- Aci Trezza
Aci Trezza is a town in
Sicily about 7 miles north ofCatania , with a population of around 5,000 people. The town is technically a part ofAci Castello , but it has long outgrown the need for outside administration and is largely autonomous. Located on the coast of the Ionian Sea, the village has a long history of maritime activity. Aci Trezza is a popular spot for Italian vacationers in the summer. The patron Saint of the town isSan Giovanni . The Festa of San Giovanni is celebrated each year during the last week of June 24th in his honor.The Islands of the Cyclops
Of the coast of Aci Trezza are three tall, column-shaped islands. According to local legend, these great stones are the ones thrown at
Odysseus inThe Odyssey . The islands are referred to as the "isole dei ciclopi" (islands of the Cyclops, orCyclopean Isles ) by locals. This compliments the notion that the Cyclops once had a smithy below MountEtna , which looms over the village to the northwest.I Malavoglia
Giovanni Verga 's most well-known novel,I Malavoglia or The House By The Medlar Tree, is set in Aci Trezza.La Terra Trema
In
1948 Luchino Visconti filmed his groundbreaking neo-realist film "La Terra trema ", based on Verga's novel I Malavoglia, in Aci Trezza. The entire cast were local inhabitants rather than professional actors. A small museum dedicated to the film can be found in the town, and is run by one of the cast members.Notes and references
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