| Sortino | ||
 | ||
| State | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Sicily | |
| Territory | Syracusan | |
| Altitude | 438 m a.s.l. | |
| Surface | 93.33 km² | |
| Inhabitants | 8 765 (2014) | |
| Name inhabitants | sortinesi | |
| Prefix tel | 39 0931 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 96010 | |
| Time zone | 1 | |
| Patron | Hagia Sophia | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Sortino is a city of Sicily.
To know
Sortino is defined "the city of honey" for its excellent production but it is also famous in the province for being the homeland of pizzolo and for the high consumption of beer per person, much higher than the average on the island.
Geographical notes
The city is located on a plateau surrounded by steep sides. To the south it is crossed by the Guccione torrent on whose slope placed under the village there was the ancient Sortino now called Sort them in ruins. This valley separates the city from the plateau of Pantalica.
When to go
| Climate | gen | Feb | mar | apr | mag | down | Jul | needle | set | Oct | nov | dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum (° C) | 12,5 | 13,1 | 14,5 | 16,8 | 21,2 | 25,7 | 28,7 | 28,9 | 26,1 | 21,4 | 17,4 | 13,9 |
| Minimum (° C) | 5,5 | 5,3 | 6,3 | 8,4 | 12,1 | 16 | 18,6 | 19,2 | 17,1 | 13,5 | 9,8 | 6,9 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 72 | 40 | 50 | 30 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 14 | 34 | 104 | 65 | 68 |
Winters are quite cold with the possibility of short snowfalls, but rarely abundant. Summers are hot but dry. In the evening, the temperature is certainly better than in coastal cities.
Background
The city was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693 on the current plateau. The ancient Sortino today called Sort them in ruins it was located on the southern side of the plateau. It was a very active center in the tanning of hides of which the various buildings excavated in the rock still visible remain.
How to orient yourself
Sortino: full screen map.The center of the city are the so-called "four canti" that is the intersection between Corso Umberto I which is the main artery where the offices of the Municipality and Via Libertà are also located. The whole southern area of the inhabited area constitutes the oldest part, while the newest one extends along the access artery, namely Viale Mario Giardino.
How to get
By car
The city is connected with provincial roads.
- From the north in connection with Carlentini there
. - From the north-east the
which connects to the 
. - From the east with the
which connects to Melilli. - From the south-east the
or the 
which connects to Solarino. - From the south there
dead end street leading to Pantalica. - From the west there
that connects Ferla is Buccheri.
By bus
To reach Sortino you can use the links offered by the AST company:
- From / to Catania and Catania airport (1 hour to 15 min)
- From / to Syracuse (1 hour to 15 min) with several connections per day
- From / to Known 2 hours and 30 min
How to get around
Leave the car and walk, it is certainly the easiest way to visit it.
By car
On weekends, Corso Umberto I is closed.
- 1 Villa Comunale parking, Largo Peppino Impastato.
free. Free parking near the Villa Comunale.
free. Free parking near the Villa Comunale.What see
- 1 Convent of the Capuchins, Cappuccini square (In the southernmost part of the village on a panoramic terrace), ☎ 39 0931 952101. The Convent was founded in 1556 by Fra Matteo da Bascio. It was damaged by the earthquake of 1693 and was then rebuilt and enlarged in the same place by the Gaetani family, with the contribution of the people of Sortie. The church, opened for worship in 1750, is dedicated to the SS. Mary of Sorrows. The main altar is a work of particular value, built towards the end of the 18th century by friar Angelo da Mazzarino, a master of inlay. The friar took almost twenty years to complete the work and used the most unthinkable materials such as ivory, tortoiseshell, mother of pearl, bone, walnut, rosewood, apricot wood and prickly pear blades. The painting on the main altar is attributed to Cristadoro, it represents the meeting of the Virgin Mary with her Son Jesus towards Calvary. Furthermore, the remains of Fra Giuseppe Maria from Palermo are preserved in the church. In the adjacent cloister it is possible to admire the statue of St. Anthony of Padua, from the Gagini school of 1527.
