| Avola | ||
_-_panoramio.jpg/250px-Panorama_di_Avola_(Sicilia)_-_panoramio.jpg) | ||
| State | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Sicily | |
| Territory | Syracusan | |
| Altitude | 40 m a.s.l. | |
| Surface | 74.59 km² | |
| Inhabitants | 31.213 (2018) | |
| Prefix tel | 39 0931 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 96012 | |
| Time zone | UTC 1 | |
| Patron | Santa Venera | |
Position
| ||
| Tourism site | ||
| Institutional website | ||
Avola is a city of Sicily.
To know
Avola is a place known for the sea and summer holidays, but also for its production of almonds and the name of the famous Nero d'Avola grape.
Background
The coastal region around Avola was first populated by the Sicans and then by the Sicilians. Greek colonization followed, led by Syracuse: after the second Punic war, the dominion over the whole of southern Sicily passed to the Romans.
The ancient settlement of Ancient Avola was located a few kilometers higher in the mountains, after the massive devastation caused by the earthquake in the Val di Noto, the entire city was rebuilt 8 km near the coast under the guidance of the architect and Jesuit priest Angelo Italia in the form of a hexagon. The architecture with the hexagonal walls, corner towers and symmetrical walls and towers is unique and can still be seen in today's aerial photography. Due to the post-earthquake construction all the main valuable buildings and churches are in Sicilian Baroque style.
How to orient yourself
Avola: full screen map.The central square 1 Piazza Umberto I with the Mother Church it represents the center of Avola, while the 2 Corso Vittorio Emanuele crosses the city in a west-east direction, 3 Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi instead it cuts it in a north-south direction. North of the hexagonal-shaped historic center are the 4 Piazza Regina Elena, south la 5 Theater Square, smaller squares like the 6 Vittorio Veneto square to the west and 7 Trieste square East.
Fraction
- Ancient Avola - Site of the ancient city destroyed by the 1693 earthquake.
How to get
By plane
The nearest airports are:
- 8 Catania airport (Catania Fontanarossa Airport "Vincenzo Bellini". IATA: CTA), Via Fontanarossa, 20, Fontanarossa, ☎ 39 0957239111.
00:00-24:00. Airport for national and international flights. The airport is connected to Avola by direct bus lines. 
- 9 Comiso Airport (Pio La Torre Airport), ☎ 39 0932 961467, @[email protected]. Airport opened in 2007. Mainly operates seasonal and charter flights.
00:00-24:00. Airport for national and international flights. The airport is connected to Avola by direct bus lines.
By car
Avola is easily reachable from the highway 
Messina - Catania - Syracuse with the Avola junction, or from the south starting from Rosolini. The southern coast of Sicily can be reached via the 
South West Sicula, which starts in Syracuse and passes through Avola, Noto, Gela until Agrigento.
Historically Avola has never been a port city and does not have a marina, there are at most a few fishing boats on the beach.
On the train
- 10 Avola station (The train station is located in the west a few minutes walk from the historic center). There are rail links across the line Syracuse-Avola-Known-Ragusa-Gela-Canicattì, connects the city with the baroque cities of the Val di Noto.
By bus
Avola is connected to Catania, Syracuse, Known is Rosolini by a regular bus network including theAST.
How to get around
The easiest way to get around the city is on foot or by private vehicle.
What see
Churches and religious buildings
- 1 Mother Church of San Nicolò (Parish of San Sebastiano), Piazza Umberto I, ☎ 39 0931 831078. Mon-Sun 9: 00-20: 00. Church erected after 1693.
- 2 Church of the Annunziata (Church of Maria SS. Annunziata), Via Daniele Manin, 51. Church with a beautifully curved Baroque facade
- 3 S. Croce Church, Piazza Francesco Crispi. The church of simple architectural structure with the former Capuchin convent is the tomb of numerous dignitaries of the city of Avola
- 4 Church of S. Antonio Abate, Piazza Regina Elena, 14. Baroque church with a statue of theEcce Homo noteworthy, which comes from ancient Noto
- 5 Church of S. Maria del Gesù, Via Felice Orsini, 1. The church with the Franciscan Minorite convent from a later period also contains the marble tomb of Baron A. Battaglia.
