Aci Castello

An ancient fishing village, this little town sits 49 feet above sea level and takes its name from the 11th-century Norman castle that dominates the edge of the central piazza, above prehistoric lava flows. Locally owned restaurants surround the square. The primary thoroughfare in town is Via Re Martino, a narrow one-way street with barely a whiff of sidewalks. Along this road you'll find butchers, bakers, fishmongers, cheesemongers, and produce stands. All of these are reminders that this town still functions very much like a village from a previous era: most of Aci Castello still shops for food by visiting individual merchants they can call by name instead of going to chain supermarkets.