In search of the most effective villages in Sicily? Right here we’ll inform you about 9 hidden villages and small cities in Sicily’s inside, every of them providing one thing distinctive!
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Winding roads by way of the forest, the place goats and cows outnumber passing vehicles. Life within the shade of an enormous mountain. Maze-like villages, with staircases climbing the hillsides. A citadel constructed right into a rock, with subterranean passages and a watchtower. And there’s extra – Baroque church buildings, a Bronze Age necropolis, Medieval pilgrimage routes, and numerous cannoli.
Sure, I feel that with this final sentence, you already know what I’m speaking about. That is Sicily – however in all probability not the Sicily you already know or think about, all about fairly coastal cities, glowing islands, beautiful volcanoes, and millenary historical past.
Small villages (identified in Italian as ‘borghi’) in Sicily are locations the place time flows slower (maybe somewhat too sluggish at occasions for this metropolis lady). Vacationers are nonetheless a rarity – which means companies could generally be missing, however relaxation assured your expertise can be genuine.
These are locations the place you don’t have any various to experiencing native life, fairly just because there are not any vacationer eating places with menus in 5 languages, no memento outlets, no umbrella-toting vacationer guides.
It could generally really feel like a wrestle – roads are a nightmare, Google Maps is completely ineffective, and bars and eating places are sometimes closed within the low season. You’ll be rewarded with heat native welcomes, extra scrumptious meals than you’ll presumably be capable of eat, and the sensation of being one of many few ‘outsiders’ there – and in a rustic like Italy, that is very uncommon expertise to have.
The 9 small Sicilian villages featured on this article might be divided into three teams of three, with one village for use as a ‘base’ and two others that may be visited as day journeys.
We visited all of them over a 10-day itinerary of Sicily’s inside – every week would in all probability be sufficient if you’re pressed for time. In any other case, you may select one group of villages, and go to that over the course of an extended weekend. If it’s your first time in Sicily and also you’d quite keep on the crushed observe, try our 7-day Sicily itinerary for first-timers!
So, let’s begin discovering the finest small villages in Sicily!
Do you may have extra time? Right here’s our preferrred 2 weeks Sicily itinerary!
Greatest Villages in North East Sicily
1) Montalbano Elicona
Montalbano Elicona appeared to us like a mirage, after driving for hours on potholed roads within the shade of Mount Etna, after which throughout misty forests within the Nebrodi mountain vary. At first, you’ll see the stocky silhouette of the Twelfth-century citadel, overlooking the village because it has performed for hundreds of years – after which, the homes and streets of Montalbano itself, stretching throughout.
The star attraction in Montalbano Elicona is certainly the citadel, with a horseshoe-shaped constructing surrounding a sq. tower on a rocky outcrop, constructed throughout the Norman domination of Sicily as a lookout over the encompassing mountains. There may be additionally a water cistern and a chapel, housing the grave of Arnau de Vilanova, a theologian and alchemist on the Kingdom of Aragon, who dominated Sicily between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries.
You may go to the horseshoe-shaped constructing, providing historic data and an exhibition of Medieval armour, weapons, and clothes, however the Norman tower was closed to the general public on the time of our go to.
If viewpoints are what you’re searching for, the most effective ones in Montalbano Elicona are on the prime of Through Etna (for views over the citadel and village) and the finish of Through Mastropaolo (for views over the northern coast of Sicily and the Aeolian Islands). The latter is among the most stunning spots in Sicily for my part!
Simply exterior Montalbano Elicona there are two different fairly cool issues to see. Simply exterior the village you’ll discover a number of ‘tholos’, mysterious tiny dome-shaped buildings, form of a dry-stone model of the igloo, courting again to early Greek occasions. There’s an itinerary connecting the varied tholos, however a number of the paths have been very overgrown. The best one to go to is 2 km exterior Montalbano on the best way to Catania.
7 km exterior of city you’ll discover the Altipiano dell’Argimusco, a plateau with a set of megalithic rocks of mysterious origin. No one actually is aware of whether or not they have been introduced there by the legendary giants inhabiting Sicily in historic occasions, or if they’re merely the results of erosion. An hour-long itinerary connects the varied rock formations – it’s enjoyable to find all of the hidden shapes!
