If you want to admire a relaxing panorama of Mount Etna, among scents and splendid views, choose Valverde as a place for a walk. Yes, even during an eruption! Because it is an unusual and romantic point of view, perhaps less adventurous but equally touristy. The volcano here is really “home”, you can literally admire it sitting comfortably in the square or in the parking lot or even in front of the neighbour’s garden.

A “valley” without a valley!

Valverde (the name means “green valley”) has been an independent municipality only recently, since the 1950s. Before that, it was part of the city of Aci Sant’Antonio and, more legendarily, also part of the group of municipalities called “the Acis”. Its ancient name was Belvedere (in Sicilian, Bedduviddiri) changed to Valverde perhaps by an incorrect transcription of documents after the Unification of Italy.

Or perhaps the town has simply reclaimed an ancient Latin toponym, Vallis Virdis, linked to the legend of its foundation. The story goes that the criminal Dionisio, in the year 1038 AD, was stopped by a mysterious voice just before killing a traveler. It was the voice of the Virgin Mary that not only stopped the crime but led the bandit to conversion. With the money stolen in the past, the (now former) bandit decided to build a shrine to the Virgin and it was a flock of cranes (a bird that is now the symbol of the town) that showed him the place, “in Vallis Virdis” precisely. Several miracles were performed around this sanctuary: among many … the source of water that came out of nowhere, and a painting mysteriously imprinted on a stone pillar by a beam of light.

The shrine and the painting still exist today and are destinations of pilgrimage. The ancient convent has developed into a small dynamic city devoted to art. There are many things to see in this “Green Valley” … except a valley!

Valverde and art

The beauty of Valverde lies in the ability to make every corner of the territory pleasant. Scented flowers and plants are everywhere, in the square, on the balconies, all around the façades of the houses! Flowers make up art as well as human constructions.

The shrine is one of these artworks. The current structure, also built around the miraculous pillar, dates back to the 18th century and replaces the original medieval church that collapsed in the earthquake of 1693. Consisting of a church, a portico of arches, a convent and a bell tower, the sanctuary is embellished inside with baroque decorations and stained glass windows. At the top of the sanctuary, almost dominating the town, two statues of cranes recall the origin of everything. The St Anna Hermitage is also part of the artistic magic of Valverde, an 18th-century baroque church annexed to a convent located in a spectacular and panoramic spot, open on the Ionian coast, just 2 km from the center.

Art in Valverde is also expressed by the “movement” of Vanedda Street! The town’s redevelopment project has seen creatives, architects and artists in action. With colorful murals (especially in Via Nuova) and light installations, they have created a fascinating and very modern route.

Valverde and Etna

The best way to admire Etna from Valverde is to sit in the square and observe the mass of the volcano rising above the roofs of the houses. Another spectacular point is the top of the Carminello hill, located at the end of the street of the same name, although here the view is a little disturbed by the houses. Parking your car in the upper part of Seminara Street, however, you can admire Mount Etna with the whole necklace of piedmont villages, without any obstacle in front … . You will admire truly special colors and lights, both during sunsets and during eruptions.

But Valverde’s connection with Etna is deeper than a simple panorama. “Deep” in the true sense of the word. In fact, under the town, rocky faults and aquifers directly connected to the volcano intertwine. In short, the water that comes from the melting of the snow at the top of Etna gives Valverde historic and modern water springs … in addition to a higher humidity than the Sicilian average. And that’s also why it is such a flowery place! There may not be a valley, perhaps … but there is certainly greenery. Thanks to the precious gift of Etna. (PHOTOS BY G. MUSUMECI)