Belice is a region of the Sicily.
To know
Geographical notes
The Belice is a valley, mainly hilly, constituted by the hydrographic basin within which the course of the Belìce river extends.
Background
In January 1968 the area was hit by a strong earthquake, known as Belice earthquake, which devastated most of the municipalities of the valley and the area. The reconstruction following the earthquake gave rise to one of the most emblematic scandals of the second postwar period: after more than 50 years from the event, despite the pharaonic works carried out and the enormous expenditure of public funds, the damage inflicted by the earthquake cannot be said yet. completely healed.
Territories and tourist destinations
Urban centers
- 1 Bisacquino
- Flowery field
- 2 Castelvetrano - City not far from the archaeological site of Selinunte, interesting the Church of San Domenico defined the Sistine Chapel of Sicily and the Cuba of Delia, a Norman-Byzantine church of the twelfth century.
- 3 Closed Sclafani - Town whose territory falls within the Monti Sicani Park.
- Contessa Entellina
- 4 Gibellina - Destroyed in 1968 by the devastating Belice earthquake, it was rebuilt about ten kilometers away, attracting international architects and artists. Where there was the old city now there is a land art work by Alberto Burri.
- Giuliana
- Memphis - City rich in noble palaces, it is located in the middle between the countryside, rich in excellent vineyards and olive groves, and the coast with the characteristic port of Porto Palo, which have received the Blue Flag, a symbol of pristine sea and beautiful sandy beaches.
- Montevago - The town is located on thermal territory. The Terme Acqua Pia are an exceptional meeting place for lovers of thermal baths.
- Partanna
- Poggioreale
- Roccamena
- Salaparuta
- Salemi
- 5 Sambuca of Sicily - Sambuca di Sicilia, yesterday Zabut, is a town of Arab origins. To see the ruins of the Elymian-Sican civilization of Monte Adranone and the finds preserved in the Archaeological Museum of Monte Adranone. A land rich in important wineries, it is remodeled for the food and wine products peculiar to that land, such as the Vastedda della Valle del Belice and the Minne di Virgini.
- Santa Margherita di Belice - Santa Margherita di Belice is a town in the Belicino hinterland known for being the country residence of the Filangeri princes, protagonists of the novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, The Leopard.
- Santa Ninfa
Other destinations
- 1 Monti Sicani Park - This park belongs administratively to both the territory of Palermo than to that of Agrigento
- Mouth of the Belice River Nature Reserve and neighboring dunes
Archaeological sites
- 2 Ruins of Poggioreale - The remains of the city destroyed by the Belice earthquake in 1968 are today a tourist attraction.
- 3 Selinunte - The largest archaeological park in Europe with its temples just a few steps from the beach.
How to get
How to get around
What see
The memory of the Belice earthquake is strong in the territory, many of the attractions are linked to this tragic event. The Cretto di Burri is a great work of land art Alberto Burri on the ruins of the old one Gibellina. The ruins were concreted into a monument to memory. A tragic memory are also i Ruins of Poggioreale remained so from the day of the earthquake, while the new city was rebuilt further away.
What to do
At the table
L'Valle del Belice oil, is an extra virgin olive oil with a protected designation of origin.
There Vastedda of the Belice Valley is a stretched curd sheep's milk cheese, obtained with whole, raw sheep's milk with natural fermentation acidity, from Valle del Belice sheep and its crosses.
L'Nocellara del Belice olive (DOP) is a particularly large and tasty olive, which is produced in the Belice Valley.
