Because the freeway is closed partway between Catania and Palermo due to a bridge that was damaged during heavy flooding in the spring, we are forced to find creative back roads when we drive from one city to the next. It was already a 3 hour drive, but now it takes us at least 5 hours. It takes a lot longer to drive, but we have seen some pretty scenery and unique places along the way. Gangi was one of those places.
We stayed at a little B&B we thought was supposed to be right in the town, but found out addresses can be deceiving. It was actually about 30 minutes outside town on the side of a mountain and the road leading to it was terrible. The big surprise was that it was a beautiful villa that is only used part time as a B&B. The owner lives in the northern part of Italy, but he was in Gangi when we got there. Instead of relaxing and getting some sleep, we took him up on an offer to go for a Jeep ride even further up the mountain to see an incredible find that is about to change the history of Gangi. How can you pass something like that up?
He took us nearly to the top of the mountain and showed us an ancient granary that was used to store grain. If he hadn't pointed it out to us, we never would have noticed it. On the right side of that, in the middle of the rock mountain, was what looked like a small cave opening. I have no idea how anyone would ever access it, but he said they have found two chapels inside the mountain. We were sad we were unable to see them.
Then he took us to another area where we weren't even allowed to take pictures because the site was only discovered two weeks ago and a group of archaeologists are will be here in a few days to investigate the new find.
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| Villa Viola |
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| Granary |
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| Hole in the rock with two chapels inside |
Sweet rubicon! ;)
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