- 6 Church of S. Giovanni Battista, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 253, ☎ 39 0931 821041. It was also built in Sicilian Baroque style, the missing bell tower and the façade cut at the top indicate that the building was not completed.
- 7 S. Venera Church, Piazza Teatro, 6. Baroque church built by Baron Astuto in 1725. It was dedicated to the patron saint of the city, S. Venera.
Church of S. Giovanni Battista
S. Venera Church
S. Antonino Church
Church and Hermitage of Our Lady of Grace
- 8 Church of Our Lady of Grace, Via Marina, 27. It is located along the road that leads towards the sea and for this reason in the past many sailors stopped to pray.
- 9 S. Antonino Church, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 130/136. Baroque style church.
- 10 Church and Hermitage Madonna delle Grazie, ☎ 39 333 799 1965. This church with the annexed hermitage is located in ancient Avola and today is used as a hotel.
Palaces and structures
- 11 Giangreco Palace, Piazza Umberto I (on the east side of the square, next to the Civic Museum). Noble palace of the city.
- 12 clock tower, Piazza Umberto I. Building with a clock
- 13 City Palace (Civic Museum), Piazza Umberto I.
- 14 Old Market (Pro loco tourist association library), Via S. Francesco D'Assisi, 48. A beautiful arcaded building, today it is used differently.
- 15 The Rotonda (on the waterfront). Circular platform overlooking the sea joined by a walkway. A nice place to walk and see the sea at sunset.
- 16 Tuna fish, Contrada Zuccara, 10 (at the end of Via Miramare). Ancient trap of the city in disuse for some time, that is when the tuna fishing was flourishing and then entering into crisis. The building represents an example of industrial archeology.
- 17 Remembrance Park, Piazza Regina Margherita, 33. Park near the station.
- 18 Hellenistic-Roman villa, via Sandro Pertini (seafront of Avola). Remains of a villa from the III-II century BC
Other
- 19 Museum of the Millstone and Midolo Oil Mill, via Villafranca 31. Mon-Fri 9: 30-13: 00. One of the first structures that was rebuilt after 1693, an oil mill to extract olive oil as one of the economic bases of the city.
- 20 Dolmen, in the Borgellusa district (it is located north of the city center opposite the hospital entrance). free use. An almost unique prehistoric monument of its kind in Sicily. It belongs to a period certainly prior to the Sicilian one. It was discovered in 1961. It consists of a huge stone table resting on two pillars. Human interventions are visible both in the expansion and in the geometry of the cavity, as well as in the shape given to the two lateral piers.
Events and parties
- Feast of San Corrado. February 19.
- Feast of St. Joseph. March 19.
- Feast of San Sebastiano. second Sunday of May.
- Feast of Santa Venera. last Sunday of July.
What to do
The city is a destination for tourists who appreciate the sea, the beaches are very crowded during the summer season.
- 1 "Meno Di Pasquale" Stadium.
- 2 Panorama of Avola.
Shopping
Noteworthy is the intense dark red wine Nero d'Avola, which is grown in the region between Avola - Noto - Pachino, which has received a DOC designation, and almonds.
How to have fun
Shows
- 1 Garibaldi Theater (Municipal Theater of Avola), Via Marconi.
Where to eat
Moderate prices
- 1 "La Bruna" coffee, Piazza Umberto I, 50.
Average prices
- 2 Augustus, Contrada Cravonazzo, ☎ 39 0931 834255. Pub pizzeria.
- 3 Twentieth century, Viale Lido, 176, ☎ 39 0931 454841. Bar, aperitifs and restaurant.
Where stay
Moderate prices
- 1 B&B Le Torrette, Viale Lido, 66, ☎ 39 327 890 5867.
Average prices
- 2 B&B Pantanello Rooms, Via G. Fortunato, 3 (In front of the Pantanello beach), ☎ 39 328 311 3505.
Safety
- 11 G. di Maria Hospital,
, ☎ 39 0931 582111.
How to keep in touch
Around
- Cavagrande del Cassibile nature reserve - 300 meters deep canyon on which the Cassibile river flows. Location known for its naturalistic and archaeological pre-existences and for the famous "lakes".
- Vendicari Nature Reserve - Coastal and marshy reserve between the territories of Noto and Pachino.
- Known
- Ancient known
- Syracuse
