Graniti

Graniti is a small municipality located in the province of Messina, Sicily. The municipality has 1,500 inhabitants and is located in the north-eastern part of Sicily, at the beginning of the Peloritani mountains, at an altitude of 350 metres above sea level.

It is located halfway between Taormina and Giardini Naxos and the Alcantara Valley, close to Giarre, Castiglione di Sicilia, and Mount Etna.

One of its main particularities is the Pineta, a forest of domestic pine (Pinus pinea), maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) and Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis).

The patron saint of the village is Saint Sebastian and is celebrated on the first Sunday in August. During the feast, a very evocative procession takes place through the village, accompanied by a large fireworks display with various scenic effects: a unique and very impressive spectacle in the Alcantara Valley.

To enrich and embellish the historic centre of Graniti, artists from all over the world have created some 35 murals, under the artistic direction of the Hawaiian artist Richard Ralya, transforming the town into an ‘open-air museum’.

Although Richard is American, of Hawaiian origin, he has chosen Sicily as his new home in total contrast to the young and not-so-young people leaving Southern Italy in general.

A couple of years ago, after visiting Graniti, he decided to move there. In the village, he was literally adopted by the local community and started his new ‘made in Italy’ handicraft business of the highest standard. His products are true design creations.