Caronia is a village in the province of Messina which is the ideal destination for those who want to discover an authentic corner of Sicily, a land which also has historical records which make it even more interesting.
Here, then, is the essential information to reach the village but also to not miss the most interesting points.
The history of Caronia, Messina
Caronia is a small municipality located within the Nebrodi Park. It is the country with the largest extension within the park and it is also the only one that manages to include both the sea and the mountains.
The village was born from the ashes of the Greek city of Calacte but it was subsequently conquered by the Romans who made it a center of excellence as regards commerce but also agriculture. After a period of Arab domination, Caronia became part of the feud entrusted to the Ventimiglia family who for many years exploited the area as a base for their trade. However, with the arrival of the Spaniards, the feud became the property of the Marquises of Pignatelli Aragona Córtez who held control of it for several centuries. All these upheavals of fronts and populations on the territory of Caronia are also testified by numerous historical finds, especially from the Hellenistic period.
What to see in Caronia, Messina
A history so full of beauty and events is also evident from the numerous testimonies of monuments that can be found on the municipal territory. One of them is certainly the Aurelian bridge, which is located right on the Caronia torrent and which is the testimony of the imperial period: unfortunately, however, this important sign of Roman urban planning has not been preserved in the correct way and recently the central part has collapsed.
Another monument that tells a lot about the area is the Norman castle, built in the XNUMXth century under the reign of Roger II: it is one of the best preserved Norman sites ever but it is a private property so unfortunately it can only be visited once a year, in August. The Forest Museum, however, is located within the Tassita forest and you can admire inside numerous testimonies of the life of the populations of the Nebrodi.
Things to do in Caronia, province of Messina
One of the festivity most felt in Caronia is certainly that of San Biagio, patron saint of the village, which is held both in February and in August: the culminating moment of the celebration is linked to the procession which carries around the relics of the saint and which ends with the blessing of the throats and cuddure.
Those with a sweet tooth, on the other hand, will appreciate it Comb Festival which is held in Caronia and which celebrates this tasty fish cooked in the most varied ways, especially fried. In October, on the other hand, it's time for Festival of Black Pig and Porcini Mushrooms, two ingredients that are used for the preparation of tasty dishes, with local products. Another typical productfinally is theoil given that the Nebrodi area has the most suitable climate for growing delicious quality olive trees: not only oil but also many other specialties are made with this highly prized raw material.
Curiosities about Caronia
Curious visitors who want to know more about Caronia will be able to discover some peculiarities during a visit that will serve to better understand the spirit of the place. For example, she was born right in Caronia Francesca Mirabile Mancuso: her name, perhaps, will not say anything to most people but it is a woman who has established a curious record. Francesca, in fact, on June 5, 1913 was there first woman in Italy to obtain a driving licence. Precisely for this record, his car - a historic Isotta Fraschini - as well as the license itself are kept in Turin, inside the Car Museum. Another record for the village, then, is represented by the fact that it is the country with the largest extension in the province of Messina: its surface is 226 sq km but it has a population of only 3400 inhabitants.
How to get to Caronia
Those who want to discover more closely the beauties of Caronia, in the province of Messina, can do so starting from this city and first along the A20 and then the E90, the same road that those arriving from Palermo must take. From Catania, on the other hand, you can choose the A18 while from Syracuse you must first take the E45 and then the E90. The latter is the road that must also be followed by those who come from Trapani.
Caronia also has its own railway station which is on the line connecting Palermo to Messina. Finally, it is possible to reach the village through the local bus lines made available by the AST company.
© Image by Liquid nitrogen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
