Caltagirone is one of the eight Sicilian towns of the Note Valley inscribed on the UNESCO list due to the local baroque monuments. The historic center is also famous for the production of beautiful ceramics.
The city is divided into parts. The highest is the church part, the center of which is the local sanctuary, the Church of Santa Maria del Monte. The baroque church hides a 13th-century painting of Madonna di Conadomini, which has been worshiped for centuries. From the church bell tower you can admire the beautiful panorama of Caltagirone and the south of Sicily.
In the past, the lower part of the city belonged to the laity. Trade was concentrated here and the most important residents' residences were located. Today it is a land of narrow, cobbled streets, city palaces and tenement houses with restaurants, shops and craft workshops.
Both parts of the city are connected by the greatest attraction of Caltagirone, by stairs to Santa Maria del Monte. Over 140 steps are built of volcanic rock and decorated with ceramic tiles with colorful patterns of knights, mythological figures, and floral and geometric motifs.
Caltagirone is a picturesque city, full of baroque monuments, which can be both a good place for a trip of several hours and a base for exploring the south of Sicily. In addition to the monuments, an interesting object, and at the same time a place to spend free time, is the public garden of Villa Comunale.
