We leave again for one of our trips to discover the Sicilian territory and this time we are hosted by a small village in the Sicilian hinterland, the ancient “Leontinoi”, one of the first Greek colonies in Sicily..
During the journey, expanses of greenery, little concrete, and lots of nature open up before our eyes.
Once we arrive at our destination we find Giorgio, our cicerone, and guide for the whole day, who leads us to discover the streets of Lentini, telling us anecdotes, history, and future projects.
Lentini is a municipality in the province of Syracuse, also called the “City of Oranges”, due to the high production of Sicilian Red Orange (PGI), thanks to the numerous citrus groves that surround it.
Wandering through the streets of the center, full of monuments and places of interest, Giorgio takes us to the Mother Church of Santa Maria la Cava and Sant’Alfio, to tell us the story of the three brothers Alfio, Cirino and Philadelphus, who in Lentini, despite the miracles they performed, were barbarously killed.
But just move a few hundred meters to get to the Badia district, where we discovered one of Lentini’s major attractions, “street urban art” that enchanted us.
A project carried out thanks to the Badia Lost and Found cooperative, whose members, driven by love for their city, have devised a route to discover the streets of the historic center where they numerous murals have been inserted that recall the history of the town, and beyond.
A journey within a journey, in search of murals created on the walls of houses, in abandoned buildings, and even in the most hidden places; until, looking up, we found ourselves in front of a work of about 300 square meters. A young peasant girl, dressed in typical Sicilian traditional clothes, crowned by a section of a “moro” variety orange, in a frame of Sicilian majolica, and green filigree decorations on which oranges and leaves emerge. A real show.
Each mural has its meaning, and its own story, with wonderful colors and small details to discover. A real open-air contemporary art itinerary through the streets of Lentini…..not to be missed!
As always happens on all our trips, time passes quickly and now the most succulent and tasty part awaits us. Giorgio, Cristina, and Roberta set a table full of delicacies for us, I Cudduruni, crescent-shaped focaccia originally born as a poor product with scraps of bread dough, stuffed with wild herbs and enriched with cheese and olive oil and cooked in a wood oven. Today enriched with the addition of other ingredients such as broccoli, onion, tuma, sweet ricotta, and wild chard. It is prepared on various occasions of the year and in particular for Christmas Eve, even if it is always the ideal day to enjoy it! Each family has its variant, as always happens in traditional recipes.
After our lunch, in which good food and pleasant chats were the masters, we went to visit the Church of the Holy Trinity, defined as one of the most beautiful churches in Lentini. Proclaimed as a national monument, it was built on the ruins of the sixteenth-century Palazzo La Palumba.
Inside it preserves a beautiful ceramic floor from Caltagirone where the coat of arms of the nuns is also represented. Through a narrow and steep staircase, we manage to climb the bell tower and from here we have been able to admire Lentini from above. The bell tower of a church and its bells are always suggestive places!
But the surprises are not over yet and after a sweet and coffee break we go to the Circolo Alaimo, founded in 1830 and then officially declared in 1857 as one of the oldest historical conversation clubs in Italy. The furnishings that have remained unchanged over time, old newspaper articles, and antique prints made us take a real dive into the past!
We have finished for today and we return home satisfied and happy for having known another piece of magical Sicily, but above all new partners with whom we can start future professional projects!
Given the tight schedule, we were unable to visit the lake of Lentini (better known as Biviere di Lentini, also mentioned by Giovanni Verga in his La Roba), not far from the town, once completely drained and now rebuilt on the old site. A meeting place to spend days outdoors surrounded by unspoiled nature. One more reason to return to Lentini.
We are ready to live a new experience … and you?
