Ice cream festival in Fiumefreddo di Sicilia

In Sicily, between Taormina and Catania, a handful of kilometers from Cottone seafront, lies the village of Fiumefreddo, with ancient medieval origins. Here the gastronomic tradition conquers tourists and the people of Catania every year, who in summer celebrate the typical local fruit, the almond, transformed into delicious ice cream.

However, the Ice Cream Festival in Fiumefreddo is not just about food: culture, fun and conviviality are the main characteristics of this festival, born from the local collaboration between expert ice cream makers, volunteers and artists who offer all participants typical food and lots of entertainment.

The sweet event is particularly suitable for children, but it's not just the little ones who love ice cream and everyone, in fact, is invited to this great party in the Sicilian village.

The history of the ice cream festival in Fiumefreddo

It was 2007 when a group of enthusiasts, including master ice cream makers and local inhabitants, decided for the first time to give new life to local traditions; Sicily has always been known as the land of fruits and in the surroundings of Fiumefreddo, the fruit most cultivated by past generations was precisely the almond.

From historical research to the creation of artisanal ice cream, this initiative involved many local participants, creating quality products and an event capable of involving the whole town in a great celebration which, in the summer period, also welcomes many tourists.

Now in its fifteenth edition, the Ice Cream Festival in Fiumefreddo is a gastronomic event but also a cultural project, which brings together the community and which has also given rise to other cultural initiatives in the town, such as the theater season which takes place in the busier months cold.

When the ice cream festival takes place in Fiumefreddo

The Ice Cream Festival in Fiumefreddo is a great event that characterizes the Sicilian summer: in the warmer months, starting from July and until late September, it is possible to taste the delicious almond ice cream and also other typical products at the festival.
The official opening and closing dates of the event are July 6th and September 21st.

In summer, the ice cream festival can become an opportunity for a holiday on the island, which in addition to its gastronomic richness offers many architectural and cultural and a sea with which few other destinations can compete.

Where the ice cream festival takes place in Fiumefreddo

The culinary initiative was born in the Liberto district of Fiumefreddo. Fiumefreddo is located in Sicily and is a municipality in the metropolitan city of Catania, where around 9.000 people live and in summer it prepares to welcome all tourists who wish to spend pleasant holidays on the island. The town is located within the Etna park and extends across the plains, but its territory also touches the volcano, from whose slopes rises the river that gives its name to the country. Fiumefreddo is located about 60 meters above sea level and the beach can be reached from the town in a few minutes.

What to do during the ice cream festival in Fiumefreddo

The first thing to do during the festival is of course to taste the delicious creamy and refreshing ice cream under the Sicilian summer sun. Ice cream can be enjoyed in a cup, comfortably seated with friends, but it is also perfect for refreshing a walk through the streets of the village and during your stay in Fiumefreddo you can try it in all its versions; at the festival you will also find other typical almond-based products to fully celebrate the flavor of the local fruit.

The Ice Cream Festival in Fiumefreddo, however, is also a great event that brings tradition back to life, so it will be possible to have fun and learn new things on site. Dances and traditional music, books and the possibility of being together with the local inhabitants in a festive atmosphere that encourages conviviality.

The festival can be the perfect opportunity to organize a holiday or a short visit to Sicily and between one ice cream and another you can spend a few hours on the beach, swim in the Ionian Sea and stop in Catania or Taormina, the nearest major cities. Staying in the village, you can visit the Slave Castle , Red Tower, while for nature lovers there is Fiumefreddo River Nature Reserve, a protected area that covers the path of the river.
Furthermore, in the warmer months, there are many festivals and events in the nearby villages, which make this area interesting and lively.
The Sicilian summer really offers a lot to those who come to visit the island!

How to get to the ice cream festival in Fiumefreddo? Which roads to take?

Fiumefreddo is located at the foot of Etna, in the province of Catania, halfway between Taormina and Giarre.

Getting to the village is easy, because Fiumfreddo is connected to the main Sicilian cities via the motorway, but it is not difficult to get there by train, because the railway stations of Giarre and Taormina, which are only a few kilometers away, are connected to the village by shuttle service or bus.

By car you can reach the town on the Messina Catania motorway from the exit for Fiumefreddo or Giardini Naxos. Traveling by train you can book a ticket to Giarre Riposto or Taormina, respectively 7 and 9 km away from Fiumefreddo.

Once in Fiumefreddo, the heart of the festival is in the Contrada Liberto, in the north-eastern quadrant of the town.