I arrived in Agira in the early afternoon. I'm not really one for spectacular sunrises; in fact, before 10 in the morning my brain refuses to cooperate, which, I have to admit, shaped the rhythm of the entire weekend. I parked the car along the ring road, as I'd read somewhere, given that the streets in the historic centre are narrow, steep, and full of leg-breaking climbs and descents. And thank goodness I did: the moment I stepped out with my rucksack, I realised that simply getting to the B&B was going to be a minor expedition.
I stayed at Mamà B&B. The Wi-Fi was a bit patchy (it took me a solid ten minutes just to load a map), but the room had a balcony with a view that, on its own, justified the effort of the climb. Once I'd dumped my bags, I decided to take a stroll towards Chiesa Reale Abbaziale di San Filippo d'Agira, on Via Vittorio Emanuele. It's the town's religious heart, home to a wooden crucifix by Frate Umile da Petralia. I sat down on the outside steps for a moment to catch my breath. At one point, an elderly local, whom I'll call Carmelo for convenience, pointed out that my shoelace was undone, chuckling under his breath.
For dinner, I headed to Seeasily Trattoria Moderna, on Via Arpa. Panoramic views and a menu curated by chef Realforte. I ate well, but the real trauma came when I asked if they also did pizza: the waiter looked at me as if I'd just sworn at him. Clearly, Enna cuisine is being seriously reinterpreted here.
The next day, naturally, I got up late. The original plan had been to go hiking at Lago Pozzillo, but what with the late wake-up call and a leisurely breakfast, I only got there close to midday. The lake is an artificial reservoir surrounded by eucalyptus woods. I walked for a bit, but with no water supply and my worn-out trainers struggling on the dirt tracks, I threw in the towel pretty quickly. A practical tip: bring something to eat if you go, because refreshment spots are a total mirage.
In the afternoon, back in the car (a car is essential here; buses are more an abstract concept than a reality), I drove over to Leonforte, about 15 minutes away, to see the Granfonte di Leonforte. It's a monumental baroque fountain with 24 water spouts. Highly dramatic. From there, I popped over to Nissoria (another 10 minutes) to see the Chiesa Madre di San Giuseppe, with its frescoes by Elio Romano.
The real culinary discovery, however, came later. I made a pitstop at Bottega delle Cassatelle, on the ring road. Don't make the mistake of picturing western Sicilian cassata: the agirina cassatella is a baked crescent pastry filled with cocoa, almond paste, and cinnamon. I bought two, they were very cheap (I think just over a euro each), and I devoured them in the car, dropping crumbs everywhere. Honestly? Far better than some overpriced, famous pastries.
On the final day, I decided to challenge my own laziness and tackle the Riserva Naturale Orientata Vallone di Piano della Corte, just outside Agira. It's a river oasis surrounded by elms and poplars. I even tried looking for the famous Sicilian long-tailed tit, but didn't spot so much as a sparrow.
For sunset, I followed a brilliant piece of advice: I climbed up to the Castello di Agira e Monte Teja. At over 800 metres above sea level, you'll find these medieval and Saracen ruins. The climb left me completely breathless (literally), but the vista stretched all the way from Lago Pozzillo to the outline of Etna. It was well worth it. To round things off, dinner at Vunnanzia Ristorante Pizzeria: an authentic vibe, inland local produce and, this time, a proper pizza worthy of the name.