Alcantara Gorges and the Alcantara River are the most interesting natural monuments on Sicily as a lot of tourists say. Long ago during the eruption of one of the small craters of Mogo lava flows made the river-bed on the northern slope of the Mount Etna. The valley of the river is also called Alcantara and is interesting because there are a lot of rare plants there.
The Alcantara is the only river on Sicily which does not dry up in summer and its water is cold even in the hottest time. The high water of the Alcantara is not the only attraction of it. The high walls of the gorge, formed long ago by the burning lava flows of the Etna, are not less interesting than the baroque style. The most interesting place of the river is called Gole dell’Alcantara . The tourists will have an opportunity to see the river in all its beauty: its numerous shallows, waterfalls and vertical basalt cliffs of whimsical forms.
During the period from May till September the water in the Alcantara River becomes lower. At this time it is possible to bathe there and many tourists use this opportunity to cool down in its pure stream. There is a special point for viewing at Gole dell’Alcantara. The entrance ticket costs 3Euros. A special elevator was built there to lift tourists to the point for viewing, which is opened from 7 a.m. till 7 p.m.
It is not difficult to find Alcantara Gorges. You should go along the A18 road from Catania to the Gardini Naxos turning then along the 185 highway to the place called Francavilla di Sicilia and the road sign “Gole Alcantara”. You can go to Alcantara Gorges by coaches of the Interbus Company from Catania and Taormina. In Catania the coaches depart from the central station, the bus station of the airport and from Borcellino station.
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