Caltagirone: 142 hand-painted majolica steps in Baroque Sicily
In Caltagirone, 142 steps clad in hand-painted majolica tiles climb through the heart of Baroque Sicily, best taken slowly and on foot.
Foto: Ottantafame (CC BY-SA 4.0) — Wikimedia Commons
In Caltagirone, in Sicily's hilly interior, a long staircase cuts through the old town and climbs towards the church of Santa Maria del Monte. There are one hundred and forty-two steps, each decorated with hand-painted ceramic tiles: geometric and floral patterns, figures whose design changes from one step to the next. From a distance it looks like a carpet unrolled down the hillside, but it's only when you stop on the individual steps that the monument truly reveals itself.
The city of ceramics
Caltagirone has been a city of ceramics for centuries, and the staircase is its open-air manifesto. Most visitors gather at the first few steps, snap a photo and turn back. Climbing all the way to the top, on the other hand, changes everything: your breath grows shorter, the noise of the street fades, and from above the view opens over the rooftops and the Erei hills. Along the climb you'll come across artisan workshops where majolica is still worked by hand, far from mass production.
When to go
Compared with Sicily's better-known destinations, crowds here are a rarity. You can walk at your own pace, sit down on a step without having to wait your turn for a photo. It's worth visiting the staircase early in the morning or in the late afternoon, when the raking light sets the coloured glazes alight and the shadows deepen the contrasts. Avoid the middle of the day in the hottest months: the climb is exposed and the sun beats down.
Getting there
Caltagirone is easily reached by car from the Sicilian interior and deserves at least half a day, between the staircase, the Baroque churches and the small ceramics museum. It's the kind of place that rewards those who move slowly: no queues, no crush, just painted steps and the time to look at them one by one.
Related guides: Sicily off the beaten track: hidden villages and destinations far from the crowds · Beyond Taormina: seaside villages of eastern Sicily off the beaten track · Where to go in January in Italy: art cities and villages off-season.
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Practical info
When is the best time to visit Caltagirone?
The recommended time is March, April, May, October and November, when it is less crowded.
Is Caltagirone crowded?
Caltagirone is a very quiet destination compared with the more touristy ones.
Where is Caltagirone?
Caltagirone is located in Caltagirone, Sicily, Italy.
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How to get there
- 🚆 Nearest station: Caltagirone ~2 km as the crow flies
- ✈️ Nearest airport: Aeroporto di Comiso Pio La Torre CIY ~28 km as the crow flies
Nearest points as the crow flies (source OpenStreetMap): actual times depend on the roads, often mountain ones.
