Across the Nebrodi Hills to Catania

As you’re crossing the Nebrodi Hills, a high 16-kilometer-long viaduct will take you into Mistretta, the largest village in the area. The picturesque old center is unspoiled by contemporary development, so enjoy a tranquil break from driving here.

Bronte was built by Charles V in 1535 and many vestiges of its old plan remain, notably in the numerous battlemented and pointed campanili that top its aged churches. The town was named after the English admiral Nelson, Duke of Bronte, and his ducal residence lies a few kilometers north of town.
Otherwise, Bronte's primary claim to fame these days is as the center of Italy's pistachio-nut production: the plantations around town account for 85 percent of the country's output but are only harvested in the early October of odd-numbered years. The emerald green Pistacchi Verdi di Bronte DOP was designated as a national treasure by Italy's Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity.
It’s no surprise that the village is surrounded by acres of pistachio orchards. Shop around for local specialties like pistachio ice cream, pistachio cake, or pistachio arancini.
Trivia: The town's seeming resemblance to the literary Bronte sisters is no accident. Their father, Patrick Prunty, was a Nelson admirer who changed his name in his honor.