Santa María del Monte Staircase

Caltagirone's Staircase of Santa María del Monte isn’t just a way to get from one street to another—it’s a mesmerizing visual journey through Sicilian history and art. With 142 intricately hand-painted ceramic steps, each one a canvas of traditional Sicilian majolica tilework, this iconic stairway turns a climb into a cultural deep dive. As you ascend, you’ll pass vibrant patterns and motifs that reflect Arab, Norman, Spanish, and Baroque influences—a walkable mosaic that feels like traveling through centuries of Mediterranean storytelling. It's both a photographer’s dream and an architectural love letter to Sicily.