Nearby Noto and Avola villages in the Syracuse area, you can experience an exciting trekking in nature at Cavagrande Nature Reserve. This area is famous for its refreshing lakes, its waterfalls and a wide necropolis dated back more than 2 thousand years.
Get ready to live a unique hiking experience, and don’t forget to put on comfortable shoes!
Enjoy a pleasant day in nature
Cavagrande Nature Reserve consists in a wide natural area of 2700 hectares, divided in two main zones: “Zone A” and “Zone B”. The reserve is crossed by a river that has been carved by deep gorges and canyons through ages. The river was called “kakyparis” during the Ancient Greek era, indeed the name Cavagrande indicating the whole area, came from this old greek word.
Nearby Avola Antica, a village in the Syracuse area, the reserve gorges are 507 meters deep and 1,200 meters large. Thanks to the presence of small waterfalls and lakes along the valley bottom, this fabulous spot is frequently visited during spring and the summertime.
Admire a thousands years-old necropolis nestled in the rock facade
The shielding rock facades and the opulence of water have contributed to the presence of human habitations since the Paleolithic era.
The firsts inhabitants of this area were the Sicani, an indigenous population that built villages and left about 8.000 tombs during the 13th century B.C. In the picture, you can easily admire the complexity of these thousands of tombs nestled in the rocks.
Thucydides, the ancient Greek historiographer and philosopher, wrote about the defeat of the Athenians by the hand of Syracuse army in 413 B.C., at the mouth of the old kakyparis river, nowadays named “Cassibile”.,
Let’s find a path who can lead us from the top of the rock facades down to this beautiful valley.
Experience an amazing trekking in nature
Since the huge size of the reserve there are several paths leading from the top of the cliffs to the valley bottom. These paths last for 30 to 40 minutes going down and more than an hour going up, it’s highly recommended wearing appropriate shoes and comfortable clothes.
Unfortunately in 2014, after these pictures were taken, a huge fire blazed a wide area of the reserve and some of the trails are now closed. The recommended track that is still available is the Carrubbella path that you can find 10 km from Avola. This path is open between 8.00 am and 7.00 pm , and it is usually closed in case of rain.
The entire area is characterized by the bright limestone, typical of the Hyblaean Mountains. During your hike you can enjoy a wide variety of flowers and plants with more than 400 plants species: evergreen shrubs, aromatic plants, the Mediterranean dwarf palm, and so many others.
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Take a bath in this astonishing lake and waterfall spot!
Once you get to the valley of the reserve, you will find what I think we could call “Heaven on Earth”. It’s a wide and stunningly beautiful area with lakes and short waterfalls surrounded by high rock cliffs and nature.
Here you can take a bath in a cold and refreshing water, and enjoy Sicily’s warm summer dayss. You will be astonished by the purity of the water, highlighted by the bright limestone rocks at the bottom of the lake.
You really can spend an entire day relaxing in this marvellous natural gem.
Experience a day in nature at Cavagrande Nature Reserve
Enjoy this amazing landscape and get ready for a refreshing bath in the lakes and waterfalls at the end of your path.
Be aware that GPS often doesn’t work in the whole area!
I recommend you check the official website to prepare well for your amazing adventure in nature!
History
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