Caltagirone is famous for the production of hand-made ceramics, particularly maiolica and terra-cotta wares. Production of grapes, olives and peaches is also typical for this region.

In the city you can visit Museum of Pottery which is dedicated to the history of pottery, where you can see a collection of ancient and modern pottery and terra-cotta, dating back to the Magna Grecia period.

The biggest attraction of the city is 142-step monumental Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, built from 1608 in the old part of the town. The speciality is that each stair is decorated with different hand-made ceramics, using styles and figures derived from the millennial tradition of pottery making.

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During the summer there are lots of concerts in Caltagirone, theater performances and dance celebrations, but the most important event is on 24 and 25 July each year called La Luminaria – feast of San Giacomo, saint patron of the city. The staircase is illuminated with candles of different colours arranged in order to reconstruct an artistic drawing of several tens of meters.

During the winter Caltagirone is much more picturesque thanks to the temperature differences between day and night, that often rise to a dense fog, familiarly called “A Paisana“.

The historical center of Caltagirone extends along two main streets: Via Roma and Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Here you can see beautiful baroque buildings, including Palazzo Gravina, and the norman Basilica di San Giacomo which houses precious works of art.

However the city offers much more and it really worth to see it.

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More than four hundred twenty years ago, there was an active super volcano that existed in the area. A fierce eruption occurred back in the Silurian period which created most of the cauldron-like formation. After the end of the last ice age, a giant glacier had formed in the region and as it receded, it carved out the coe.

Glen Coe, Scotland, UK by Christian Kadluba

The area is less than seven hundred meters wide in many spots and more than sixteen kilometers long. The narrowest point of the coe is known as the Pass of Glen Coe and can be found roughly in the center.

In order to get top Glen Coe, you will need to enter the area at the base of the Meall a’ Bhuiridh mountain, not too far from Rannoch Moor. For nearly 12 kilometers the coe runs almost due west from the moor before making a turn to the northwesterly direction. At the other end of Glen Coe is where you will find Loch Leven and the famous village of Glencoe.

Throughout the length of Glen Coe, you will see the ancient River Coe which was formed as the glacier melted away. At the Pass of Glen Coe, one can see waterfalls as the water makes its way out to the sea.

The resulting properties of Glen Coe are simply amazing. Each year, countless visitors make their way to the area to see the many attractions that the coe has to offer. The site is very popular for those who just like to walk in beautiful surroundings and is known as an adventure for those who love the idea of climbing a rock face.

For those who come to Glen Coe for walking, the best place to start is at the Devil’s Staircase which was cut into the boulders. The staircase is more than 352 meter high and can be a challenge for most people.

Rock climbers who make their way to the area tend to go straight for the 1,018 meter tall Buachaille Etive Mòr. Over the years, climbing the face of the mountain has grown in popularity as a result of countless races and scrambles that have been held in the area over the years.

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