Avola: Home of the “Nero”

Famed for its wine, citrus groves, grains, almonds and olives, Avola was founded in the 11th century under Arab rule and later passed to the Aragonese in 1419. After a Turkish raid in 1572 and a devastating earthquake in 1693, the town was rebuilt on a hexagonal plan in the plains. Must-see sites include the churches of San Nicola (St. Nicholas) and Santissima Annunziata (The Holy Annunciation), the neoclassical Garibaldi Theater and several elegant Art Nouveau palaces.