Caltagirone

Caltagirone is a beautiful city rich in history and traditions framed by a fantastic natural environment.

In the baroque town of Caltagirone, Sicily, the main attraction is its ceramics industry. Caltagirone ceramics have been used for centuries to decorate houses, public and private parks, churches, streets and squares. The typical colours of local pottery, sage green and yellow, are the colours of Sicily itself, of its sun and breathtaking beauty.

The name of the city derives from the Arabic word qal’at-al-ghiran, meaning Castle of Vases. There are ceramics everywhere you look as tile murals on buildings, assigns, and in the many ceramics shops just waiting for a savvy Voyager to select a few individual pieces to take back home. The highlight of the town is the excellent Scalinata di Santa Maria del Monte, connecting the lower city with the older upper part, and boasting 142 individually designed and decorated steps. A visit to the Regional Museum of Ceramics is a must to appreciate the artistic value of Sicilian pottery and its evolution over the centuries.

Caltagirone is very much worth exploring. Only 40 minutes from Catania and close to Piazza Armerina, it is within easy reach of many of our Sicily properties.