History.

The town center is built around Via Piave, lined with elegant shops, and the promenade that runs parallel to it, along the beautiful beach. End of the promontory, on top of a staircase, situated in panoramic position on the ruins of the castle of Orlando, the Sanctuary of Maria SS. Capo d'Orlando, (XVII sec.), a pilgrimage site for the festival which takes place October 22. .

Nearby.

Continuing along the waterfront, once past the head, the road offers fine views over the beach and water deep blue sea, dotted by rocks. Terme at Bagnoli. Near S. Gregory, a suburb of Capo d'Orlando, in Bagnoli district were brought to light the remains of the baths belonging to a Roman villa of the imperial age. There frigidarium (rooms 1-2-3), iltepidarium (compartment 4) and caldarium (rooms 5 and 6). Soho lesuspensurae clearly visible, for the heating system of the premises. In rooms 4, 5 and 6 there are remains of mosaics in geometric patterns.

Villa Piccolo Calanovella. 4.5 km west, at km 109 of the SS 113 Messina-Palermo. Sano were the last heirs of the family to want this little museum and foundation in the villa of the late nineteenth century. where they lived since the 30's. That of the Small family of artists: in particular Lucio (d. 1969), recognized poet, Casimir and painting and photography enthusiast and student of occultism. The cousin Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa often came to stay in the quiet of the villa and here he wrote most of his masterpiece in the room occupied by him, is preserved a letter to the Small and the bed where he slept, with a nice bedside in ivory and pearl, depicting the baptism of John (Bill Trapani of the seventeenth century.). In the villa you can also see Chinese porcelain, of Faenza and Capodimonte (large vessel is a Spanish-Moorish style of the tenth century.). sets of dishes, antique weapons, some gourds Caltagirone ceramics of the seventeenth and eighteenth century. and a very interesting series of watercolors of fantastic person, by Casimiro Piccolo loved to represent a fairytale world full of imagination in which they move in an atmosphere of soft light, cute gnomes, elves, fairies and butterflies. Before concluding the visit, it's worth a short walk under the pergola in the park of the villa, where the dog cemetery belonged to the family.

INLAND. circuit of 74 km The route into the hinterland of Capo d'Orlando on the eastern slopes of the Nebrodi. Leave Capo d'Orlando and follow the coast south to S. Agata Militello. At the height of Capri Leone, turn left to Frazzanò.

Frazzanò. 22 km to the south According to tradition, the town was founded in the ninth century. A.D. by people who fled before the invasion of the Arabs. The Cathedral Church of SS. Annunziata (XVIII sec.) Has a beautiful baroque façade pilasters and enriched by an elegant portal, flanked by twisted columns and niches with statues. The Church of St. Lorenzo has a very simple façade, whose only relief is a fine doorway with two spiral columns on each side and sculptural floral decorations, cherubs and scrolls. Inside is a fine wooden statue of the Holy (1620). Continue to the right turn for the Convent of St. Philip of Fragala.

Convent of St. Philip of Fragala.3 km from Frazzanò direction Longi. The Basilian church, recently restored, was built by Roger I of Hauteville in the eleventh century., Probably on the ruins of a former church of the fifth century. It is worth pausing to observe the abbey from the outside, when you are in: we note the three apses in the Arab-Norman style, marked by brick pilasters, and the octagonal drum is at the cross of the transept. The church plant in T and, particularly in the central, preserved traces of Byzantine frescoes. Next we visit the rooms of the monastery.

Continue along the road and pass the Portella Calcatirizzo. At the fork, go left Towards S. Savior of Fitalia.

San Salvatore di Fitalia.. San Salvatore di Fitalia .. Built on the slopes of the Nebrodi, this village has a beautiful Cathedral Church dedicated to St. Salvatore (1515). The exterior is rather austere, but it is surprising to reveal the interior; recent restoration has brought to light the structure of the sixteenth-century church, with three naves separated by sandstone columns supporting pointed arches. The beautiful capitals are sculpted with the typically medieval iconography, with plant motifs and anthropomorphic, and the capital of the first column on the right, with the inscription bearing the name of the stone-mason who carved it, with a very special mermaid. Admire also the right aisle, the sweet Lady of the Snows by Antonello Gagini (1521) and the high altar, a fine wooden statue of the Salvator Mundi (1603) represented the time of the Transfiguration.

