Santa Tecla

Santa Tecla is a small hamlet in the municipality of Acireale, in the province of Catania. This small seaside resort is located in the northern part of the Timpa Nature Reserve and its existence dates back to 902, when the Arabs landed on this coast and left the first documents mentioning it.

Its name means, in fact, Landing Point, from the Arabic ‘Sciant Tagla’. For a long time, Santa Tecla was unfortunately attacked by pirates, which is why defensive barriers were built that still exist today, such as the Tocco Fortress.

Several rivers flow through the underground, made up of water from melting snow on the volcano Etna, and the whole area is actually composed of lava stone, which builds a cliff yet fascinates tourists. Beyond the cliff, there is a small beach of equally black sand, which houses bathing establishments with many amenities.

The small town of about 1,000 inhabitants has ancient architecture, rich in monuments including the Mother Church. It is from here that the celebrations for the patronal feast on 23 September start. Besides this place, not far away, there is also the Sanctuary of Fatima.