A village clinging to a gypsum mountain in the heart of Sicily
Sutera, in the province of Caltanissetta, is one of the most surprising villages in the Sicilian interior: its houses climb the slopes of Monte San Paolino, a huge block of gypsum that rises abruptly from the hills, crowned by the sanctuary of San Paolino. At night, with the illuminated rock, it looks like a nativity scene.
The oldest quarter, the Rabato, of Arab origin, is a maze of stone houses, stairs and narrow lanes, beautifully preserved. A stairway carved into the rock leads to the top of the mountain, from which the view sweeps over the wheat fields and hills of central Sicily, as far as Etna on clear days. Sutera is one of the "Borghi più belli d'Italia" and was among the finalists of Borgo dei Borghi.
Tip: at Christmas the Rabato hosts a living nativity scene; the village has also welcomed refugee families, helping to keep it alive.
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