With three days in Montalbano Elicona, you’ll have time to go to two different fascinating borghi (villages) positioned inside day-trip distance – Novara and Castiglione di Sicilia.
-Getting There: Fly into Catania and drive by way of Bronte, Randazzo, and Santa Domenica Vittoria. Journey time is approx 2 hours 30/3 hours.
-The place to Keep: Domus Aurea, a B&B in a renovated Nineteenth-century constructing with a fantastic rooftop terrace.
2) Novara di Sicilia
Novara di Sicilia lies on the border between the Peloritani and Nebrodi Mountains, in a scenic location overlooking the coast and Aeolian Islands. Not removed from the village, you may go on a fantastic hike to the Rocca Salvatesta, a rocky outcrop also called ‘Il Cervino di Sicilia’ (Sicily’s Matterhorn) due to its form.
It takes 2/3 hours to hike there and again from Novara – you may both take a path beginning proper within the centre of city, or drive out to a spot marked on Google Maps as ‘Parcheggio Rocca Salvatesta’ and observe the trail from there.
The village itself is a picturesque tangle of crooked streets, lined by palazzos with carved façades, church buildings, and homes. There’s a ruined citadel on the best level of city, proper subsequent to a very nice restaurant the place you may pattern maiorchino, Novara’s very own cheese, made with a mix of cow and goat’s milk.
For those who occur to be in Novara di Sicilia on Carnival Sunday, an historic sport known as Maiorchina takes place – cheese wheels are rolled alongside a set itinerary, and it’s necessary for them to reach in a single piece. The sport was initially a solution to ‘check’ the standard of the cheese – solely the most effective and most compact wheels would survive the race with out breaking.
Hidden in a courtyard within the decrease a part of this Sicilian village you’ll discover one other distinctive marvel – the Giorginaro horizontal water mill, the one surviving considered one of a set of 14 watermills lively for hundreds of years throughout the valley.
This mill was lovingly restored by an area household who now leads excursions, the place they’ll additionally present the mill in motion. If there’s nobody while you get there, name the cellphone quantity on the gate and any individual will flip up quickly. Don’t overlook to depart a suggestion and/or purchase some flour!
-Getting There: For those who’re up for a problem, you may hike along the Sentiero Italia from Montalbano Elicona to Novara di Sicilia, however it’ll take you the entire day. In any other case, it’ll take about 1 hour to drive by way of Falcone and Mazzarrà – it’s barely longer than by way of Basicò however the highway is in a lot better form.
3) Castiglione di Sicilia
At first look, Castiglione di Sicilia appears to be like fully completely different in comparison with the Sicilian borghi visited thus far. As a substitute of the same old honey-coloured sandstone, you’ll see darkish lava stone in lots of buildings – revealing the presence of a (normally) silent but ever-present neighbour, mighty Etna.
Castiglione di Sicilia is among the 20 comuni (municipalities) of the Etna protected area, and even a part of the volcano’s summit falls underneath its jurisdiction. From there, you may prepare hikes and excursions all around the mountain, together with the summit craters. Sadly it was cloudy on the day we visited, so we determined to give attention to decrease altitudes – and Castiglione di Sicilia didn’t disappoint!
A very distinctive sight on this village is the Lauria Fortress, named after a naval officer on the service of the Kingdom of Aragon, positioned within the highest a part of city. There are fantastic views on the stroll as much as the doorway, over Etna and the Alcantara river valley, however the actual marvel lies inside – a part of the citadel homes the Enoteca Regionale, a wine bar accumulating a number of the finest labels by producers within the Etna area.
The wine bar opens at 10.30 am, which can sound early for a glass of wine – however belief me, there’s nothing higher than a glass on the terrace with views over Etna to get your urge for food going!
