Caltagirone a city of some 39,000 inhabitants is a town in the province of Catania, famous for its Sicilian ceramics. Caltagirone, city of ceramics –  (Caltagiruni in Sicilian dialect) is nicknamed the Queen of Mount Erei.

The main landmark of the city is the 142-step monumental Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, built from 1608 in the old part of the town. The peculiarity is that each step is decorated with different hand-decorated ceramics, using styles and figures derived from the millennial tradition of pottery making.

On 25 July, Caltagirone celebrates St. Giacomo's day, the Patron Saint. On the Eve of 24 and 25 July the stairs are illuminated with thousand of colored oil lanterns to create a magnificent, original design. On 23 July there is a spectacular firework display from the public gardens, that can be seen from the whole city.

The month of May is dedicated to the Madonna and the stairs become a fabulous display of colourful plants. During the Easter period, on Good Friday, you can watch the procession of Jesus Christ. On Easter Sunday there is the miracolous procession in the main square where the giant statue of St. Peter reunites the Madonna with her resurrected son Jesus, a very touching