- Inside there is also a library with precious ancient books.
2 Mother Church of St. John the Apostle and the Evangelist (Mother Church of Sortino), Via Principe di Piemonte, 47. The works for the construction of the Mother Church began in 1734 and were made possible thanks to the offers of the people of Sortino. The baroque façade is decorated with statues and twisted columns, it was completed in 1757: for its construction the stone blocks of the Gaetani castle destroyed in the 1693 earthquake were used. to 1556 on which the coat of arms of the Gaetani family is engraved. The large canvas placed behind the main altar, also by Cristadoro, depicts St. John the Apostle and is dated 1777. In the two side aisles you can admire two paintings by Vito d'Anna "The Archangel St. Michael" and "the Deposition of Jesus. dalla Croce "and other works by Cristadoro:" S. Luigi Gonzaga "and" S. Filippo Neri ". At the end of the left aisle there is a precious painting (oil on panel) dating back to 1551 depicting the Annunciation. The painting was kept in the church of the Annunziata (in the ancient pre-earthquake Sortino).
- Under the church there is also a crypt that can be visited only during special occasions and festivals where the bodies of local religious personalities are present.
- The churchyard is embellished with a beautiful cobblestone with geometric patterns drawn in black and white of ancient workmanship and which have been preserved over time.
_01.jpg/150px-Chiesa_di_Santa_Sofia_(Sortino)_01.jpg)
- 3 Church of Santa Sofia, Via Santa Sofia, 13 (Along the main street of the town), ☎ 39 0931 954912. The Baroque style church is dedicated to the Patron Saint of Sortino. The façade has fine decorations and a two-tone cobblestone floor of the time. It was designed by Giovanni Iraso and completed in 1720. The interior has three naves and is decorated with frescoes by Sebastiano Monaco. The two minor aisles end with two large niches that house the statues of the patron saint S. Sofia, a wooden work by the sculptor Tartaglia (1739) and Christ at the Column, from the 16th century, found in the rubble of the church of S. Maria del Casale, in ancient Sortino. Also on display is a painting representing Sortino in ruins.
- 4 Church of the nativity, via S. Benedetto. A baroque church with splendid interior decorations. It houses cloistered nuns, so it is forbidden to talk to them.
Museums
- 5 Puppet Museum, via Resistance, 14, ☎ 39 3338921182. Small museum dedicated to Sicilian puppets. Possibility of carrying out guided tours after a telephone call.
- 6 [link not working]Traditional beekeeping museum (At home of Fascitraru), Via Gioberti, 5, ☎ 39 328 7015289, 39 333 9003816, @[email protected]. The museum shows the traditional techniques of honey preparation with simple and natural tools.
- 7 Museum of the Sicilian "Rio" cart, Via Savoia.
- 8 Antiquarium of the Middle Ages in Sortie, Corso Umberto I (Next to the Church of the Carmine). free. In this museum the reconstructions, the finds and the ancient tools related to Sortino diruta are exhibited.
Sort them in ruins
The town has the historical part of the city, Sortino ruined, as an interesting attraction. On the southern side of the plateau, the remains of ancient cave dwellings, caves, tombs and tanneries emerge. The tour is not always clearly indicated, there are signs indicating the route like the one in the image alongside. However, you can ask the proloco for the possibility of supporting you with a guide that shows the places.
Itinerary
From the Capuchin convent, head along via Dione until you reach the Villa of the roses. Go back and then go down to the first V-junction descending along the side of the valley until you reach the 9 chapel of San Francesco di Paola with its hypogeum.
Immediately below the chapel on the left is the 10 bas-relief of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Shortly after a series of rock environments, to follow the tombs of the Bronze Age and at the end of the path you reach the 11 Cannata Caves of the environments in which there were houses and farms.
In the hope that it has not been covered by vegetation you can try to identify the first useful path that takes you downstream until you cross the SP54. From here, turn right, pass the municipal aqueduct and at the first intersection go down again along the main road that runs alongside the villas until you reach the tanneries along the Guccione stream. You may find yourself a barred gate (which is why this itinerary is always better to do it with the Pro Loco), in this case take the first useful path to move westwards until you reach the 12 source of the Guccione stream. Continuing westwards we head towards the 13 Tramontana cave, a vast underground environment used in the past as a shelter and for activities. At this point you go back and go up to return to the Capuchin convent.
