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Greek, Romans, Arabs, Phoenician, Turkish, Spanish,
Norman: the list of the people that ploughed this sea and
that have trodden this ground it is really long and variegated.
The rests of an ancient Greek Roman tunny-fishing nets recovered
to Scalo Mandrie, really behind the homonym beach, and those
about a paleocristianas necropolis testify that Portopalo
of Capo Passero was ago already very important inhabited center
so many centuries, above all for its strategic position in
the heart of the Mediterranean. The beach of the town is also
historically known as point of landing and unloading of the
Allies that really from here, in July of 1943, began the Husky
operation. |
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| It's without doubts true that the zone in the
south extreme of the province in Syracuse, where everything
the country now resides, was very already frequented in past
times, but it is also true that they were people that did
not stay. Portopalo, whose ancient name was Noble Earth, was
founded (how stable housing nucleus) around the end of 1700
by the baron Don Gaetano Deodato Moncada that, to own expenses,
built the first one hundred houses near the tunny-fishing
nets. Then, the town became suburb village of Noto (a near
city), and then passed under Pachino (another near city),
from which it released it in 1975 becoming Autonomous Common
and assuming the complete name of Portopalo of Capo Passero. |
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The long Vittorio Emanuele way ideally cuts
the town in two parts, connecting the extremities of it: Scalo
Mandrie (important tourist destination, note for its beaches
and bluffs) on one side, and the the Fishing Port (very important
for the economy of the town) from the other. Portopalo is
divided in four Neighborhoods (Scalo Mandrie, Fishing Port,
Canalazzo-Pizzuta, Lighthouse Cozzo Spadaro) that every year,
within the summer, they play the Palio of the Sea, a boats
race in honor of St. Gaetano, Patron of the town. The Palio
of the Sea, (in dialect "Cursa re Varchi" that means
"Run of the Boats") is one of the so many demonstrations
that cheer the town summer, together with shows in plaza. |
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| The economy of Portopalo is based above on fishing
and agriculture, but the tourist sector is also developed
notably in these last years. The fishing fleet of the country,
(more one hundred boats of various tonnage) is one of the
most important of Sicily, both for the quality and for the
quantity of fished; while the agricultural products are very
famous and in demand in all the Italian and foreign markets
(we remember the famous tomato "Ciliegino" and the
tasty one "Costoluto"), so much to be protected
by the recognition of Protected Geographical Indication (IGP).
About the tourism, Portopalo is a good destination for the
tourist that searches of nature and relax in the heart of
the Mediterranean. |
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Portopalo of Capo Passero has an ancient tradition
of popular event. During the day of Immaculate (8 December)
there is, for instance, the sale of the "Cuddure",
sweets with sugar and sesame prepared by the believers and
sold to the auction for then to devolve in beneficence the
result. The demonstrations in the period of the Easter are
very particular and suggestive. The Thursday Saint, in the
church, a group of local choristers tunes up (only with their
voices without music) "The Complaint", an ancient
popular song in Sicilian dialect about the passion of Christ.
To midday of Easter there is then "The Peace", that
is the meeting among the statues of the Virgin Mary and the
Risen Christ. |
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