Holiday apartment in Carlentini: history, panoramas and beaches

Carlentini is situated on a hill overlooking the Piana di Catania and offers a distinctly panoramic setting. The town thus brings together history and religious traditions with regional waterside destinations.

History between fortified town and hilly landscape

Carlentini was founded in 1551 by Viceroy Giovanni de Vega in honor of Emperor Charles V. The name Carlentini was chosen because the new town was located near Lentini, giving rise to the name “Lentini di Carlo”. As a fortified town, Carlentini was incorporated into a wider defense project for all of Sicily, developed against the backdrop of the fear of the Turks at the time.

Culture and archaeology around Carlentini

The Chiesa Rupestre del Crocifisso is an ancient rock-cut oratory in the municipality of Carlentini and combines Greek and Latin religious traditions. In the hills of Leontinoi, which extend across the present-day municipalities of Lentini and Carlentini, archaeological evidence documents the history of the area from the Neolithic to the Iron Age.

Within the municipality of Carlentini, the Archaeological Park provides access to the monumental remains of the southern gate of Leontinoi and the adjoining fortifications. In the northern part of the hill of Leontinoi, the remains of an archaic Greek temple were studied; the temple was probably about 9 meters wide and around 30 meters long. The Area Archeologica del Castellaccio and the Zona Archeologica di Leontinoi, both archaeological sites, are also located in the immediate vicinity of Carlentini. The Museo Archeologico di Lentini is likewise a museum in the immediate vicinity of Carlentini.

Religious traditions with a distinctive expression

The statue of Saint Lucy in Carlentini already existed in 1621 and was later completely covered with silver sheet by Sicilian gold- and silversmiths. The tradition of the “Scisa a Cruci” plays a special role in the religious calendar: it takes place on Good Friday in the Chiesa Madre, after which a procession carrying the dead Christ and Our Lady of Sorrows passes through the town’s streets.

Beaches in the immediate and wider surrounding area

The area around Carlentini includes Spiaggia Agnone as a beach. Spiaggia Villaggio San Leonardo is also located nearby. Primosole Beach is a beach in the wider regional area around Carlentini; Lido Del Carabiniere is also located in this wider area.

A holiday apartment in Carlentini to suit your travel interests

Archaeological sites, the history of Leontinoi and the development of the fortified town represent the cultural side of the stay. The statue of Saint Lucy and the “Scisa a Cruci” form a religious focus. Beaches in the immediate vicinity and in the wider regional area complement these themes with waterside destinations.

Discover more places in the surrounding area: Ferla, Terrauzza, Città Giardino, Priolo Gargallo, Buccheri, Pachino, Fanusa, Belvedere

To the main travel overview: Syracuse.