Sorrentini and Gioiosa

Departure | Sorrentini (Me)

• Length: 6 km
• Altitude: 805 m a.s.l.
• Elevation gain: 290 m
• Duration: 2h 30
• Difficulty: moderate

From the central square of Sorrentini — a hamlet of Patti — an uphill trail leads to the summit of Monte Meliuso, where the ruins of the ancient medieval town of Gioiosa Guardia stand, abandoned at the end of the 1700s. In the same area, you can visit an ancient monastery and a Greek settlement dating back to the 5th century BC.

Along the route, you can admire a variety of plant species typical of the Mediterranean scrub, including spurge, heather, and mastic, as well as shrubby mantle vegetation with broom, garrigue with giant fennel and esparto grass, and local cultivation of hazelnut trees, chestnut trees, and vines. From the summit, a breathtaking panorama embraces the Aeolian Islands, Etna, Capo Milazzo, and offers views of stunning sunsets over the sea.

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