Caltagirone is famous for its splendid beautifully decorated ceramics. The whole town breathes ceramics, from the façades of many of the houses to bridges and vases on terraces. We recommend a walk up the magnificently decorated steps leading to the church of Santa Maria del Monte.
The history of the town’s ceramics dates back all the way to the Greek dominance of the area but has since developed under the various other foreign rulers such as the Arabs and the Spaniards. If you want to buy good ceramic art then you have come to the right place. Caltagirone also show signs of the Norman rule of
Sicily with the cathedral being a prime example.
The town is picturesquely situated between the Iblean mountains on one side and the Erei mountains on the other. Near Caltagirone in
Piazza Armerina you will find the impressive Roman villa with its beautiful mosaics. From Caltagirone it is easy to get to the Baroque towns of
Ragusa,
Modica and
Noto.
