Acireale Cathedral

Acireale Cathedral tickets: which one to buy

Acireale Cathedral stands on the Piazza Duomo in the centre of Acireale, a baroque town on the eastern coast of Sicily, between Catania and Taormina, and entry is free. The square is one of the most beautiful in Sicily, surrounded by baroque buildings, including the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul and the town hall. Acireale is about twenty minutes from Catania by train or bus, and it is known for its carnival, one of the most famous in Sicily, and its granita and pastries.

Visitors often combine the town with Aci Castello and Aci Trezza, fishing villages with Norman castles and basalt sea stacks, and with excursions to Mount Etna. The cathedral is active, and visiting pauses during services. The cathedral's meridian line, on the floor, is a highlight. Trains from Catania to Acireale stop at a station outside the centre, and buses are more convenient.

Visiting Acireale Cathedral: what to see

The cathedral, dedicated to the Annunciation and to Saint Venera, the patron saint of the town, was built in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, and it was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693 in the baroque style. The facade was rebuilt in the neo-Gothic style in the early twentieth century, with two towers covered in coloured tiles and a portal from the seventeenth century. Inside, the cathedral has a Latin cross plan, with frescoes by Pietro Paolo Vasta, a local painter of the eighteenth century, and a chapel dedicated to Saint Venera, with a silver statue of the saint and her relics. The floor holds a meridian line, made in 1843 by the Danish astronomer Christian Peters, which marks noon with a ray of sunlight passing through a hole in the ceiling.

The cathedral also holds marble altars and paintings. The cathedral's chapel of Saint Venera is decorated with marble and frescoes. The silver statue of the saint is carried in procession on her feast day. The cathedral's side chapels hold paintings of saints. The dome is decorated with frescoes of angels. The Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, beside the cathedral, has a baroque facade with a tower. The town hall, on the other side of the square, has a baroque balcony supported by carved grotesques. The cathedral's bell towers are decorated with colourful majolica tiles. The meridian line is inlaid in marble and brass. The town's streets around the square have baroque palaces. The Villa Belvedere, a public garden, offers views of the sea and Etna.

Acireale Cathedral opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, with a break at lunchtime. Acireale's carnival, in February, with floats decorated with flowers and papier-mâché, brings huge crowds to the town. The feast of Saint Venera on 26 July brings processions and fireworks. Summer is hot, and the coast is busy with beachgoers. The meridian line works around noon on sunny days. Allow about twenty minutes for the cathedral, and have a granita in one of the cafés on the square. The Opera dei Pupi, the traditional Sicilian puppet theatre, has a museum and performances in Acireale.