Endless idyll in the rolling countryside of Aidone, Sicily by Silva Wischeropp

This photograph was taken in the afternoon of 16 April 2013 using a NIKON D90 (lens: NIKKOR 20.0 mm f/2.8) during my Easter trip to the magical, enchanting island of Sicily in southern Italy.
Aidone was built in the 11th century on a ridge of the Erei Mountains, on the site of a former Saracen settlement. Known as the ‘Balcony of Sicily’ due to its lofty position, Aidone offers wonderfully clear air and a fantastic panorama in all directions: from Mount Etna to the Nebrodi Mountains, from the plain of Catania to the Ionian Sea and as far as Syracuse. Near Aidone lies the impressive archaeological site of Morgantina. Significant remains of the Hellenistic city have been unearthed: various public buildings, mostly clustered around the Agora, the Prytaneion (where the sacred fire burned and sacrifices were offered), the Ekklesiasterion (where public assemblies were held), the two-winged ‘Sanctuary of the Agora’, the public granary, the ‘Great Kiln’, the theatre, the Roman-era slaughterhouse, and richly decorated private houses with mosaic floors and wall frescoes. The numerous artefacts unearthed during the excavations are on display at the Aidone Museum, including the famous silver pieces from the 3rd century BC, which were exhibited for years at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and have now returned to Sicily.

Around Aidone, nature seems to excel in its extraordinary diversity: Dense forests, green hills, sun-drenched valleys, fertile plains and watercourses lend the landscape incomparable colours and scents. The small village, with its ancient origins, lies in one of the most interesting areas of central Sicily in terms of nature and culture, as it is home to old, well-preserved manor houses as well as several medieval gems and churches.