프랑카빌라 디 시칠리아 최고의 MTB 라이딩 경로

This is really a really beautiful spot!!

This route doesn't seem to be maintained anymore. The beginning is excellent but on the tunnel side, there are big mud puddles. We were forced to take off our shoes to cross a puddle of water 15-20m long and about 30cm deep at the beginning of a tunnel. It's passable, but it's a bit of an adventure.

Very cold water all year round. Very busy in summer. After rain in winter, the gorge is partially closed due to the risk of floods.

Very suggestive for its dimensions and for the balance that keeps it in a perfect vertical position

You can probably start a tour through the canyon here.

A nice climb with hairpin bends. An unexpected church in such a hairpin bend.

The formation of the Alcantara riverbed can be traced back to around 300,000 years ago, although the current configuration of the river in the gorge section is mainly the result of the lava flows that occurred in the last 8,000 years. The interaction between the river water and the underlying magmatic mass played a crucial role in this process, causing accelerated cooling. This phenomenon has generated a series of irregular fractures, some of which have a chaotic arrangement, while others show a more regular geometry. Among these formations, we can identify prismatic structures of various configurations, including those known as "woodpiles," "harps," "rosettes," and the impressive vertical formations called "organ pipes," which can reach remarkable heights, even up to 30 meters.

Hidden in the hills of the Alcantara valley, the Cuba, or church of Santa Domenica, is a fascinating mystery of the past. Its construction, estimated between the 7th and 9th centuries AD, makes it an authentic historical gem. Immersed in the countryside three kilometers from the town centre, it caresses the banks of the Alcantara river. The architectural structure, with its Greek cross plan supported by four pillars, hides an enigma: three different roofs, an apse with a hollow vault, side naves with barrel vaults and a spherical dome with singular construction mastery. Traces of frescoes testify to its ancient internal beauty. The façade, a reference to the Basilian chapels, offers the unusual spectacle of an apse facing east and a central door that opens towards the west. Beyond its conventional age, some experts put forward the hypothesis of a construction in periods subsequent to the Byzantine era, adding a touch of mystery. Over the centuries, writers, scholars and travelers have told stories of this "Cuba" in the countryside, next to the village of Castiglione di Sicilia. Even today, Cuba attracts scholars and university students, eager to reveal the secrets of its architecture and history. In 1900 it was recognized as a monument of national interest and a FAI asset. Property of the Municipality, it is open to visitors, ready to explore this pearl of the past (for further information and visits, simply contact the numbers 800010552 or 0942980222).