Rocca di Novara: a rocky and breathtaking place which offers interesting rock formations where limestone, sand and clay alternate.

Mount Etna Rocca di Novara

Mountains of northeastern Sicily, which extends in a NE-SW direction from Capo Peloro to the Nebrodi Mountains, stretches for about 65 Km and its offshoots are fading in the Alcantara river valley, which flows south of Giardini Naxos and that separates Etna. The west Peloritani, at Novara and Montagna Grande Rocca, definitely alter horizontally their ridges and have their connection with the chain of the Nebrodi, to the north and east are bordered by the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas which flow numerous rivers.

Most of the high Peloritani peaks are the Big Mountain (1374 m), the Rocca di Novara (1,340 meters), the Pizzo Vernà (1287 m), Mount Poverello (1279 m), Mount Gardile (1228 m), Mount Pomaro (1196 m), Mount Antennammare (1124 m), Mount Cavallo (1216 m), the lace of the Cross (1214 m) and Portella Mandrazzi (1125 m).

Along the paths have been placed for observation tables that will help you to familiarize yourself and know the area in terms of forestry, ecological, landscape, geographic, geological, historical and social. Each environment is through a living educational workshop, very useful for the public and for schools.

You can easily reach the place by A18 motorway to Giardini Naxos and then to Francavilla di Sicilia from there take the SS 185 to Novara di Sicilia and go on for about 20 km. till you get a pine wood area which offer the fascinating scenery of Rocca Novara 1350 high ; the Cervino of Sicily. The place of departure to this itinerary is situated in the area of Portella Pertusa, on the road SS 185 near the crossroad Fondachello Fantina. The journey starts uphill by climbing a pine and chestnut wooden ridge, the road gets narrower and narrower while climbing it till we reach “ Ritagli di Secca“ plateau where we could enjoy the fascinating view open wide on the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas. We go on along a steep climbing till we reach the peak . It is a rocky and breathtaking place which offers interesting rock formations where limestone, sand and clay alternate. Lots of predatory birds of different species wheel drifted by the updraught and this amaze the watchers by.