- 2 min read
Viagrande, a great taste of Mount Etna
Viagrande is a small town on the slopes of Mount Etna, surrounded by beautiful and fertile countryside, rich in lush vineyards and fruit trees of every kind. It sits on the south-eastern slopes of Etna, on the lava flows of 1408, and from a distance, you can see its symbolic Monte Serra, where a park of about 30 hectares is located, hosting the "House of Butterflies of Monte Serra," the only one in Southern Italy that houses numerous specimens of tropical butterflies, including the large cobra moth. A visit to the facility includes an interesting lesson on the world of insects and the biology of butterflies. Free to fly in an environment that replicates their natural habitat, these beautiful lepidoptera can be observed undisturbed at close range. The aviary also houses other interesting invertebrates from tropical forests, such as stick insects, leaf insects, and giant beetles.
The origins of Viagrande are ancient, with the first settlements dating back to the ancient Greeks, as evidenced by urns and lachrymatories found in 1872 in the Monte Serra area. The name Viagrande could derive from the ancient royal road that led to Messina, Via Grande, which started from Catania and reached the Church of Sant'Antonio di Padova. In the year 1124, during the reign of King Roger, some hamlets of Viagrande already existed, such as Velardi, Viscalori, and S. Antonino.
The expansion of Viagrande began after 1408 with the transformation of the countryside surrounding the town into vineyards; a winemaking tradition that still represents the primary vocation of the town today. Among the indigenous grape varieties of this Etna area, Viagrande is home to the Minnella, which is cultivated in the Monte Serra region, which is also the lowest volcanic cone of the volcano (500 meters above sea level). Its name derives from the word "minna," a dialect term meaning "breast," due to the oblong shape of the grape. The uniqueness of the microclimate, with strong temperature variations between day and night, and the volcanic soil rich in minerals, make this side of Mount Etna particularly suitable for native grape varieties.
You may also be interested in
La Timpa, Acireale- 2 min.
&w=1920&q=75)
Pozzillo- 2 min.
&w=1920&q=75)
Trecastagni- 2 min.
&w=1920&q=75)
San Giovanni Li Cuti- 3 min.
&w=1920&q=75)
Plemmirio- 3 min.
&w=1920&q=75)
The Palace of the Marquis of San Giuliano