Bas-relief of the Sacred Heart
Cannata Caves
Tramontana cave
Events and parties
- Honey festival.
September October. The festival showcases and sells typical local products and many varieties of honey.
September October. The festival showcases and sells typical local products and many varieties of honey.What to do
The area lends itself to several hiking trails both on Pantalica that on Sortino ruined. If you want to follow a path suggested by the CAI, visit the page with all the information.
- 1 Municipal Villa, Corso Umberto I, 63. Grab an ice cream or a granita and stroll through the paths of the municipal villa.
- 2 Villa of the roses. A small park with particularly ruined murals representing the ruined Sortino. There is also a nice view over the valley.
- Bike tours. The roads around Sortino are excellent for cycling, many of them have low vehicular traffic and beautiful views. SR 5 panoramic road near wind turbines closed to traffic. with which it intersects it connects Sortino to Buccheri becoming
.
Shopping
In Sortino it is possible to find locally produced honey, excellent for own consumption or as a gift.
- 1 Nicosia Pharmacy, Maria José Square, 6, ☎ 39 0931 952174.
- 2 Ard Discount, Viale Mario Giardino, 34-36.
- 3 Conad City, Viale Mario Giardino, ☎ 39 0931 952656.
How to have fun
The city is extraordinarily vital due to the presence of several pubs in the streets of the center. Many young people from the village flock there drinking beer. It is also known that the city, compared to the average of this part of Sicily, has an incredibly high consumption of beer which is an important factor in social relations.
Night clubs
- 1 Little Rock Pub, Corso Umberto I, 44. Very popular pub and bar on weekends by the locals.
Where to eat
Sortino is famous throughout the province of Syracuse for being the homeland of pizzolo, a kind of double pizza with a crunchy dough. A specialty not to be missed. In fact, the city is full of "pizzolerie".
Moderate prices
- 1 Caruso Bakery, Via Duca D'Aosta, 13, ☎ 39 0931 952003.
- 2 Rock coffee, Corso Umberto I, 128.
- 3 Arcadia Bar, Via Libertà, 54 (Close to the Quattro Canti), ☎ 39 0931 953517. Bar specializing in rustic and desserts.
Average prices
- 4 The Four Canti, Via Libertà, 88, ☎ 39 0931 954066.
- 5 Pizzeria Pizzoleria Le Monache, Contrada Monticelli, ☎ 39 0931 953268. Pizzeria and pizzoleria. Often crowded, always better to book.
- 6 La Castellina, C. from Mascalucia, ☎ 39 0931 956485.
- 7 Pizzeria and pizzoleria Pantalica, Via Castagna, 2, ☎ 39 0931953835, 39 3382154905. typical local specialties. Pizzolo, but also a unique first course: cavateddi al sugo with sausage and pork ribs accompanied by hot local ricotta.
Where stay
Safety
The town is very quiet and the people are open and helpful towards tourists. Pay attention along the route of the ruined Sortino because the paths are not clean and you may encounter scrub and rough paths. In which case, use hiking clothing.
How to keep in touch
Around
- Pantalica - Necropolis and protected naturalistic area, as well as Unesco site rich in archaeological and naturalistic itineraries. From Sortino there is an access.
- Ferla - Country located on a different side of Pantalica.
- Melilli
- Syracuse - The provincial capital as well as a Unesco city for its historic center and the remains of the Greek era.
- Thapsos - Peninsula rich in important prehistoric remains and bunkers from the Second World War.
- 2 Bosco Demanio Santa Venere (entrance along the ). Wooded area great for shady walks and picnics.
Useful information
- 3 Proloco, Corso Umberto I (At the Town Hall building), ☎ 39 338 8152416.
- 4 Information Office, Viale Mario Giardino, 1 (At the entrance to the town.).
