The town was born out of a customs post: where the Salaro stream divided the lands of Aci from the county of Mascali, on the royal trazzera between Messina and Catania, the guards stood collecting the toll. Around their post the first houses grew, and a chapel dedicated to Saint Venera, patron of Aci: hence the name.
A little further on the same thing happened with the guards of Mascali, devoted to Saint Leonard: which is why that hamlet is called San Leonardello. Around 1850 the distilleries and the wine arrived, and the town grew rich; it became a comune of its own only in 1934, cut out of Acireale, Zafferana and Giarre. The earthquake of 29 October 2002 hurt it badly. There are 8,351 residents.
Arancino · Pasta alla Norma
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Next up: Saint Venera, patroness of a town with an early Christian trichora, Monday 26 July
Nearest airport: Catania Fontanarossa, 25 km away
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📅 Every year, on 26 July
Santa Venerina celebrates Saint Venera on 26 July; the town preserves the trichora of Santo Stefano, a rare early Christian place of worship, and a rich calendar of patronal feasts involving its various parishes and hamlets.
Saffron rice, ragù with peas and caciocavallo inside a golden cone-shaped crust: in Catania it is masculine and pointed, and the quarrel with Palermo over the name is serious.
Read more →Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
Outside Santa Venerina, but an easy day trip away.
