Approaching Belpasso, the looming silhouette of Mount Etna immediately explains the turbulent origins of this town of roughly 26,000 residents. The volcano's 1669 eruption completely obliterated the original settlement of Malpasso. After a malarial and earthquake-damaged interim phase known as Fenice Moncada, the current town was definitively established in 1695 on the Duke of Montalto's lands.
Today, driving into this municipality ten kilometers northwest of Catania, visitors encounter a sweeter legacy. Belpasso is the headquarters of the Condorelli confectionery company, famous worldwide for traditional Sicilian treats. Stopping at one of their local franchise bars for a pastry grounds a visit to the second-largest territory in the Catanese province.
Near Belpasso
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
