Deep gorges carved into basalt
They are one of the best known and most distinctive places in Sicily, deep gorges carved out of columnar basalt by the Alcantara River.
The river’s name is of Arabic origin and derives from an ancient bridge that crossed it (“Al qantarah,” the bridge). Several theories try to reconstruct the origin of the gorges by claiming that they were formed due to slow erosion by the river or an earthquake that broke its basaltic group.
It is possible to access them through a municipal access or rely on guided views to follow the path of the riverbed and discover a pristine environment characterized by waterfalls and ponds.