The Peloritani Mountains and the Agrò Valley
The Peloritani Mountains
The province of Messina can be divided into two forest regions: that of the Peloritani mountains, and that of the Nebrodi mountains, two completely different worlds. According to some studies, the name "Peloritani" is derived from the greek word "Péloron", meaning "gigantic, monstrous". Indeed, this is exactly how they would have appeared to the Greeks upon their arrival at the strait, when they found themselves standing before a mountainous chain beginning at the seaside and rising imposingly towards the sky.
Whether you're a passionate nature lover, or whether you simply love to basque in the view of the small miracles which only nature can offer us, you simply can't afford to miss this excursion.
The Peloritani are characterised by a continuous succession of crests and ravines which in turn form so called “fiumare” or torrents, representing unique environments which cannot be admired in any other part of Sicily.
As you descend from the ridges, the numerous water passages creep into more or less deep gorges, opening up downstream precisely into a broad torrent.
True natural forests don't exist on the Peloritani. We know that in ancient times forest vegetation was rich in forest oak and live oak trees, beech trees, pinetrees and chestnut trees, but unfortunately nowadays only a few haphazard formations remain. Only in the most impervious areas, where man has not yet been able to access, have small strips of natural forest been conserved with downy oak and live oak trees, or mediterranean markings with a prevelance of brier, cistus plants, arbutus-berries and broom. For approximately 10 years, the Forest Watch has been engaged in a reforestation political lockout. In regards to the vegetation of the Messina torrents, oleander trees, five finger plants, thorny broom, poplar plants and willow trees, are some examples of existing species.
Agrò Valley
Just seven kilometers from Taormina, it is possible to visit one of the most interesting areas of Eastern Sicily: the Agrò Valley, a treasure chest of beauty and tradition. It is a valley in the province of Messina which descends from the Peloritani mountains to the Ionic sea, protected and covered over by the "Montagna Grande" (Grand Mountain), where the stream begins from which the entire valley derived its name.
The stream is approximately 18km in length, opening up at the Ranciara Gorges, a major destination amongst the many magnificent, not to be missed stopovers for canyoning passionates.
In general, the vegetation is quite rich in rare species. To provide an example, along the road which runs through the valley, passing through the Scifi and Fadarechi fractions from Sant' Alessio, it is possible to find rare fern.
The vegetation is also richly populated with orchids, particularly on Mount Kalfa, in Forza d'Agrò and Savoca, where in Spring it’s easy to catch a glimpse of various Ophrys species (from the greek = "eyelash" due to the hairiness of the labellum, the longest petal turns towards the bottom, characteristic of orchids).
The Agrò Valley is a complex territory extending from the sea to the mountain through a series of medieval villages situated around the Agrò stream and characterised by the presence of archaeological settlements (Scifi in Forza d'Agrò). In a virtual panoramic tour, you would begin at Sant' Alessio Siculo on the left bank (facing towards the mountain from the valley) and continue up-country until you reach Forza d'Agrò, which possibly has a superior landscape in terms of beauty compared with that of Taormina, Limina, Roccafiorita and Antillo. If we continue towards the sea we will reach Casalvecchio Sicuolo, followed by Savoca, and finally Santa Teresa di Riva. Visitors are enchanted by these small towns, thanks to their charm which slides between the past and the present, evoking a sense of history hidden behind every corner. The towns looking out to the sea enchant their guests with the transparency of the water, the caves and the all surrounding suggestive bays which can be explored by boat. The hillside towns rather are small jewels, medieval villages surrounded by an oasis of tranquility in amongst forests and hills.
