Santo Stefano di Camastra Destination in Sicily · Province of Messina

Santo Stefano di Camastra is a small town on Sicily's north coast, in the province of Messina, known for its handmade ceramics. It lies between the Nebrodi regional park and the Tyrrhenian Sea, about 35 km from Cefalù, and it makes an easy day trip for ceramic workshops, a museum, and a sunset walk by the sea.

Handmade ceramics in Santo Stefano di Camastra

The town became known over the years for its ceramics, and craft shops still line its streets. Pieces are made using traditional Sicilian techniques and painted by hand. Colorful vases, cups, and plates are stacked in front of the shops, and visitors have come from around the world to see them. The best-known local piece is the Testa di Moro. If you are looking for something to take home, you can buy it in the workshop where it was made.

The Testa di Moro

The Testa di Moro ("Moor's head") is a traditional Sicilian vessel shaped like a decorated man's head in brightly painted ceramic. These days you will find women's heads in the shops as well. Its origin is a legend said to be around a thousand years old: a girl from Palermo fell in love with a Moor.

The Ceramics Museum at Palazzo Trabia

The ceramics museum opened in 1994 inside Palazzo Trabia on Piazza Duca di Camastra. Its collection includes valuable objects, majolica tiles, and works by contemporary artists, among them Lorenzini, Caruso, and Carlos Carlé. A visit before you go shopping is useful because it shows you what the local tradition looks like at its best.

A walk from the Corso to Viale delle Palme

Along the Corso you come to the villa comunale, the town's public garden, where you can sit for a while among the plants. Viale delle Palme is the place for the sunset. Its parapet is decorated with ceramics made in the town. From the avenue you can also see the "Window on the Sea" (Finestra sul mare), a piece of modern art set near the water.

When to visit

The shops and the museum make a trip worthwhile in any season, but evenings are livelier in summer. Bars and restaurants fill up, and every summer the town puts on exhibitions, concerts, and shows. Long-term climate data for the north coast near Palermo give a guide to the weather. In July and August, daytime highs are around 30 C (86 F) and the sea is close to 28 C (82 F). May has highs of about 23 C (73 F) with the sea at about 19.5 C (67 F). In September, air and water are both around 26–27 C (79–80 F), and in October about 23–24 C (74 F). January highs are around 14 C (57 F). Spring and fall are less hot and are good times to walk around the workshops.