Castiglione di Sicilia additionally homes some spectacular church buildings, together with the Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo with a part of the unique exterior partitions in its construction, and Chiesa di Sant’Antonio Abate with a ravishing Baroque façade. Nonetheless, when you ask me the true marvel lies within the countryside simply exterior the village – Chiesa di Santa Domenica, also called Cuba, a Byzantine church courting again to the seventh century, a easy sq. room topped by a dome inbuilt lava stone.
This hidden village can also be positioned near one of many coolest pure points of interest on this a part of Sicily – the Alcantara Gorge (Gole dell’Alcantara), with towering basalt blocks surrounding a crystal-clear river, created by millennia of volcanic eruptions and erosion by the fast-flowing waters of the river. Try this comprehensive guide to the Alcantara Gorge when you’re planning to go to!
The doorway to the Alcantara Gorge is about 20 minutes from Castiglione di Sicilia. This place will get VERY busy in summer season, however fortunate there’s another: the Piccole Gole (small gorge), just some minutes from Chiesa di Santa Domenica. Simply observe the trail heading in direction of the river, till you get to this place. And guess what – it’s not even marked on Google Maps!
-Getting There: It takes roughly 1 hour 15 to drive from Montalbano Elicona by way of Randazzo and Mojo Alcantara.
You may go to Castiglione di Sicilia on this wine-tasting tour from Taormina, together with visits to 2 Etna wineries!
Greatest Villages in Sicily close to the Madonie
4) Gangi
For those who can solely decide one village to go to within the inside of Sicily, we advocate Gangi. This borgo appears to be hewn immediately out of the mountain, a set of little cube-shaped buildings crowding the edges of Mount Barone just like the mythological Tower of Babel, made much more stunning by mighty Mount Etna seen simply behind (when it’s clear).
Most of Gangi follows a loopy avenue plan developed to utilize as a lot area as doable proper on the mountain. Don’t attempt to discover your approach round utilizing navigation apps – they merely gained’t work. Nonetheless, Gangi is sufficiently small that you simply’ll at all times discover what you’re searching for (finally).
Begin your exploration in Piazza del Popolo, the place you’ll discover the Cathedral devoted to San Nicola di Bari. We advocate shopping for a ticket for a guided tour, as this church incorporates some actually fascinating issues to see. First, you’ll get to see a monumental Final Judgement portray, positioned within the apse, by native painter Giuseppe Salerno. It’s fascinating to note the portray is actually a Parusia – the second instantly previous the Final Judgement, identical to Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museums.
The tour continues down into the crypt, housing the Fossa dei Parrini, dozens of mummified monks that died between the seventeenth and Nineteenth century, all set in particular person niches and in numerous levels of preservation. If lifeless our bodies hassle you, skip this half – we discovered it actually fascinating and it reminded us of our visit to the Mummies of Guanajuato. The ultimate cease of this cathedral tour is Torre dei Ventimiglia, a Gothic church used as a belltower, however initially constructed as a watchtower.
There’s lots to see and do in Gangi – there are three museums to go to, in addition to beautiful Palazzo Bongiorno with its painted ceilings, which is free to enter. Nonetheless, essentially the most enjoyable factor to do is solely wander round, getting misplaced between winding staircases and slender alleyways, cobbled lanes opening as much as scenic viewpoints.
In 2014, Gangi gained the award of ‘Borgo dei Borghi’ – which means ‘Village of Villages’, an award given to villages which can be particularly stunning and distinctive. It was the village in Sicily we loved essentially the most, not simply because it’s actually fairly, but in addition for its chilled environment and the great thing about its environment. You may’t miss it!
-Getting There: Gangi is 2 hours away from each Catania and Palermo airports, so if you’re driving, you may select both airport. There are buses from Palermo Centrale station to Gangi with Sais Autolinee, from Catania you’ll want to vary buses in Nicosia.
-The place to Keep: A-MURI B&B, with smooth trendy decor in a renovated ‘tower home’ with fantastic views over the Madonie mountains. countryside.
