo, to become a new municipality known as Zafarana Etnea, then Zafferana Etnea.
When visiting Zafferana, there is nothing better than combining the rediscovery of tradition, local products and typical gastronomy with the pleasure of a stroll through the chestnut woods.
The famous Palermo anthropologist Giuseppe Pitrè, in his library of popular traditions, mentions Zafferana as the place of passage of the three saints Alfio, Filadelfo and Cirino, led by headmaster Tertullo from Tauromenium to Leontini, to be martyred on the 10th of May 253. According to some recordings, the eruption of Etna had made the coastal road impossibile to use (via Pompeia), forcing the legion and the condemned to use the road of Zafferana.
TO VISIT
La Valle Del Bove
Valle del Bove is an immense valley of volcano tectonic origins, located on the eastern flank of Etna derived from the sinking of ancient eruptive complexes. It is one of the most important naturalistic locations of the Park.
It has a horseshoe shape with an almost flat bottom that slopes towards the east. It is connected to the north, west and south by three steep walls consisting of an alternation of lava flows and pyroclastic products, which erupted from 50,000 years ago. Its surface is about 24 Km with a length of about 6 Km along the north-south direction. The landscape of the valley is wild, due to the presence of numerous historical lava flows, including the 1991-1993 cast, with a rough and irregular morphology.
La Valle Di S. Giacomo-Scalazza
Valle San Giacomo is located upstream of Piano dell'Acqua. It is an important area for volcanic, hydrogeological and botanical aspects.
The Valley has a typical "V" shape with steep walls that become narrow and impracticable as they go upwards. The area is famous for the vegetation determined by the particular environmental conditions and for the remarkably varied plant landscape, rich in biodiversity and plant combinations that are normally in conflict with each other. In fact, there are woods of holm oaks and chestnuts with specimens or clusters of black hornbeam, flowering ash, beech, holly, broom, tree heath, maple field, aspen and the very rare cork oak tree found on Etna.
Before the fountain, on the left, a narrow dirt road branches down for a few hundred meters inside the wide basin where both Valle San Giacomo and the deep Cavasecca valley meet. On the steep ridge of "Cugnu di Mezzo" the "Scalazza" climbs up: an ancient mule track completely immersed in the chestnut wood, almost entirely paved in lava stone with wide steps.
Val Calanna
The Val Calanna, 3 km long and 2 km wide, is a vast valley entirely covered by lava which flowed in the eruption from 1991 to 1993.
Until the fifties, Val Calanna was inhabited and entirely cultivated. The valley is linked to the evolutionary history of Etna and in it there are the remains of the largest eruptive center of the volcano. It is accessed from Piano dell'Acqua and an equipped nature trail of the Etna Park allows you to walk along the eastern end. The valley is an important naturalistic location due to the harshness of the lava, the beauty of the landscape and the considerable scientific interest it has.
Chiesa Madre
The Mother Church of Zafferana Etnea, dedicated to Our Lady of Providence, Patroness of the City, is an architectural work that strikes the eye for its white main façade, enhanced by the stark contrast with the underlying wide staircase, made of lava stone. Palazzo Municipale e Monumento Giuseppe Sciuti
The elegant nineteenth-century building, placed on the same urban level as the Chiesa Madre, overlooks the central Piazza Umberto I, preceded by a Liberty staircase with double ramps, flanked by beautiful statues. Inside there are two fine paintings by Giuseppe Sciuti, who was born in Zafferana Etnea.
Chiesa Madonna delle Grazie
Not far from the Chiesa Madre there is the church dedicated to the Madonna delle Grazie. The external façade in Art Nouveau style has a niche that houses the statue of the Madonna delle Grazie.
Above the portale, under a semi-circular frame, there is a sculpture depicting two angels supporting the letter "M" of Mary. Inside, with a single nave and a wooden roof, the statue of the Madonna delle Grazie is conserved on the main altar, and in two niches there are the statues of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of S. Mauro Abate.
Altarino Madonna della Provvidenza
The altar was built as a sign of devotion when the population of Zafferana Etnea was threatened by the eruption in August 1792.
The citizens, fearful of the fact that the lava was advancing, threatening the houses and the land, carried in a procession along the streets of the town the statue of the Madonna, praying for a miracle. Having obtained the required "grace" (the lava miraculously stopped a short distance from the village), the population had this altar erected to commemorate the event at the entrance of the town in honor of the Madonna.
Chiesa Maria SS. del Rosario
A small church dedicated to St. Agatha existed in Fieri, in the fund known as the Verginelle since 1667. Over time the population grew and its changed needs could not be met by the small and dilapidated church.
