HOTEL D'ORANGE D'ALCANTARA

In the magnificent scenery of the Alcantara Valley, 330 meters above sea level, Francavilla di Sicilia is centrally located because the main point of supply and transit to other nearby locations. Framed by mountains Peloritani, the country lies in the valley surrounded by the rivers "San Paolo" and the stream "Zavianni". It is thought that the town has been Francavilla call from the French franc-ville: free city, because for a long time exempt from paying taxes as belonging to the monarchy. Francavilla has ancient origins, the testimonies are given to us by the discovery in 1979 of some archaeological finds in Contrada of Pianu Maccu and Fanterilli, kept in the museum of Syracuse, dating back to the fifth century. B.C. More certain is the origin town have from the age Norman, when it was the building of the Basilian monastery of San Salvatore of the Placa (1092) and a castle. Some prints preserved in the Convent of the Friars Minor Capuchin report that took place here a bloody battle between the Spaniards and Austrians 19 to 20 June 1720. Inside the monastery you can visit the family chapel of the Ruffo Balsamo-containing, among other things, a nineteenth-century wooden altar decorated with inlays, and the eighteenth-century wooden statue of the Immaculate. It 'also a testimony of the Franciscan Museum. Going up the hill, where there lie the dell'antichissirno feudal castle ruins, admire a superb landscape offered by the games of the waterways between lava rocks, from the lush green forests of conifers and deciduous trees of Mount Mandrazzi, on trails which you can make exciting walks naturalistiche.Addentrandoci for the town we remain fascinated by both the old neighborhoods made of "row houses" of medieval style, where the grace and simplicity are the main ingredients of picturesque views that even more soften the landscape, both from his wealth of artistic, historical and cultural fact of churches, palaces and fountains. And 'possible to visit the Mother Church, opened a century portal with pointed arch, the Antiquarium which houses the remains of archaeological excavations adjacent to the nearby Palazzo Cagnone, which starts the nature trail "The Alcantara Gurne" through a kilometer of route and nine observation points, it is possible to enjoy the river Alcantara and its Gurne, ponds with a round shape. In Francavilla there is no place to remain silent in the face of appeals of history, art, folklore and those gastronomic traditions.