5) Petralia Soprana
The Madonie mountains have been crossed by a department of Sicily’s Via Francigena, a pilgrimage route connecting Palermo with Messina, the place pilgrims sailed to the Italian mainland and continued their stroll to succeed in Rome. In recent times, 4 Sicilian pilgrimage routes have been mapped – collectively, they’re generally known as Vie Francigene di Sicilia, overlaying roughly 1000 km of climbing routes throughout the island.
A enjoyable solution to get from Gangi to Petralia Soprana, one other stunning small village in Sicily, is climbing one of many phases of the Through Francigena Palermo-Messina. The ‘correct’ stage is definitely the opposite approach spherical, from Petralia Soprana to Gangi, but it surely’s straightforward sufficient to observe in reverse.
It took us about 3 hours and a half to hike 13 km, with approx 700 meters in elevation. The itinerary leads you out of Gangi at first, down the edges of the mountain, after which alongside minor roads, till a steep climb will take you to the first viewpoint the place you may see Petralia Soprana. The second a part of the hike follows unpaved nation roads, with not a soul in sight – first, you’ll descend to a stream after which climb up once more, till you hit the cobbled streets of Petralia Soprana.
One of many major attracts of Petralia Soprana is the scenic views over the Madonie mountains, stretching all the best way to Gangi and Etna. Alas, we visited on a depressing day, and there was development work on the highway resulting in the Loreto viewpoint, so we couldn’t see the views.
In any case, it’s value paying a go to to the tardo Baroque Santa Maria di Loreto church, and to the cathedral devoted to Saints Pietro and Paolo, with a powerful wood crucifix by Frate Umile da Petralia. Yet one more factor to do in Petralia Soprana earlier than heading again – cease at Pasticceria Aspromonte for some really delectable cannoli and sfogghiu, a standard cake from the Madonie made with cheese and chocolate.
-Getting There: Hike alongside the Through Francigena then take a Sais Autolinee bus again to Gangi (20 minutes journey time). In any other case, you may attain Petralia Soprana by automotive from Gangi in about 15 minutes.
6) Sperlinga
One other stage of the Through Francigena Palermo-Messina connects Gangi with Sperlinga, on the border between the Madonie and Nebrodi mountains. The stage is roughly 20 km lengthy and with 1100 meters altitude distinction – so it in all probability take you a lot of the day to get there.
The identify ‘Sperlinga’ derives from the Latin spelunca, which means cave – the territory is stuffed with pure caves, and a part of the village grew by increasing this current system of caves.
We began our go to at Sperlinga Fortress. In off-season, you should purchase your entrance ticket at Bar il Castello, and go to the citadel independently. A part of the citadel is dug into the sandstone, and half was constructed by the Normans within the eleventh century. The ‘above floor’ part of the citadel features a small ethno-antropological museum with farming gear and details about life up to now, and a photograph exhibition with Sperlinga within the worlds and photos of well-known travellers, from Al-Idrissi to Escher and Robert Capa.
The underground part of the citadel is much more spectacular and adventurous to go to – you climb down a rickety wood staircase and transfer from one rock-hewn room into one other, admiring carved niches and wells, and observing the village under framed by home windows sculpted from the rock.
It’s additionally doable to climb as much as the highest, alongside a steep staircase rock-carved, till a viewing platform surrounded by battlements.
A brief distance from the citadel, it’s additionally doable to stroll round freely across the ‘Borgo Rupestre’ (rock village). The caves of Sperlinga have been inhabited by locals till about 50 years in the past, and are actually primarily used as cupboard space. It’s a little version of the Sassi of Matera – few of the cave homes have been restored, and we heard that one is being inhabited by an aged woman, however hopefully elevated vacationer consideration will result in a renovation of this distinctive a part of the village.
One final curious reality – Sperlinga is among the few remaining locations in Sicily the place individuals nonetheless communicate Gallo-Italic, a dialect from Northern Italy, courting again virtually 1000 years when the world was settled with individuals from Piedmont and Lombardy.
-Getting There: Hike alongside the Magna Through Francigena or drive approx 20 minutes from Gangi.
