Giarre is a delightful town located halfway between Catania and Taormina, with an airy and colourful historic core that includes neoclassical churches, Art Nouveau buildings and… a volcano! Exactly. Mount Etna is fully included among the “urban” monuments of Giarre, because from the town’s central square the view of the great volcano is so full and exciting – especially during eruptions – that it is normal to define it as : “monumental”. If you are looking a good place from which to photograph an eruption, therefore, take notes: this is in the top five!
an old 18th cent painting by Giovanni Tuccari
Giarre: the “shopping mall” that became a city
Where Giarre stands today, it seems that in ancient times – at the time of the Greeks – the city of Kallipolis stood, even if there are no traces or chronicles of it. However, we do know that the lands surrounding this city were and are very fertile and it is no coincidence that the inhabitants have always been attracted by agriculture. The products of the land and the trading of them have built the identity of Giarre, whose name in fact derives from the “terracotta jars”, used for the conservation of goods.
Giarre started as a “commercial district”, an ancient “shopping mall” on the outskirts of the noble County of Mascali where trade and contracts between merchants took place. The most recent paintings (18th century) describe the place as an agricultural land dotted with farms and warehouses. It was only over time that houses, churches and a larger population settled around. It can therefore be said that Giarre, as we know it today, has only really existed for three hundred years! And its modern appearance confirms this clue. Between 1939 and 1945 it was unified with the nearby port city of Riposto, under the name of Jonia. Today the two centers are independent again although they often refer to themselves as “Giarre Riposto” .
Giarre, excellent base for Etna
Staying in Giarre when you go on holiday to Etna may not be the most romantic, but it is certainly the most practical solution for experiencing the volcano up close. In addition to the spectacular view you will enjoy from many points of the city, many direct roads and paths start from here and connect Giarre to Etna and its craters. In short, from Giarre you get to the volcano in a very short time: 40 minutes by car to get to Rifugio Citelli (Etna North) and 50 minutes to reach Rifugio Sapienza-Etna South.
What to see in Giarre
The Giarre tourist route is short, quick but equally fascinating. The heart of the city is the Piazza del Duomo (Dome Square) which is flanked by the main church of Saint Isidoro Agricola (1818). The austere neoclassical building with squat square towers houses interesting works of art by Pietro Paolo Vasta and an organ built by the Serassi brothers from Bergamo.
Among the oldest churches, Saint Filippo Neri known as “L’Oratorio” (18th century) currently under restoration and the beautiful church of Saint Francis Carmel (19th century) in classic style with some baroque touches. The peripheral church of Santa Maria della Strada is also part of Giarre’s artistic heritage, while the churches of Saint Giuseppe Lavoratore and Saint Camillo are decidedly modern. Walking along Callipoli avenue, the main street of the city, you can also admire various parks and the delightful Art Nouveau buildings: Palazzo Bonaventura, the former Hydroelectric Power Palace and Palazzo Quattrocchi. Returning at the main church, perhaps in the evening and during an eruptive phase of Mount Etna, you will find yourself in front of the show of the square surrounded by elegant buildings above which the gigantic craters of the volcano and the lava fountains dominate! A natural monument among many human monuments!
Nunziata and Riposto
They are not part of the municipality of Giarre but are a stone’s throw from the center and can be visited as part of the city itineraries: Nunziata, on the hills, and Riposto, on the coast. In Nunziata (municipality of Mascali) it is worth going to admire the so-called “Church of Nunziatella” where important archaeological finds have resurfaced which testify to one of the oldest Christian churches in the Catania area! Riposto, a municipality independent of Giarre divided from its twin city only by the railway line, is the most beautiful tourist port in the Catania area. The center revolves around the large church of Saint Peter and the square over which the town hall also stands.
How to get there
To get to Giarre, just follow the A18 Catania-Messina motorway with direct exit. Giarre can also be reached by following the State Street 114-Consolare Valeria. If you have a yacht you can easily dock at the port of Riposto and reach Giarre with a long walk among the delicatessen cafés, bars and shops of Corso Italia! The nearest airport is Fontanarossa in Catania. (PHOTOS BY G MUSUMECI)