Sciacca

Sciacca rises in terraces from a working fishing harbour, with the old town above and Monte Kronio behind. Natural steam caves in that mountain, the Stufe di San Calogero, have been used as vapour baths since antiquity and were described in classical sources; the modern spa built over them has been closed for years while its future is argued over. Ceramics have been made in the town since the Middle Ages and are sold throughout it. On the slope outside, the Castello Incantato holds thousands of heads carved into rock and olive trunks by Filippo Bentivegna, a local man who worked at it alone for decades until his death in 1967.

What you actually see

• The Castello Incantato - thousands of heads carved in rock and trunks.
• The steam caves - natural vapour caves used since antiquity.
• The terraced town - an old centre stacked above a working harbour.
• The ceramics - a medieval craft still worked and sold in the town.

When to go

April to October; carnival here is one of Sicily's largest, in February. The spa complex has been closed for years, so only the outdoor sites are reliable.

Honest expectations

The thermal establishment is closed and its reopening has been repeatedly delayed. The town is steep. Carnival week fills all accommodation.

Nearby

Agrigento lies east; Selinunte is west.