Greatest Baroque Villages in Sicily
7) Ferla
The beautiful UNESCO-listed Baroque towns of South East Sicily are very well-known, and visited by 1000’s of holiday makers every year. Nonetheless, do you know that apart from cities within the ‘official circuit’ like Noto, Scicli and Ragusa, there are many extra small villages in Sicily the place you may respect marvellous Baroque structure?
One in all these locations is Ferla within the Iblei mountains, within the province of Siracusa. At first look, the village doesn’t seem like a lot, only a sleepy Sicilian borgo surrounded by olive bushes and dry stone partitions. You simply must take a stroll down Through Vittorio Emanuele, and also you’ll change your thoughts.
Begin from the highest, and steadily stroll down – that is Ferla’s Through Sacra, housing 5 spectacular Baroque church buildings. Proper on the prime, there’s Santa Maria Church, barely elevated from the highway and housing a wood crucifix simply above the altar. Then, you’ll encounter the actual marvel, overlooking the primary sq. within the village – Sant’Antonio, with a curved concave façade topped by two belltowers, till the one on the left collapsed after an earthquake in 1908.
Additional down there’s the Chiesa Madre, with town’s coat of arms on the façade and lavish Baroque ornament inside, and the San Sebastiano Church, the biggest on the town, with a statue of Saint Sebastian’s martyrdom proper above the doorway portal. Proper throughout the sq. you’ll discover the Chiesa del Carmine, presenting each Doric and Ionic architectural components reinterpreted in Baroque model.
Ferla can also be identified for being one of many entry factors to the Pantalica Necropolis, a set of Bronze Age rock-cut tombs constructed by Sicily’s indigenous individuals. The tombs are unfold all around the sides of a canyon created by the Anapo and Calcinara river, making the positioning actually fascinating from a nature standpoint. One of the best-known tombs are within the Necropolis Nord, however we advocate planning an extended tour to incorporate the Anaktoron, the one constructing within the website constructed with rocks, proof of affect by the Mycenaean civilization.
-Getting There: Ferla is simply over an hour’s drive from Catania, and buses take 1 hour 45 minutes.
-The place to Keep: La Casa dell’Artista, a B&B in a renovated house proper within the historic centre, embellished with handicrafts by native artisans.
Book a tour of Ferla and the Pantalica Necropolis here, together with a swim cease within the Calcinara river!
8) Buccheri
The quiet, scenic roads of the Iblei mountains are good to discover by bicycle – a enjoyable day journey is driving from Ferla to Buccheri, a simple 12 km trip every approach, uphill all the best way there and down on the best way again.
At 820 meters above sea stage, Buccheri is the best city within the Iblei, and snow was as soon as a standard prevalence. This led to the event of a novel business – snow was collected and changed into ice within the neviere, small dome-shaped buildings with a gap on the prime, and a ‘door’ of types from the place the ice blocks have been taken out. Snow and ice from Buccheri have been offered throughout Sicily and even Malta to make gelato and granite, and this commerce continued till the Nineteen Fifties.
There are over 20 neviere all around the forest surrounding Buccheri, however it’s arduous to search out their precise location and as soon as once more Google Maps doesn’t assist. The simplest neviera to see is positioned proper on the entrance of city when coming from Ferla, on the sting of the Borgo wanting down from Through Piave.
Buccheri additionally doesn’t disappoint in relation to Baroque marvels. You may’t miss scenic Sant’Antonio Abate church, with a monumental staircase simply in entrance of it and views all around the rooftops of the village. A brief distance away there’s Santa Maria Maddalena Church, with a honey-coloured façade with statues and Corinthian columns, and a Baroque statue of Mary Magdalene on the primary altar.
For those who get hungry whereas in Buccheri, don’t miss U’Locale, an old-time osteria getting ready native meals grown or foraged across the village. The proprietor is an actual character, and he even wrote a e-book researching previous recipes, a few of which might be discovered on the menu.
-Getting There: It takes about quarter-hour to drive from Ferla, and between half an hour and an hour by bike, relying on how good you’re at going uphill (and how much bike you may have).
