Letojanni, a postcard city

The promontories of Sant'Alessio and Sant'Andrea form a natural border to the splendid bay of Letojanni, a small town in Sicily. Thanks to its position, the city represents one of the most important tourist destinations on the Ionian coast. Until 1600, Letojanni saw its commune divided with the cities of Taormina and Forza D'Agrò; it was in that year that by order of Philip IV the city passed under the dominion of the neo-marquisate of Gallipoli. It became common in 1816. Fishing and agriculture are the sectors on which the economy of the city is based together with the tourism sector; the products of the sea and the land continue to represent the main ingredients of the local gastronomy. Typical dishes are: pasta with sardines, homemade granita made with seasonal fruit and brioche strictly with 'il tuppo'. There are numerous organized activities such as paragliding. In the center of the city stands the eighteenth-century church of San Giuseppe, completely restored after the earthquake of 1908; the style of the church is neo-gothic inside the roof of the church is entirely covered with frescoes, in the central nave there is a fresco depicting a glimpse of the village by the painter De Luca. In the square there is a majestic statue of the world famous surgeon Durante. Nearby there is the Durante Museum, 'Memory of man and science' where the professor's surgical instruments and manuscripts are kept. Renowned is the Salone delle Palme of the barber Ignazio where scenes from the famous Benigni film 'Johnny Stecchino' were shot.