Prehistoric site

The State-owned archaeological site can be reached by following the road signs to the Castle, continuing along Via del Capo and then turning right at Viale dei Cipressi leading to the Monumental Cemetery. The area explored (1995-1996; 2003-2005) corresponds to a small portion of the terrace cultivated with olive trees.
The main entrance faces directly onto the widening in front of the cemetery, where it is advisable to park your car.

The main entrance faces directly onto the widening in front of the cemetery, where it is advisable to park your car.
An internal pedestrian path leads to an initial rest area equipped with two didactic panels, which provide general coordinates on the prehistoric and protohistoric presences identified in the urban area of Milazzo, on the excavation conducted at the site and on the phases attested.
Continuing on, one reaches the explored sector, protected by a roof of laminated wood and polycarbonate that is functional for the conservation of the masonry, floors and small substructures (hearths) brought to light. Under the cover, at the second resting place, two other didactic panels illustrate in detail the visible remains dating back to the Early Bronze Age (Capo Graziano facies, 18th century B.C.). There are five huts, all different in plan, size and state of preservation, of which only three (Huts 1-3), which have been fully explored, are usable. Of these, Hut 1 stands out, the one furthest uphill, partially sunken into the slope, with a well-constructed stone wall, and with a large entrance on the downstream side with an imposing flight of steps.

The building, with an elongated oval plan, originally covered by a roof made of perishable material with two pitches in the central part and with a curved section above the apses, is divided into two rooms thanks to a partition wall that isolates the apse from the main room, which is particularly large, with a large lobed hearth. Inside this room, the excavation allowed us to recover some of the pottery that was part of the domestic equipment (101 finds).
In terms of size and construction characteristics, the building finds a unique parallel in the large hut delta IV of the Lipari Acropolis.

A little further downstream, the remains of Hut 2, with an irregular oval plan and in a poor state of preservation, can be identified.
Hut 3, an irregular oval-shaped hut with an almost straight side, in a good state of preservation, is bordered by a well-constructed wall with medium-large stones in the outer curtain walls and small stones in the inner filling, and communicated with the outside through an entrance located along the west side. Internally, the small dwelling was equipped with a large oval-shaped hearth made of fired clay that was used in all phases of the structure's life.
In general, also considering the peculiar dislocation of the excavation area, it has been hypothesised that the huts brought to light constitute the last offshoot of a larger village, the greater extension of which is to be found in the terraces of the eastern slope overlooked by the castle sloping down towards the sea.
It is, at least judging from the structures explored, a rather dense living fabric. From the point of view of material culture, the study carried out on the artefacts found inside the huts allows us to place the entire context within the Ancient Sicilian Bronze Age and the Capo Graziano facies of the Aeolian Islands, which suggests a very close relationship between the village of Viale dei Cipressi and the Aeolian sites. The visit concludes by descending to the level of Hut 3 and then exiting through the service pedestrian gate.