The island of Sicily bares one ideal spot to explore by foot the region's natural splendor. Cava Grande di Cassibile some call the “Grand Canyon of Sicily”. While Cava Grande comes no where near in size to Arizona’s most famous resident, it does maintain bragging rights as a remarkably isolated place to see Sicily’s natural beauty.
Cava Grande’s location
Heading southeast from Siracusa towards Avola, signs guide travelers to the 6 mile long limestone canyon. Cava Grande belongs to the Iblei mountain range. Its appearance can be blamed on the Cassibile river which dug the expanse of the canyon.
What to look for in Cava Grande
Cava Grande and the ancients have a bit of a history. Gillian Price in her book Walking in Sicily: Short & Long Distance Walks tells how the massive limestone rocks were formed during the Miocene period, about 15 million years ago.
Besides the landscape, tiny prehistoric dwellings can be seen carved throughout the walls of the canyon. The ancients were known to use Cava Grande as burial grounds for the departed.
While the spring season generally sprouts more plant life, hiking Cava Grande in the fall will still produce a number of plant, flower and animal sightings. Princess pink flowers and twiggy bushes line the canyon’s stretch. Mountain goats even find Cava Grande an easy afternoon climb.
The Hike
Roughly 300 meters, the hike down to the natural springs takes about an hour and a half depending on stops taken along the way. A lunch should be packed as no restaurants or snack bars have decided to set up camp in the nature reserve.
While Sicily does start to cool off in the fall, the weather can be scorching for a trip in late August or early September. Luckily, the natural pools of water at the canyon’s toes are icy in temperature to relieve some of the heat.
The trek back up to the parking lot takes double the time it takes to go down. While the footpath is pretty well marked, it can be challenging at times with the loose rock. However, the added bonus of Cava Grande remains of being able to whip the out of shape back into form with the steep stairs leading to the exit.
Canyon Conclusions
The water is clear as swimmers glide through the natural pools of Cava Grande. Popping up for air, the scenery almost seems too unbelievable to fit in the real world. With not many visitors, Cava Grande presents a supreme outdoor activity to partake in while visiting Sicily during the fall season.
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