Harvest Festival in Piedimonte Etneo

Piedimonte Etneo is a small municipality in the province of Catania. In the month of September, however, the boundaries of the village seem to widen, to welcome the many visitors who flock to the Grape Harvest Festival.

La Harvest Festival in Piedimonte Etneo, is a great event that celebrates the Local wine and Sicilian vineyards, presenting to the public one of the local products par excellence: wine.

Among tastings, shows and music, with the parade of carts and grape harvesters, the true Sicilian spirit makes its way, with all the enthusiasm of peasant life and a passion for wine, which has very ancient roots.

One of the moments not to be missed at the Festa is undoubtedly the Tracked by Racina, the very emblem of the harvest. Between bunches of grapes and gestures with an ancient flavour, every year the Harvest Festival in Piedimonte Etneo captures and fascinates its visitors.

The history of the Harvest Festival in Piedimonte Etneo

In 1999 the Harvest Festival was celebrated for the first time in Piedimonte Etneo, organized with the patronage of the Municipality. Since then, every year the wine pressing it is shown to tourists and locals, carried out by experts of the trade.

When the Harvest Festival takes place in Piedimonte Etneo

The Harvest Festival in Piedimonte Etneo takes place in September. The three official days are announced in advance via social channels and the press.

Where the Harvest Festival takes place in Piedimonte Etneo

Piedimonte Etneo is located in the Metropolitan City of Catania; L'food and wine event revolves around the Mother Church, in via Vittorio Emanuele III.

What to do during the Harvest Festival in Piedimonte Etneo

During the Harvest Festival in Piedimonte Etneo, you discover the history and culture of an entire town; you can taste the excellent Local wine, making the classic round of cellars, but also take part in guided tours in the historic center of Piedimonte Etneo, visiting the Bell tower of the Mother Church.

Take advantage of it, then, to organize a holiday in the village and discover the entire historic center of Piedimonte and its surroundings: the Mother Church consecrated to Our Lady of the Rosary it is one of the locations chosen for the Harvest festival, don't forget to enter the Church, for a visit inside too. Then, in the center, you will also find the Church of Sant'Ignazio, with its beautiful facade and the Convent of the Capuchins; other sacred buildings in the village are those of the Shrine of Santa Maria di Vena andAbbey of San Michele Arcangelo in Contrada Fogliarino.

When entering and leaving the village, pass by Porta San Fratello, eighteenth-century monument in the village of Piedimonte Etneo. From here, you can reach the nearest towns, such as Fiumefreddo, Linguaglossa and Calatabiano, but also the beautiful Ionian coast of Sicily, where in the month of September you can still swim: the Lido Bonday Beach, near Chianchitta, the beaches of Taormina and the lido di Letojanni are close to the town.

If you prefer to visit a city of art, heading south for about 40 km along the coast, you will arrive in Catania, where the Cathedral of Sant'Agata, Piazza del Duomo, Villa Pacini and the Botanical Garden of Catania await you, to mention just some of the wonders of this city.

Speaking of marvels, have you ever tasted Sicilian cuisine on site? You won't believe your taste buds if you eat Sicilian cannoli and ricotta cream puffs, with all the flavor of fresh Sicilian cheese. Fish cous cous, snapper in crazy water and octopus salad are among the most famous seafood dishes in the area, while if you prefer meat, ask for stuffed chicken or aubergines and quail.

How to get to the Harvest Festival in Piedimonte Etneo

Piedimonte Etneo, in the Metropolitan City of Catania and a few steps from the Ionian coast of Sicily, can be easily reached by car and by train.

Who arrives in the car, turning at the exit for Fiumefreddo from the A18 Messina-Catania, will arrive in the town with just 1,7 km of travel, while those who choose the train, getting off at Giarre-Riposto station, you will have to make a short journey by bus or shuttle, for about 8 km from the station to the centre.