Caltanissetta (province) Voyage Tips and guide

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Caltanissetta is a free municipal consortium in Sicily in Italy. The old town of Caltanissetta and the excavations of Gela are among the main destinations in the province; nearby are Agrigento with the Valle dei Templi and Piazza Armerina with the Villa Romana del Casale and its magnificent mosaics.

37°22′25″N 14°5′19″E

Map of Caltanissetta (province)

• 37.49027814.06251 Caltanissetta (Nissa or Cartanisetta) — the capital
• 37.06666714.252 Gela — one of the most important old Greek cities, archaeological centres and sea resorts on the south coast
• 37.614.0333333 Santa Caterina Villarmosa (Santa Catarina) — a small town is the great tradition in the art of embroidery

Its terrain is mostly hilly. Tourism is focused on the southern coastal area, where the city of Gela stands out for its archaeological riches and its vast gulf with activities linked to seaside tourism.

Its cities and towns have monuments, museums and archaeological areas, numerous castles and some examples of baroque art (with particular regard to Mazzarino). Some ancient mines have been turned into museums (such as the Trabia-Tallarita mine in Riesi and Sommatino). The reserves and protected areas are also destinations for nature tourism, particularly those of Lake Biviere in Gela, the Sughereta in Niscemi, Lake Sfondato and Monte Capodarso in Caltanissetta, and Monte Conca in Milena.

Visitors also cone for celebrations and festivals, particularly those with a religious background, such as during the very famous Holy Week in Caltanissetta, or for other celebrations in the same period and of the same type which take place in Mussomeli, Sommatino, and San Cataldo.

In 2015, the province of Caltanissetta became the "free municipal consortium of Caltanissetta".

In this arid Mediterranean climate, the most pleasant months to travel are spring/early summer and autumn.

The northern area of Nisseno is distinguished by rather low average temperatures during the year compared to the rest of the island.

Caltanissetta wins the title of the most windy and coldest Sicilian capital immediately after Enna. Fog and, more rarely, ice and snow characterize the short but intense winters. The capital has rather low minimum temperatures during the year (0-3 °C in winter and 15-20 °C in summer) but peaks of maximum temperatures during the summer (40-45 °C) which however is never humid and muggy but windy and dry. From the continental climate of the north of the Nisseno territory we move to the hot-muggy climate of the southern part where temperatures always remain quite high during the year reaching averages of 25 °C in summer and 10 °C in winter.

There is frequent fog and mist.

The nearest airports are those of Palermo Punta Raisi Airport and Catania Airport. Caltanissetta is connected to both places by train or bus lines.

In contrast to the southern part of the province, the capital, Caltanissetta, is quite easily accessible by rail. It can be reached via the Catania - Bicocca - Caltanissetta (Xirbi) - Caltanissetta (Centrale) - Licata lines, and from Palermo via Roccapalumba - San Cataldo - Caltanissetta (Xirbi) with Trenitalia trains.

Buses from Sais Trasporti and Etnatrasporti (Catania) towards Catania and Gela ensure connections.

Caltanissetta is fairly central in Sicily, on the route between Palermo and Catania (through the interior) and the south coast with Gela and Agrigento. From Palermo, take the toll-free A19 motorway, which branches off inland at Buonfurnello. From Catania, take the same toll-free motorway in the opposite direction. The capital, Caltanissetta , is reached from the motorway via a feeder road. The SS64 leads past Canicatti to Agrigento in the southwest. To Gela, take the SS626, which merges with the southern coastal road Sud Occidentale Sicula before Gela.

There is a municipal bus network within the city of Caltanissetta, and the towns in the province are most easily reached by bus or—as is common in southern Sicily—by car. Signage is now quite good, but a navigation system is a good way to avoid getting lost in towns.

Sicilian cuisine is less seafood-based in the interior than on the coast; cheese, bacon, and sausages are also served.

Other than common central-western Sicilian food, Caltanissetta Province has a very unique pastry-making tradition, in large part based on the use of ricotta cheese. Typical pastries not found anywhere outside of the Province and its capital city are:

• Rollò. Made of ricotta cheese cream and almond paste, rolled in a sponge cake.  
• Raviola. A fried puff pastry pocket filled with ricotta cheese cream.  
• Spina Santa.   and Crocetta.   They are two types of pastries traditionally prepared by the nuns of the monastery of the Holy Cross in Caltanissetta. Their recipes were lost in 1908 and have been rediscovered by a local artisan, who keeps them secret and has only shared them with four pious women belonging to the Holy Cross parish.

Common street food found in many places around the province:

• Arancine. Fried rice balls usually filled with tomato sauce and meat, although other variants are common.  
• Panelle. Fried chickpea fritters.  
• Stigghiole. Roasted lamb guts, seasoned and rolled around a leek.  

Furthermore, the famous Cannolo (a fried tube of pastry dough filled with ricotta cheese cream) was invented in Caltanissetta, although its origin is debated. Historian Pino Correnti claims it was first produced by some nuns in a monastery in the city, while the tradition predates it to Arabic times and claims it was invented by the women in the harem of the city Emir, who were living in the Pietrarossa castle. Nowadays it's possible to taste this delicacy in most pastry shops in all towns of the province.