Tindari

About

Founded by Dionysius I in 396 BC, Tindari was one of the most important Greek centres in Sicily. However, in the Middle Ages it was destroyed by Arabs, Frederick II of Aragon, and finally, the infamous pirate Barbarossa, before being abandoned. Today, the ruins of the ancient city are still visible in the archaeological site, where visitors will find Roman baths, with floor mosaics and heating systems, a Graeco-Roman basilica, and a theatre from the 4th century BC, which is still used for Greek plays. There’s also a museum nearby exhibiting the more delicate artefacts unearthed here, ranging from pottery to a decapitated statue. According to legend, a Black Madonna was secreted away from Constantinople in the 8th century, but a storm forced the ship carrying it ashore in Tindari. The miraculous statue has made the town a pilgrimage site ever since, and it reamains the centerpiece of the flamboyantly decorated Sanctuary of Tindari.