Experience The Power Of Nature At The Alcantara Gorge In Sicily

Lay your beach towel and take a sunbath

The name “Alcantara” comes from the Arabic name al-Qanṭarah, which means “the arch”. The Arabs gave this name to an antique Roman bridge close to the Alcantara Gorges river, during the Muslim conquest of Sicily at the end of the XIV Century.

This beautiful spot has a long history and its morphology is an extremely rare manifestation of what natural events such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are capable of creating.

Once you have reached the river stream, near the end of the communal stairs, you will find a bar and a wide space where you can lay your beach towel and start your new experience in nature.

Admire the beautiful shape of the basalt rocks nestled in the heart of the gorge

As you can see in picture the distinctive trait of this gorge is the rock’s shape which makes us think of organ pipes.

The most commonly accepted theories state that the formation of the gorge is linked to seismic activity, splitting the preexisting lake’s basalt rocks into this gorge. This theory explains the unique look of the rocks, shaped by magma.

Enjoy a beautiful trekking across the Alcantara river

At the Alcantara Gorges you could also have a trekking across the river both in a group with the Alcantara Gorges Botanical and Geological Park organization, or by yourself.

During this trekking in nature you can seek for beautiful spots where rocks make natural lakes and Nature shows all its power through the impetuous river stream.

I recommend that you bring an empty bottle, as you can fill by the water springs coming directly from the rocks! If you walk for about an half-hour after crossing the river, you can admire a waterfall panorama.

Enter a dreamlike atmosphere from a location used for Matteo Garrone’s “Tale of Tales”

The crowded spot that you can see in the picture has been used for some scenes of the movie “Tale of Tales” directed by Matteo Garrone, a movie that competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. In that movie scene a king was hunting a Dragon in order to bring its heart to the beloved Queen. The Alcantara Gorge, through its unique rock shapes and narrow paths is a timeless location where you can experience the same fairytale-like atmosphere that of Tale of Tales.