폰다첼리 판티나 최고의 라이딩 경로

The current Basilica Sanctuary was built recently (1957-1979), but the history surrounding the cult is much older, dating back to the late eighth and early ninth centuries. A ship coming from the East, loaded with goods, including a statue of the Virgin Mary that had escaped iconoclastic persecution, was forced to dock by a violent storm. The sailors were forced to disembark, but the ship remained motionless. So the occupants decided to lighten the load, leaving the chest containing the statue of the Madonna Bruna on shore, among other items. The ship set sail again and continued its journey. Source: https://santuariotindari.it/

Pretty town on the northern slope of Etna, at an altitude of 750m

This is really a really beautiful spot!!

Famous for the Castle that seems to protect the Alcantara Valley.

A work of art made of gold and colors. But I especially like the view. There are many souvenir shops, bars and a restaurant here.

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.

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.