-The place to Keep: Masseria Fortificata Lo Zafferaneto, a saffron farm with an upscale restaurant, additionally providing lodging and organizing saffron-focused experiences and cooking courses.
9) Militello in Val di Catania
Militello shouldn’t be a borgo! It’s a small city!
Once we instructed native those who Militello in Val di Catania was going to be considered one of our locations, this was typically the remark. True, Militello is certainly bigger than a lot of the Sicilian small villages included on this record, and it lacks that ‘quaint Borgo’ have a look at occasions, but it surely positively delivers in relation to Baroque marvels.
Militello can also be one of many few locations the place you may see a constructing predating the 1693 earthquake that levelled a lot of southeast Sicily, after which the well-known Baroque church buildings and buildings got here to gentle. The Santa Maria La Vetere (which means ‘previous’) church was first constructed within the Twelfth century, however some options have been added later – just like the placing Renaissance entrance portal, with unique colouring on some reliefs.
Below the primary nave, we may additionally see the stays of a necropolis, together with some tombs topped by a grate the place our bodies have been left to dry of their fluids and organs. It will not be for everybody, however I discover all these particulars so fascinating!
It’s value visiting Militello with a information, as many church buildings are closed to the general public, and guides both have the keys, or could make preparations for somebody to open. We advocate Sebastiano Lisi (cellphone +39 349 8845800) to rearrange your guided tour.
Going with a information is the one solution to see two actual gems – the Church of the Purgatory, with a gilded replica of the Purgatory mountain on the primary altar, and the Church of Santa Maria della Catena, with lavish Baroque stuccos inside and a sequence of statues, solely depicting feminine saints.
The two largest church buildings in Militello are good examples of the beautiful Baroque structure that warranted the city’s inclusion within the UNESCO heritage record. The Chiesa Madre has an fascinating museum housed within the crypt, together with a set of sacred artwork from earlier than and after the earthquake, in addition to uncommon finds like a e-book about chess printed in 1609, believed to be the primary to element the well-known approach that grew to become generally known as the ‘Sicilian protection’.
Santa Maria della Stella additionally has a spellbinding exterior, however it’s essential stroll in to see the actual marvel – a ceramic altarpiece by Andrea della Robbia, portraying the Nativity. This paintings was positioned in Santa Maria La Vetere within the sixteenth century, and fortuitously survived the quake with out main injury and was moved to the brand new church, the place it stands to today.
-Getting There: Militello in Val di Catania is about 1 hour drive from Ferla, and about 45 minutes from Catania. There are additionally two each day trains connecting Militello and Catania in about 50 minutes.
Greatest Villages in Sicily Sensible Information
Greatest Time to Go to Sicily
Sicily is certainly a year-round vacation spot, however each season comes with its execs and cons. Spring and Autumn are in all probability the finest occasions to go to Sicily total, particularly the inside – temperatures are delicate, costs are low and also you gained’t discover crowds. The climate could also be unstable, but it surely’s nonetheless a very good time to go to. Winter can also be good, however some roads between villages are in poor situation, and it could be difficult to drive.
Summer time is peak vacationer season, not simply alongside the coast but in addition within the inside of Sicily, with many returning émigres coming again to go to household. It additionally will get very popular – the upside is that there are various cool occasions, each non secular and non-religious.
Get to Sicily
Flying is the best solution to attain Sicily from Italy and past. The Sicilian villages described on this article are nearer to Catania airport – however if you’re additionally planning to go to Western Sicily, you can fly into Palermo, go to Gangi and close by villages first, then make your solution to Montalbano Elicona and Ferla.
It’s also possible to attain Sicily by prepare from Calabria or by boat from Naples – a real journey, and one thing positively value doing if in case you have time!
Get Round
All these villages might be reached by public transport, however it might take a loooong time. We advocate renting a SMALL automotive as an alternative – when you’re an SUV form of individual, overlook it and e-book a Fiat Panda as an alternative. Belief me, village streets are actually slender and also you don’t wish to get caught!
Our journey to those 9 villages in Sicily was in collaboration with iAmbassador as a part of the Viaggio Italiano mission.
