Visit of a ceramics factory where you can see the production. Visit of ceramics museum and of the village of Santo Stefano. Lunch in The fishing village of Tusa with fresh fish. During lunch time you can enjoy the beach because restaurant is on the beach.

SANTO STEFANO DI CAMASTRA

Santo Stefano di Camastra, city of ceramics. The reason behind it all rests in the inexhaustible deposits of clay occurring in the area. The ease with which this raw material can be extracted has underpinned the success of the terracotta potteries, in manufacturing tableware especially, for distribution throughout the region. Local shapes gave way to Greek influences (as trade increased). This soon became one of the town’s main activities. The production improved becoming more efficient and more precise and the wheel was introduced (by the Cretans in about 1000 BC). The critical turning point, however, was the arrival of the Arabians in the 9th century, for, with them, practices were changed irrevocably. They introduced Eastern designs and also glazing techniques that rendered objects impermeable to water. The art became more sophisticated as exquisite geometric patterning and stylised decoration were modelled on plants and animals. Red, blue and yellow were the predominant colours.