Cefalù and the Monti Madonie
Despite being one of Sicily’s busiest international beach resorts, Cefalù, just an hour east of Palermo, has a parallel life as a small-scale fishing port. Not only does it have a superb beach, an appealing historic centre, and a stupendous medieval cathedral with some of the best mosaic-work on the whole island, but on its doorstep are the Monti Madonie, a high mountain range and regional park. It’s easy to explore the mountains by car – even in just a day-trip from the coast you’ll be able to circle the high passes between Castelbuono and the twin towns of Petralia Soprana and Petralia Sottana.
There are plenty of other good day-trips from Cefalù. West, en route to Palermo, lies the archeological site of Greek Himera, the old spa town of Termini Imerese and the blustery hill-top stronghold of Caccamo, which features the best-preserved of Sicily’s Norman castles. To the east (towards Messina), it’s the Tyrrhenian coast that holds sway, hugged by road, rail and motorway, at its best an eye-catching succession of cliff and cove, sandy strips and citrus groves, though all too often eclipsed by monotonous tourist developments. The ceramics town of Santo Stefano di Camastra is a nice little resort, while from Castel di Tusa you can trace the mammoth sculptures of the Fiumara d’Arte trail. Another appealing base, the town of Patti has an untouched historic centre, a lively shingle beachfront, abundant good cheer and a convent serving some of the best – and cheapest – feasts in the region. The most beautiful sands along this stretch of the Tyrrhenian, however, lie below the clifftop sanctuary of Tindari at Marinello – a coastal nature reserve, with natural (and shifting) salt lakes. Milazzo, treated by most as a departure point for the Aeolian Islands, also has hidden charms – among them its recently restored Norman castle, and the coves and beaches of the Capo di Milazzo.
Highlights
1 Cefalù The Byzantine mosaics in Cefalù’s cathedral are one of the glories of Sicily, and the town’s long sandy beach is among the island’s finest.
2 Castelbuono The charming old town is the northern gateway to the Monti Madonie – and the food is amazing, too.
3 Petralia Sottana Pretty mountain town at the heart of the Parco Regionale delle Madonie.
4 Parco Avventura Madonie Zip-wire through the trees at this climbing park in the Madonie mountains.
5 Patti Discover the unsung charms of a friendly coastal hill-town with an unrestored historic centre, long shingle beaches, fabulous views of the Aeolians, and one of the best-value restaurants in the region.
6 Tyndaris and Marinello Explore the Roman remains of Tyndaris, then head down to the enchanting sands of the Marinello coastal nature reserve.
7 Milazzo Before you depart for the Aeolian Islands, take time to explore Milazzo’s rambling citadel and the fishermen’s stalls along the seafront, then head out to the Piscine di Venere.
GETTING AROUND: CEFALÙ AND THE MONTI MADONIE
By bus and train A good train service makes it easy to see any of the coastal destinations from Cefalù, and buses link to some inland destinations.
By car A car is definitely required if you’re intent on seeing much of the mountains. Driving can be slow on the SS113 coastal road, along which traffic sometimes files at a snail’s pace – it’s much faster on the A20 autostrada (a toll-road), which features some outstanding feats of road engineering in the form of long tunnels and soaring viaducts.
Cefalù
The finest resort on the long Tyrrhenian coast between Palermo and Messina is CEFALÙ, 70km from the capital, with a long sandy beach and a dramatic setting under the fearsome crag known as La Rocca. Roger II founded a mighty cathedral here in 1131 and his mosaic-filled church still dominates the skyline: the great twin towers rear up above the flat roofs of the medieval quarter, with the whole structure framed by the looming cliff behind. The shady tangle of old streets and gift shops, and nearby beach and promenade, are certainly touristy but also retain a real charm. Cefalù, in fact, is nowhere near as developed as Sicily’s other main package resort, Taormina. It’s busy in July and August, but never overwhelmingly so, and there’s a lot to be said for making the town your base. Palermo is less than an hour away by train, and there are smaller beaches and resorts on the rail line to the east, while it’s an easy drive into the Monti Madonie to the south. The sandy beach is one of Sicily’s best, jam-packed in summer, with sheltered swimming in clear waters and marvellous views from the lungomare (promenade) over the red roofs of the town.
