Discover Scordia: Churches, Festivals and Sicilian Cuisine

Scordia combines historic churches, religious festivals and a rich culinary tradition with cultural destinations in the surrounding area. You can get to know the town from several specific perspectives: through its religious buildings, festive events and dishes with a long local tradition.

Churches, Art and History in Scordia

The Museo Civico Etno-Antropologico e Archivio Storico “Mario De Mauro” presents a historical collection of objects from rural life and the everyday life of the Sicilian population. The museum entrance is located on the ground floor of the Palazzo vecchio Majorana.

In the town centre stands the Chiesa di San Giuseppe, a Neoclassical church. Its building was constructed in several phases over the course of the 19th century. The church contains wooden sculptures and paintings, including the Madonna degli Ammalati and a Sacra Famiglia. Some of these paintings were created by Giuseppe Barchitta (1874–1959), a painter from Scordia.

The Chiesa Sant’Antonio was built in 1644 on the initiative of the Prince of Scordia, Antonio Branciforte. It contains a life-size wooden statue of the Cristo alla Colonna dating from 1739. The Chiesa Madre di San Rocco is also part of the town’s religious history. It was built in 1628, completely destroyed by the earthquake of 1693, rebuilt and reopened for worship in 1712.

Religious Festivals and Local Cuisine

On 19 March, the Festa di San Giuseppe in Scordia opens the cycle of spring festivals. The festival includes a procession of richly decorated horses bringing offerings to the Holy Family. If you plan your trip around a fixed date, this date provides an important reference point for the town’s religious festival culture.

Another notable date is 16 August: the centuries-old wooden statue of San Rocco is carried in a procession every year. Cuisine is also part of the town’s history. Scacciata Scordiense originated as a peasant dish for the poor and has been part of Scordia’s culinary culture for more than 300 years, especially during festival periods.

Destinations Around Scordia

The Castello Xirumi-Serravalle, a castle, is located in the area around Scordia. The nearby area is home to the ruins of Colonne di San Basilio and the Parco Suburbano Grotta del Drago park. Also in the surrounding area are the archaeological site Area archeologica di Palikè and the Casa Museo Luigi Capuana museum.

The wider regional surroundings of Scordia also include the beaches Spiaggia Agnone and Spiaggia Villaggio San Leonardo, as well as Monte Lauro. The destinations therefore range from churches, processions and culinary culture to castles, ruins, museums, archaeology, parks, beaches and mountain landscapes.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

If you would like to include additional places besides Scordia, you can find Fondachello, Ragalna, Belpasso, Presa, Santa Maria Di Licodia, Castiglione Di Sicilia, Giarre and Mineo here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Catania.