Europe Explored » Alcantara Gorge https://europeexplored.com Travel through the most beautiful places in Europe Sun, 08 Sep 2013 13:36:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.6 Alcantara Gorge – where to refresh during hot summer days | Sicily, Italy https://europeexplored.com/2010/05/11/alcantara-gorge-in-italy-sicily/ https://europeexplored.com/2010/05/11/alcantara-gorge-in-italy-sicily/#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 23:07:42 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=266 Alcantara is a river flowing through the mountains of Nebrodi in Sicily. In its lower part flows through an impressive gorge. River got its name from the Arabic word al-Qantarah, which means bridge. During the colonization of this area was the river also called Assinos, Onobalas or Asines). Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created […]

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Alcantara is a river flowing through the mountains of Nebrodi in Sicily. In its lower part flows through an impressive gorge. River got its name from the Arabic word al-Qantarah, which means bridge. During the colonization of this area was the river also called Assinos, Onobalas or Asines).

Alcantara Gorge, Gole dell'Alcantara, Sicily, Italy
Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by freeflight046

Today, visitors can admire the prismatic basalt columns forming the walls of the gorge, which are up to 55 metres high in some places. During hot summer days it certainly would not hurt to refresh yourself and walk through riverbed where the water is crystal clear, cool and refreshing even in the summer. And those who will find the water too cold, can borrow high boots on-site.

Huge amounts of basalt, which is found in the Alcantara Valley comes from an old Etna’s crater named Mojo Alcantara. Alcantara river is more than 50 kilometres long and its source is in the height of 1250 metres above sea level. However the Alcantara valley named also as Alcantara Gorges or known as Gole dell’Alcantara in Italian, has the length of only 500 metres. The distance between the cliffs is on average about 5 metres.


View The Gorges of Alcantara in Italy, Sicily in a larger map

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