"Excursion to Tindari"
Ancient Tyndaris
was founded by Dionysus of Syracuse in 396BC. The city walls and Greek theatre
both remain intact.
The Sanctuary of Tindari attracts thousands of tourists and
pilgrims each year and is situated on a promontory overlooking the sea close to
the archaeological site. The church was built on the ruins of an abandoned town
and is where The Statue of the Black Madonna is kept. Supposedly found in a case by
fishermen in the ninth century, the statue of the Madonna with child is
Byzantine in origin. Many miracles have been attributed to the statue, and over
the centuries, pilgrims have come to pay their respects to the icon.
The region of Tindari is a unique natural spectacle, with
The Lakes of Marinello and its own nature reserve. There is an impressive tongue
of sand that stretches out into the Tyrrhenian Sea. This is a small glimpse into
a world full of incredible natural beauty.
When driving north from Taormina passing Messina on approach
to Tindari the first thing you notice is the church glistening from its hilltop
position. The journey takes approximately 1 hour and 20minutes. We would
recommend leaving your car in the carpark at the bottom of the hill and
climbing up by foot or there is a shuttle bus.
The church was built in the 1960’s as a sanctuary to house
the Black Madonna. The Byzantine statue is carved in cedar wood and underneath it
a plaque says Nigra sum, sed Hermosa (“Black
I am, but Beautiful”)
After peeking inside the church, outside you can look down
and admire the beauty that the sea has created in the sands down below. There
are many lakes and according to legend, when a child accidently fell from the
promontory of the sanctuary towards the sea, the black Madonna produced a soft sand
mattress, the sea then miraculously retreated and the little girl lay safely on
the sand.
When planning a visit to Tindari take into mind the opening
hours of the sanctuary as it closes during the day for lunch and times vary in
summer and winter. Also on September 8th pilgrims flock to the
sanctuary to pay their respect for the Madonna’s feast day.
The theatre built by the Greeks, then rebuilt by the Romans had
a capacity of 3000 seats, it is still in use for classical dramas and concerts in
the summer months, it was erected in a position to take advantage of the view
out to sea. The theatre like the one in Taormina is nestled in the natural
contours of the surrounding hill.
There is also a small museum containing finds from
excavations of the site and reconstructions of how the ancient town would have
looked.
Maybe some of you might recognise Tindari from the Inspector
Montalbano episode ‘Excursion to Tindari’ where the plot involves an elderly couple who go missing after a trip there and ends with Salvo and his deputy, Mimì, accompanied by
their girlfriends, enjoying a moment of tranquillity at the Shrine of the Black
Madonna whilst having their photo taken overlooking the breath taking views.
Below Tindari you
will find the beautiful beaches forming part of the Marinella Lakes Natural
Reserve where lagoons and sand dunes provide home for many migratory birds. The
fine sand and clear waters are irresistible and there are a few bars for a
refreshing drink.
Why not arrange for an English speaking driver to escort you to
Tindari and combine with a visit to Cefalu, a beautiful small fishing village
now a popular resort thanks to its amazing beaches.
www.santuariotindari.it
www.teatrodeiduemari.net
www.pattietindari.com
www.santuariotindari.it
www.teatrodeiduemari.net
www.pattietindari.com
Photo Gallery
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| Statue of the Black Madonna |
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| Greek Theatre |
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| Marinella Lakes |
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| Daisy's 'Excursion to Tindari |
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