In 1860 the baroness Caterina Guttadauro Francica Nava di Bontifé did her best to build a new one. It was completed in 1872 but the work didn’t end there and the same baroness did her best to embellish it and make it increasingly more welcoming. On October 25, 1984, a strong earthquake caused the nineteenth century building to be permanently unusable. The new church was built according to a design by the architect professor Ugo Cantone and consecrated on 25th October 1990 by the Cardinal.
Chiesa San Giuseppe
The Church of Saint Joseph was built in 1692 by Mons. Andrea Riggio, Bishop of Catania and headed by an Abbey dedicated to St. Joseph.
Until the early 1800’s, this church was the only place of worship for all the inhabitants of the eastern side of Etna. However, it was completely destroyed by the earthquake of 1894, and was so rebuilt and completed in 1902.
Parco Comunale
The Municipal Park is the largest public garden in the town, located in the center, on the northern side of the Salaro stream, near the Church of the Madonna delle Grazie. It can be accessed by a square named after Pope John Paul II. The garden is of considerable interest both from a naturalistic and cultural point of view.
• The villa of the Marano princes: In the middle of the luxuriant flora, the Villa stands at the highest point of the park.
• The municipal amphitheatre: Adjacent to this sector we can define the oldest open theatre.
VILLA COMUNALE
During the period of the Ottabrata, under the Villa Comunale there are long wooden tables and benches where you can sit and enjoy one of the typical dishes of the festival, such as the mushroom risotto, or the casarecce with sausage and porcini mushrooms, or the caponata of aubergines and cannoli with pistachio cream or fried zeppole, covered with warm honey.
Casa Museo dell'Apicoltore di Sebastiano di Prima.
The museum, through historical notes and findings, offers an effective overview that can be understood by any visitor. The focal point is the guided tour of the museum through an exhibition of specific tools used in the activity, but also of objects of daily use that can help to understand the lifestyle of the farmers.
Visiting the museum is therefore equivalent to embarking on a surprising journey to discover the life of the bees through an itinerary in the history and evolution of this amazing insect. Moreover, it illustrates through educational paths with video-projection of films and slides, the millennial relationship between bees and humankind, the ancient production techniques and the mysterious relationship that binds the bees together. Inside you can also taste and buy the prized varieties of honey.
MUSEO DELL’ETNA
The Museum dedicated to the largest active volcano in Italy offers a unique opportunity to get to the heart of the volcanic eruptions. With the support of specialists, it would be like to making a real trip to the center of the Earth, to find out how and why volcanoes exist, how they work and what dangers they present to populations. It focuses on the world's volcanoes, on the history of the Earth and its internal structure, to understand the dynamics that causes earthquakes and volcanoes to form. There is also an entire section dedicated to the work done by volcanologists and scientific monitoring techniques of Etna and other Italian Volcanoes.
Parco Avventura Etna Green Park
The Etna Adventure Park is the largest adventure park in Southern Italy with 15 courses, excluding the various individual attractions such as Top Climbing, Boulder, test areas etc.
All routes are equipped with a continuous lifeline or Clic-it smart carabineers, the only ones among the smart carabineers to be connected to a continuous lifeline, as the new legislation on adventure parks requires. Two walls have been added to the routes, a third will soon come: one of bouldering for children to do without a harness and the other 13mt high to do with a harness and automatic safety that also offers the adrenaline rush of the possibility of a launch into the void.
NEARBY
The chestnut of one hundred horses is the oldest and largest tree in all of Europe.
Its name is linked to the story of a Queen who, with her one hundred knights, found shelter during a storm under the branches of the tree. The millennial chestnut tree, (its age ranging between 3600 and 4000 years), is located in the Etna Park in the Carpineto district.
The cave of Serracozzo, it is a beautiful cave of lava flow generated with the eruption of 1971 on the eastern side of Etna.
Asilat is a farm located near Milo, on the road going towards Macchia, which specializes in the production of donkey milk with which they also make various soaps and cosmetics. Here you can taste the products they produced on the same farm and go around on a donkey’s back.
Events and Feasts
Etna on stage
A prestigious review of cinema, dance, music and theater that is the real highlight of the events organized by the tourism office and the economic development of the municipality of Zafferana Etnea.
• Feast of St. Anthony the Abbot - The festival is January 16th and 17th.
• Etna in Spring - It is a true cross-section of the colors and traditions of the Etna area, with a range of artistic and musical events, and the display of craft traditions. It lasts from the second half of March until the first half of June.
