Car Hire Acireale - Mini guide to Acireale

Located at the foothills of Mount Etna in the north-east of the Catania province of Italy is the seaside city of Acireale. Acireale is perhaps most famous for its church, Saint Peter’s Basilica. Saint Peter’s is one of the four major Basilicas in Rome, and it is interesting to note that the term ‘Basilica’ originally referred to a Roman public building. It was only when Christianity came to Rome that the term extended to take in a place of worship – indeed, a church that had been given special ceremonial rites by the Pope and was considered to be very important.

The term still refers to both the architectural (a large, roofed hall used for legal and business purposes) and religious. Saint Peter’s is actually the ‘new’ Basilica, the ‘old’ Saint Peter’s having been replaced during the Renaissance due to extensive disrepair. Tombs under the current Basilica date back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries, and the tomb of the Biblical Saint Peter the Apostle is believed to be under the Basilica, even though there is no conclusive proof that Saint Peter was even in Rome. The church is possibly the largest in Christianity, seating over 60 000 people, and it is for this reason that the Pope holds many ceremonies here instead of his traditional church, the Vatican Basilica. Because it is said that Saint Peter was buried here, it is the burial place for some 91 Popes.

Acireale is also home to one of the most beautiful carnivals in Italy – The Carnival of Acireale. What began in the 1500s as a celebration involving the throwing of eggs and oranges, has evolved into a lush and spectacularly pleasing to the eye parade of paper masks and creatures that really need to be seen to be believed. The Cattle Fair, held every July, boasts the vast array of fresh produce the area offers (due to its lying on a bed of old lava). If beautiful ripe fruit and vegetables aren’t your fancy, then the works of art created from the volcanic rock, or hand-embroidered cloth might be more to your liking.

Car hire deals in: Italy

We rent the following types of cars: Economy (Vauxhall Corsa or equiv.), Mini, Small family (Ford Focus or equiv.), Medium family (Toyota Avensis or equiv.), large family (BMW 5 series), 4x4, SUV, Convertible, Van, Sports car, Luxury cars.

Hire cheap cars from the following suppliers, Ebookers, Opodo, Avis, Expedia, Sixt, Thrifty and budget rental prices from EasyCar, Budget, Holiday Autos, Economy, 121carhire.