Imagine two natural pools of blue and crystalline water, hidden in a canyon in the middle of pristine nature; imagine a natural reserve that extends itself over about 2700 hectares… most probably you would never guess that this incredible place is located in the southernmost Italian’s region…
you got it right! We are in Sicily!
Sicily is one of the favorite Italian Regions for the foreign tourist’s holidays, thanks to its plenty offer of natural beauty, art, culture, enchanting beaches, delicious food and much more! Every side of the Region is completely different from the others and has its own traditions and features.
The place I’m going to talk you about is located on the south-east of Sicily in the province of, Siracusa in near to the Towns of Noto (the “capital of the Baroque” since 2002 its historic center has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO) and Avola (where is produced one of the most famous Italian wine: The Nero d’Avola).
As the major part of the tourists who visit Sicily, I was there during a scorching summer in one July of some years ago. It was one of the best holiday I could ever had, but the hot weather was really a challenging aspect of the tour. So, when my local Friend Gaetano suggested to me and the other friends with me, an unconventional trekking, inside a canyon … I was a bit scared and worried for the upcoming fatigue. He assured us that the tiredness would have been compensated with a fresh, uncontaminated and wild bath in one of the most beautiful place of Sicily, still unknown to the mass tourism. How I could ever had refused? :)We were ready for the trekking to The Cassibile lakes of Cava Grande famous also as Avola’s Lakes.
The Lakes are located along the karst massif of the Iblei Mountains, where the Cassibile river flows, which over the millennia has created a series of deep canyons 10 kilometers long and, in the valley floor, small waterfalls and wonderful natural bathing reservoirs.
The trails that allow you to go down to the Avola’s lakes are more than one: the best known and probably the shortest ( around 30 min) is the so called “Scala Cruci “, an ancient and suggestive staircase, unfortunately now degraded by time so a bit dangerous!
How you can reach this trail? From Avola, take the provincial 4 Avola-Manghisi and follow the signs for Cavagrande del Cassibile in the direction of Avola Antica. Here you reach the junction that leads to Scala dei Cruci. At this point, if you and continue about a km and then you turn right to a sort of mule track, you would find the Carrubella trail, longer but easier, that takes you directly to one of the smaller lakes called “timpa ca tona” (ringing stone).
Due the fact that many trails are become very inaccessible in consequence of several fires,If you want to adventure yourself to the Avola’s Lakes I recommend you to contact the local Forest Rangers to have updated information on the status of the trails. Furthermore I recommend to:
- Don’t forget water, sun cream and beach towel
- Wear appropriate shoes (with sea-slipper is possible to slide!)
- Bring your own packet –lunch (but please don’t leave there any rubbish!)
- Be careful on the way! Cell phones don’t work due the canyon!
From the lakes you can also see the grotto of the brigands, which is a set of small cavities dug into the rock and communicating with each other. It takes this name from the Sicilian brigands who took refuge there at the end of the 19th century. Grotta dei Briganti is also called Grotta Cunziria (tannery): this cavern is a part of an entire village carved into the rock made up of 140 rooms that extend for more than a kilometer along the rocky ridge and connected to each other at various levels by tunnels, fireplaces and stairways, also dug into the rock, called Dieri. The presence in the vicinity of the water source is evidence that Cavagrande del Cassibile was inhabited since ancient times, presumably between the 11th and 9th centuries BC, a time when some Sicilian tribe settled there after having built the village. The rooms were then reused by the Byzantines, who modified them by building monasteries and underground churches, and later by the Arabs for the tanning of the skins.
The Dieri (the term derives from the Arabic diyar which means house, dwelling) constitute the largest rock settlement of Cavagrande del Cassibile and more than a village they suggest a sort of castle, or even better, a fortified settlement. , not built, but dug into the rocks: it is as if the people who lived there needed to hide as well as to defend themselves, in any case to escape the rest of civilization.
When I reached the marvelous of Avola’s lakes I wasn’t yet a mum, but I can assure you that this incredible place will amuse and amaze your children, because is an adventurous journey inside the wild Nature that replaces whatever videogames in the market! Furthermore, even the American Television CNN has included this location in the Top 20 places in the world where it is worth taking a dip! https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/worlds-best-swimming-places/index.html
Are you enough convinced now?