• Feast of Our Lady of Providence - Traditional "Offer of wax" and Procession of the Vara with the polychrome statue of the patron saint, carved entirely in wood and decorated in pure gold. The party is held on the second Sunday of August.
• Bread Festival seasoned in Pisano - End of summer event dedicated to seasoned bread and homemade desserts, where you can taste excellent local wine and honey. It is done in the first days of September.
• Festa di San Martino - At the "Festa di San Martino - Chestnuts and Wine" you can taste typical products and there are also traditional games for adults and children. This festival is celebrated on November 11th and 12th.
• Christmas Markets - An evocative showcase of handicrafts, agri-food products in the prestigious setting of the historic city center that starts on December 8th and ends on January 7th.
The Ottobrata
The Zafferanese Ottobrata is an important trade-fair event that takes place every Sunday in October in the historic center of Zafferana. Born in the late seventies as a simple exhibition- market of typical products, it has evolved over time to become a complex event, rich with different facets, which every year attracts some hundreds of thousands of foreigners and also Sicilians themselves.
The Ottobrata is divided into four or five festivals, depending on the number of Sundays in October:
• Grape festival
• Honey festival
• Festival of the apples of Etna
• Mushroom festival
• Chestnut Festival
Undisputed protagonists of each Sunday are the typical products of the town and their derivatives: grapes, wine, mustard, honey, apples and seasonal fruit. There are also prickly pears, pomegranates, walnuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts, pistachios, porcini mushrooms from Etna and other varieties, oil, olives and foods preserved in oil.
The Umberto square hosts numerous stands where you can taste the typical local sweets such as skiers, zeppole, almond paste and tea leaves, and also the various liqueurs, wines, honey, nougats and caramelized dried fruit, pistachio ice cream and many other delectables.
During the festival, you can see the ancient crafts, which are now endangered, such as carvers of wood and lava, painters of Sicilian carts, embroiderers, wrought iron workers and puppeteers.
A large space is used as a gastronomic section where visitors can taste delicious sandwiches made with sausage, pork or horsemeat, aubergines, peppers, mushrooms and seasoned olives, and where young emerging musicians perform in a Rock festival, the Live Startup. A space is also reserved for voluntary work associations and social solidarity for information and fund raising for humanitarian purposes.
The Zafferanese Ottobrata integrates the exhibition of typical products and their sale, to cultural events which are very important for the entire Etna area, with conferences and debates on issues related to the protection and recognition of the quality of local products, screening of documentaries on Etna and on its territory, excursions to discover fascinating places, performances of musical and dance groups, photographic exhibitions and much more.
TYPICAL FOOD
Zafferana Etnea offers visiting tourists different typical products, with the production of different qualities of honey, some pastry specialties, such as the tealeaves, skiers and almond pastries. The typical product par excellence is honey, which has allowed Zafferana to boast its title as the "City of Honey".
Apiculture is the most flourishing activity that has made the town one of the largest producers in the national field for about 15% and a concentration of about 800 small businesses in the sector. The typical honey specialties vary from that of Zagara, to that of orange, chestnut, eucalyptus, lemon, millefiori, and prickly pear.
There are also pears, cherries, peaches, and apples. Noteworthy is the pastry shop, which includes the "Sciatore" (a milk biscuit covered with dark chocolate, invented in Zafferana to meet the energy needs of skiers direct or back from the ski slopes of Etna), almond pastries, hazelnut, and of pistachio; ricotta cassatele, and tea leaves.
Another specialty of the rotisserie is the Sicilian pizza, which is a crescent-shaped fried calzone, whose pasta is prepared with an exclusive and secret recipe, stuffed with tuna, anchovies, and pepper.
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel
-The Valle Dell'Etna Zafferana https://www.valledelletna.it/
-The Zafferana Meridiana http://www.lameridianabed.com/
-Hotel Airone http://aironewellnesshotel.com/
-Hotel Primavera Dell'Etna https://www.hotel-primavera.it/it/
Bed & Breakfast
- The Garden of Sara https://ilgiardinodisara.it/
-Poggiofelice http://www.poggiofelicebeb.it/
-The Ginestra dell'Etna http://www.ginestradelletna.it/
-Fleri Bouganvillea dell'Etna http://www.bouganvilleadelletna.it
Restaurants
- Villa Mirador
Telephone: 095 708 2890
-Ardichetto trattoria Telephone: 095 708 1060
- Ristorante Pizzeria L'Orchidea
Telephone: 095 708 2575
-The Porcino
Telephone: 095 708 3843
-Trattoria La Pentolaccia
Telephone: 095 587 5231