The old-town streets themselves are the best thing about Cefalù – a cobbled, tangibly Arabic jumble of alleys with rows of washing stretched between houses, hidden arches and flower-filled courtyards. The main Corso Ruggero is lined with attractive buildings in various stages of well-tended decay. The Osterio Magno, on the corner of Via Amendola and the Corso, is the surviving part of a medieval palace, now regularly used for art exhibitions, while the lavatoio is a relic of the Saracen occupation – a wash-house at the bottom of a curving staircase, with cold water pouring forth into the basins. At the head of the Corso, a belvedere gives onto the old Greek walls of Cefalù, largely incorporated into the later sixteenth-century defensive bastion. A modern path has been cut into the rocks below, running in the direction of the hydrofoil port, and you can clamber down here to explore the rock pools and sunbathe on the slabs. Further around the headland, at the port, is a bay full of fishing and leisure boats, and more strange rock stacks to investigate.
The Duomo
Piazza Duomo • Daily: summer 8am–7pm; winter 8am–5.30pm
Central to Cefalù’s historic existence is its majestic Duomo, set back in a pretty square under the cliffs. Apocryphally, it was built in gratitude by Roger II, who found refuge at the town’s safe beach in a violent storm, though it’s more likely that the cathedral owed its foundation to his power struggle with Pope Innocent II. Shortly after his coronation in 1130, Roger had allied instead with Anacletus, the anti-pope, whose support enhanced the new king’s prestige. Roger’s cathedral benefited from Anacletus’s readily granted exemptions and privileges, and it is at once rich and showy, from the massive, fortress-like exterior to the earliest and best preserved of all Sicilian church mosaics. With all the former Baroque decoration finally stripped away after years of “restoration”, the impact of the mosaics is profound. Dating from 1148 (forty years older than those at Monreale), they are thoroughly Byzantine in concept and follow a familiar pattern: Christ Pantocrator, right hand outstretched in benediction, open Bible in the left, dominates the central apse; underneath is the Madonna flanked by archangels; then the twelve Apostles, in two rows of six.
Museo Mandralisca
Via Mandralisca 13 • Daily: Jan–July & Sept–Dec 9am–7pm;
Aug 9am–11pm • €5 • 
0921 421 547, 
fondazionemandralisca.it
The cathedral is very much the cultural highlight in Cefalù, though just down the road, the Museo Mandralisca houses a small collection of quality objects. On the first floor you’ll find the star exhibit, a wry and inscrutable Portrait of an Unknown Man by the fifteenth-century Sicilian master Antonello da Messina. Look out, too, for the quirky Greek krater (fourth century BC) showing a robed tuna-fish salesman, knife in hand, disputing the price of his fish.
La Rocca and the Tempio di Diana
Tempio di Diana • Daily: summer 9am–6.45pm; winter closes at least an hour before sunset • Free
Towering above cathedral and town, and accessible by a stepped footpath at the side of the Banco di Sicilia in Piazza Garibaldi, is the mountain of La Rocca. A steep twenty-minute climb takes you to the so-called Tempio di Diana, a megalithic structure adapted in the fifth century BC by the addition of classical doorways, their lintels still in place. A path continues upwards, right around the crag, through pinewoods and wild fennel, dipping in and out of a surviving stretch of medieval wall to the sketchy fortifications at the very top. You can then cut down to the temple and rejoin the path back into town, the whole walk taking a little over an hour – take water with you, as it’s a strenuous climb.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: CEFALÙ
By train The train station is south of the centre, ten minutes’ walk from the main old-town street, Corso Ruggero.
Destinations Messina (12 daily; 2hr 15min–3hr); Milazzo (12 daily; 1hr 40min–2hr); Palermo (1–2 hourly; 1hr); Sant’Agata di Militello (hourly; 1hr); Santo Stefano di Camastra (hourly; 30min); Termini Imerese (1–2 hourly; 25min).
By bus Buses pull into Piazza Stazione outside the train station.
Destinations Caccamo (2 daily; 45min); Castelbuono (7 daily Mon–Sat, 2 daily Sun; 40min); Gangi (1 daily; 1hr 45min–2hr); Geraci (2 daily Mon–Sat, 1 daily Sun; 1hr 25min); Gibilmanna (3 daily; 30min); Palermo (3 daily Mon–Sat, 1 daily Sun; 1hr); Petralia (1 daily Mon–Sat; 2hr).
By car There is residents-only parking throughout the old town, so the best advice is to park on the seafront, either in the metered places along the promenade (€1 per hour, free midnight–8am) or in the patrolled car park (€6/12hr), just after the Riva del Sole hotel beyond Via Archimede.
GETTING AROUND
Bike and scooter rental Scooter for Rent, Via Vittorio Emanuele 57 ( 338 230
9008, scooterforrent.it), has mountain bikes (from €15/day) and
scooters (€25–35/half-day, €35–50 /day).
