Sicily in $540s-$670s RT

Welcome to Catania, city of great beaches, delicious food, and... elephants?

Meet u Liotru, an ancient basalt statue that happens to be the city's most beloved icon. This prestigious pachyderm has been worshiped in Catania for centuries, thanks to his supposed ability to predict the frequent eruptions from nearby Mount Etna (side note: absolutely add a Mount Etna tour to your itinerary, it's awesome).

No one knows exactly where u Liotru came from, but one local legend credits a medieval nobleman named Eliodoro, who turned to black magic after he was rejected from his dream job as bishop of Catania. According to the story, Eliodoro created the elephant out of lava and rode it around the city, playing unnatural pranks on the citizens. Kind of a weird revenge, but we totally get it—applying for jobs could drive anyone insane :-)