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CALTAGIRONE |
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| CALTAGIRONE , an hour's ride southeast from Piazza Armerina, is one
of the least known of Sicily's inland towns, with a fine central body of
monumental buildings that dates from the rebuilding after the 1693
earthquake. As the town is a noted centre of ceramics, the effect is
lightened by tiled decoration found all over Caltagirone, most
effectively as flowers and emblems flanking both sides of a bridge (the
Ponte San Francesco) on the way into the centre. The grandest statement,
though, is made by the 142 steps of La Scala , which cut right up one of
Caltagirone's hills to a church at the top, the risers in between each
step covered with a ceramic pattern, no two the same. Accommodation in
the centre is rather limited, but La Scala 2 (tel 0933.51.552, fax
0933.57.781; L60,000-90,000/¬30.99-46.48) has rooms to rent right in the
main square at Piazza Umberto I, no. 1, and the comfortable hotel
Monteverde (tel 0933.53.682, fax 0933.53.533;
L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98), just south of the town at Via Industrie
11, also has a good restaurant . In town, the Scala , right by the
bottom of the eponymous steps, is not cheap but it does some good dishes
and the location is unbeatable, with a mountain stream splashing through
(closed Wed). |
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