Car rental Siciltravel, Piazza Garibaldi 9 ( 0921 420
090).
Taxis There’s a taxi rank outside the train station at Piazza Stazione
( 0921 422 554).
INFORMATION
Tourist information There’s a tourist office at Corso Ruggero 77 (Mon–Sat 9am–1pm
& 3–7.30pm; 0921 421 050), where you can pick
up a free town map and an accommodation list, as well as information
about boat trips, summer concerts, theatre performances and other
events.
Online information The websites cefaluonline.com and cefalu.it are also useful for accommodation, restaurants
and local services. For information (in Italian) on the Madonie
mountains, try parcodellemadonie.it, which also has details of walks,
flora, fauna, events and places to eat and drink.
ACCOMMODATION
HOTELS AND B&BS
B&B Delle Rose Via Gibilmanna 0921 421 885, dellerosebb.it. Charming B&B that
has its own parking – the rooms with views and spacious terraces
are worth the supplement. The main drawback is its distance from
the centre, a 15–20min walk along the continuation of Via
Umberto I (up the Gibilmanna road, heading out of town). €100
Le Calette Via Vincenzo Cavallaro 12, Contrada Caldura 0921 424 144, lecalette.it. On the eastern side of the
headland, overlooking the hydrofoil port, this four-star
villa-style hotel is beautifully sited above a little cove, and
has its own pool, restaurant and gardens. All rooms face the sea
and those on the second floor have large balconies. Good deals
online outside the main season. €230
Dolce Vita Via C.O. Bordonaro 8 0921 923 151, dolcevitabb.it. The top choice for
B&B – right in the heart of the old town but with the
sea on one side, so rooms with a view are nice and peaceful. Two
face the street, three the sea, and all are en suite and
spacious (sleeping up to four), with high ceilings and restored
tile floors. Best of all is the glorious terrace, a perfect
haven with uninterrupted sea views, while the cheery owner can
arrange boat trips, airport transfers, etc. Breakfast is taken
in a bar in the cathedral piazza. Usually closed two months
between Nov and Feb. €100
La Giara Via Veterani 40 0921 421 562, hotel-lagiara.it. The three-star La Giara is very central, on an old-town
street close to the Duomo, and has decent rooms and a top-floor
terrace with town and ocean views. Expect some noise from
street-facing rooms. €144
Locanda Cangelosi Via Umberto I 26 0921 421 591, locandacangelosi.it. The cheapest place
in town, this pension has pretty basic facilities. There are
four rooms – two with balconies overlooking the busy street –
with a shared bathroom, but the better option is one of the four
small self-catering apartments in a quieter position. No credit
cards. Rooms €80; apartments
€100
Palazzo Villelmi Corso Ruggero 149 0921 923 057 or 339 852
0161, www.palazzovillelmi.com. Stylish,
elegant B&B in a beautifully restored old palazzo on the main street, very near the
Duomo. High painted ceilings give a hint of its former grandeur,
and a rooftop breakfast terrace looks right on to the cathedral.
€100
Al Pescatore Località Caldura 0921 421 572. Around the headland,
near the port, this family-run hotel is pretty good value for
most of the year, with simply furnished rooms with tile floors
offering sea or mountain views. There’s no restaurant, though,
and it’s a fair walk into town. €80
Riva del Sole Lungomare G. Giardina 0921 421 230, rivadelsole.com. The most central
seaside hotel has rooms overlooking the promenade and beach, and
it’s very close to the parking area. As long as you don’t mind
the summer noise from the bars and restaurants, it’s a great
location – just steps from the sand and with its own chic
terrace café. Half-board only in Aug, at around €100 per person.
€160
Villa Cerniglia Lungomare G. Giardina 320 306 4275, villacerniglia.com. A selection of
one-bedroom apartments in a complex right on the seafront.
Facilities include access to a lido for those seeking the full
Sicilian beach experience. €140
CAMPSITES
Camping San Filippo Contrada Ogliastrillo 0921 420 184, campingsanfilippo.com. Lovely campsite,
a short walk from the beach with tent and caravan pitches under
pine trees. Tent pitches €8,
plus €8.50 per person and
€6 per car
Costa Ponente Contrada Ogliastrillo 0921 420 085, campeggio-sicilia.it. Big, resort-style
campsite with a 33m swimming pool, a variety of sports and
activities on offer, and mobile homes for rent as well as tent
and caravan pitches. Closed Nov–March. Tents €8, plus €8.50 per person and €5 per car; mobile homes €60
EATING AND DRINKING
There are dozens of restaurants in Cefalù, though many trade on their sea view and are overpriced. Menus are broadly similar – fish and seafood, of course, is the local highlight – and the best deals are often in the form of set menus for €20–30 a head. The cafés in Piazza del Duomo are a nice place to start the day, with breakfast in front of the cathedral. For sunset drinks and views, there’s a line of restaurants, bars and gelaterie along the prom by the beach, while the local passeggiata runs all the way up the main Corso to Piazza Garibaldi and its streetside bars and ice-cream shops.