Sicilian Museum of Religious Traditions. This interesting museum documenting the popular religious culture through the exhibition of the poor, as amulets against the evil eye, votive holders who stand out among a series of anatomical wax, from the Sanctuary of S. Calogero (XVIII-XIX c.), "Pills", that is, squares of paper that is swallowed by reciting prayers for the healing of diseases, sheets of storytellers, whistles with the image of the saint which were sold in the festivities. Note also a unique "priest toy" (XVII sec.), Formed, reminiscent of games that toyed by a doll dressed as a priest, accompanied by his vestments (liturgical kit was unfortunately stolen) reminiscent games in which they flirted a little girl, the nun of Monza in the Betrothed. Completing the exhibition a series of etchings and lithographs of sacred images (XVII-XX century.), A collection of costumes used by the Brotherhoods in processions, several specimens of devotional statuary in wood, plaster or terracotta statues from manger (nineteenth century) . Continue until you reach the coast and turn right towards Capo d'Orlando.

Da Capo D'Orlando a Capo Calavà.

The approximately 16 km stretch of coast between the two leaders is dotted with beautiful beaches and small seaside resorts.

Brolo. Today the seaside resort and busy port until the end of 600, has a fine medieval castle (private) built by Lancia in the fifteenth century. The entrance arch is surmounted by the coat of arms, with three pears of the barony of Pyramus. Brolo exceeded, the junction turn right to reach Piraino.

Piràino. Elongated in a panoramic position on the crest of a hill. Piraino still preserves the structure of the medieval village, full of religious buildings. Its legendary origins (it was founded by Piracmone Cyclops, one of three ministers of Vulcan) are probably related to the discovery of large bones in several caves in the area, mistakenly considered the bones of the Cyclops. The churches are scattered all along the main street of the village. The Church of the Rosary, the most easterly, rebuilt in 1635, still retains the bell tower. Inside, the beautiful wooden ceiling with coffered ceiling roses Byzantine-Norman is an unusual wooden altar painted floral motifs (the first half of the seventeenth century.) With a series of wooden medals applied: depicting the Mysteries of the Rosary at the center of the altar, the wood group of the Madonna and Saints.Further along is the Church of the chain, built in the second half of the seventeenth century., Where he held the first elections after the unification of Italy. Keep the beautiful frescoes, Byzantine, found in the Abbey Church.You then come to the square of the Beam, which owes its name to the beam, which gives access to the place of residence of the Doge's Palace, built by Lancia (XV-XVI century).. Proceeding westward, we reach the highest point of the country, dominated dall'intatta Saracen Tower or Torrazza (X sec.), From whose terrace offers a magnificent view of Capo d'Orlando and the roofs of the country that extends to his feet. The tower was part of a warning system which, starting from the sixteenth Ciavole Tower, located along the coast, communicated with the Guardiola, located north of the country and with the Torrazza.At the western end of the country then there is the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria in the XVI century but rebuilt in the seventeenth century. Inside, the wooden altar is decorated with floral motifs. The pillar on the right of the altar is adorned with a bas relief depicting St. Catherine crushing the infidel.
Back to the coast. On the left stands the Tower of Ciavole. Continue to the small seaside town of Gioiosa Marea and follow the signs for S. Rigging and Philip S. Leonardo (9 km) until you reach Gioiosa Guardia. Ruins of Gioiosa Guardia. The ruins of this medieval town, abandoned by its inhabitants in 700, who founded Gioiosa Marea, located at 800 m altitude, surrounded by picturesque countryside. THE charm that exudes this quiet place joins the splendid panorama of the surrounding landscape. Back on the coast. A little further on you reach Calavà, a spectacular rocky outcrop.

History.

Lovely seaside resort of Capo d'Orlando jutting into the sea and the homonymous promontory. Its history is intertwined with the legend that attributes its foundation to the Trojan War, to Agatirso, son of Aeolus (the thirteenth century. BC). Legend intervenes to explain how the ancient Agatirso was renamed Capo d'Orlando by Charlemagne, passing through these places during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land wanted to give her the name of his heroic paladin. In 1299 the city was the scene of the naval battle between James and Frederick of Aragon, who contended for the throne of Sicily. Since 1955, takes place every summer, the painting exhibition "The Life and landscape of Capo d'Orlando", promoted by the painter Giuseppe Messina Migneco: artists, Italians and even the likes of Guttuso and Casorati, are invited to make on-site their works, some of which, after the award of a prize, are acquired by the municipal art gallery (unfortunately, the works are not visible for the moment).