In Randazzo: a photo gallery

April 27, 2019

We nearly gave Randazzo a pass this year, which would have been a mistake because we found it to be one of the most rewarding small towns we’ve visited here. Fortunately it made it onto the itinerary because it’s the obvious spot to break the ride southeast across the northern flank of Etna.

We stayed here for two nights on our first tour, but we never really got a good look at the place then - we arrived late on the first night after the long, hard climb up from Taormina; and we got in late the second night after a long loop ride east to the Alcantara Gorge. We loved the countryside and the rides, but our memory of the town itself is as a rather dark, somewhat gloomy place. This is because the town darkens fairly early, and after dark it is cold, quiet, and even just a bit spooky.

This time, we arrived earlier in the day with enough time and oomph left to walk its streets before sundown. Much different place - people are about, very few of whom seem to be tourists; and the sunlight highlights the beauty of this unique place, built high on the slopes of one of the most active volcanoes on the planet. Etna’s proximity is everywhere you look - you come across it looming at the end of streets, and its black lava is a primary building material for the town. Randazzo has a trio of striking churches, and other architectural delights scattered through its small historic core. Just our kind of town.

Not many notes, other than this - mostly just some pictures to tempt you to leave the madding crowds behind and trek up here yourself.

Well, here’s one last word, an interesting detail I found in a travel article. Until the sixteenth century, the town consisted of three populations speaking different languages - Greek, Latin, and Lombard. These communities correspond to the town’s three great churches, each built in that community’s third of the town.

Randazzo has a wonderful setting. To the west is Mount Etna, but it’s also beautiful looking east to the Nebrodi Mountains.

She looks warm standing here waiting for our restaurant to open, but actually it’s windy and cooling down fast. The sun will set in just a few minutes.

On a clear day, you’re always reminded of the fact that you’re living on the slopes of one of the most active volcanoes on the planet.

Once you get off the main drag, most of Randazzo’s streets look like this - skinny, no sidewalks, barely room for a small car.

Facing the dome of Santa Maria, the Latin church

It’s quietly smoldering this morning, but there are not infrequent spectacular eruptions. It must be awesome and frightening to witness from your doorstep.

I forget what this is (the ruins, not the mountain). If I figure it out, I’ll come back and elaborate.

The street of the arches leads to Sant Nicolo church and it’s piazza. That’s the base of the bell tower behind the car.

The new clock of Saint Nicolo church, seen through a window of the street of arches.

The facade of the Saint Nicolo, the Greek church. Built in the 13th century, but extensively modified over time. The facade is neogothic, from the nineteenth century.

I don’t know why, but I think space like this are more interesting with a few folks sitting in them.

The bell tower of Saint Nicolo church was never completed.

I love the colorful stonework on Saint Nicolo’s walls. It’s characteristic of the town as a whole - many of the older buildings here look like this.

Santa Maria church, in the Latin quarter.

Santa Maria church. Like much of the town, it is built primarily of lava stone.

Santa Maria church. I love my camera, and how well it performs in low light conditions. We get a much better look at the ceiling through the camera than with our eyes.

San Marino church, in the Lombard quarter. Like the others, it also dates to the thirteenth century.

The bell tower of San Martino church is original, from the thirteenth century. Very impressive, considering all the earthquakes beneath its feet that it must have survived.

Another look at San Martino’s Elegant bell tower.

A transient detail on San Martino church.

The castle: the sole survivor of the eight towers of the town walls.

One looks down as I look up the wall of the castle.

A beautiful staircase in the Lombard quarter.

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