Did you know that in Sicily near Vizzini there is a completely abandoned village from the 1700s? It is Cunziria, a village in a valley, in the middle of “woods” of prickly pears , where time has stopped.
T he center of about 40 houses was born near Vizzini, around a tannery . The inhabitants were mainly the workers of this tannery, whose business was definitively abandoned in the 1920s .
History of the place and what to see
This was the ideal place for leather processing, given the proximity to the Masera stream, the large spaces where fabrics can be dried and the presence of Sicilian sumac, a plant from which tannin, an important element for the activity of tannery. This very particular place, immersed in a very fascinating naturalistic scenario, made Verga set the “Cavalleria Rusticana” here .
The hamlet is currently under restoration and is expected to return to its former glory by 2026.
Near Cunziria there is also a beautiful farmhouse set in the rock , where you can try typical local products such as ricotta (in Vizzini on April 25th there is a dedicated festival), tuma and pecorino.
To complete the visit you can go to Vizzini which is not far away, it is here that Giovanni Verga set many of his works.
Top Secret Council
Visit this place in the afternoon and wait for the sunset. The colors make the village and the surrounding nature magical.
How to get there – Directions marked in purple
What to see in the surroundings
Here you will find the most beautiful places to visit in surroundings of Catania .
Typical dishes of the area
La Cunziria is part of the municipality of Vizzini which is located in the province of Catania. Here you find out what to eat in Catania and surroundings .
Here instead you find the typical Sicilian dishes in general.
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