The highlight of the summer in Caltagirone, is the Luminaria Festival, held July 24-25, celebrating the city’s patron saint St.James and on the eve of August 14-15, celebrating SS. Maria del Ponte. The main landmark in town is the impressive Scala di Santa Maria del Monte, an exceptional staircase of 142 steps, connecting the old city at the top to the new at the bottom - the risers of each step are uniquely painted majolica tiles, and no two have the same design – rightly a Unesco World Heritage site.
During the celebrations, the steps are illuminated with thousands of small colourful oil lamps to create a true work of Art! A unique evocative experience!