CAFÉS AND RESTAURANTS
La Brace Via XXV Novembre 10 0921 423 570. A tiny place run by a
Dutch mother and son, where you dine to classical music in a
room formed by three stone arches. The cuisine is more varied
than in many Cefalù restaurants, with beautifully cooked
versions of European dishes such as steak tournedos or chicken
liver pâté with Madeira joining Sicilian dishes like swordfish
involtini. Lots of vegetarian
options as well. Booking ahead is essential. Mon & Wed–Sun lunch
& dinner, Tues dinner only; closed mid-Dec to
mid-Jan.
Caffè di Noto Via Bagno Cicerone 3 0921 422 654. This gelateria is right at the edge of the centro storico and the beginning of the
Lungomare, and has fabulous ice creams in flavours including
mango, raspberry, prickly pear, and chocolate with chilli.
April–Oct daily
10am–late.
Le Chat Noir Via XXV Novembre 17 0921 420 697. An atmospheric setting
in the whitewashed, plant-filled courtyard of a sixteenth
century building a short walk from the Duomo, and memorable
executions of typical Sicilian dishes such as the sweet,
unctuous aubergine parmigiana with
salty ricotta, swordfish involtini,
and an orange salad spiked with chilli. Count on spending €35
for a full meal including wine if you eat fish, €25 if you opt
for meat. Mon–Tues & Thurs–Sun
lunch & dinner.
Al Gabbiano Lungomare G. Giardina 0921 421 495. Best of the seafront
promenade restaurants, this place has a good antipasto al buffet, spicy zuppa
di cozze and pizzas (pizzas €6–10), and fish or
seafood mains (mostly €10–12). Daily lunch & dinner;
closed Wed Nov–April.
La Galleria Via Mandralisca 23 0921 420 211, lagalleriacefalu.it. Billed as a
“literary café”, and incorporating courtyard bar, exhibition
space and cultural centre, La Galleria
is also a great place for classy, contemporary Sicilian cooking
– think chic, white dining room and a menu featuring pasta with
swordfish, lemon zest and wild fennel, and tuna sashimi on
caponata (dishes €8–22). There’s a
second entrance on Via XXV Novembre. Mon–Wed & Fri–Sun
lunch & dinner.
Lo Scoglio Ubriaco Via C.O. Bordonaro 2–4 0921 423 370. The “Drunken Rock” is
a slick restaurant with a sea-facing terrace. It’s good for fish
(with plenty of mains between €8.50 and €13.50), and also serves
pizzas (€6–10.50) in the evening. July & Aug daily
lunch & dinner; Sept–June closed
Tues.
Vecchia Marina Via Vittorio Emanuele 73 0921 420 388. A locals’ favourite
for a seafood blowout. It’s not cheap (pasta and starters
€10–15, fish dishes €15–25, catch of the day by weight,
generally €50–60 per kilo), though the €29 set menu (including
an antipasto or pasta, secondo, contorno and dessert but no drinks) isn’t a bad
deal. Mon & Wed–Sun lunch
& dinner; closed Jan.
SHOPPING
If you’re looking for more than Godfather T-shirts, Sicilian puppets or mass-produced cookbooks in Japanese and German, you need to dig a bit deeper in Cefalù’s old town. It’s worth buying sun cream or aspirin just to have a look at the beautifully carved cabinets inside the traditional Farmacia Cirincione, at Corso Ruggero 144.
Cantina di Cicerone Via Vittorio Emanuele 13 0921 422 497. A fantastic range of
Sicilian wines is on offer at this enoteca. Daily 10am–midnight; closed
Dec–Feb.
A Lumera Corso Ruggero 176 0921 921 801, alumeracefalu.it. A great place to buy
traditional Sicilian ceramics, made in nearby Santo Stefano di Camastra. Daily, usually
9.30am–10pm.
Robinson Via Madonna degli Angeli 3 0921 422 245. A treasure-trove of
bric-a-brac, antiques and junk. Mon–Sat 10am–1pm &
5–8pm.
Vinum et Ambrosia Corso Ruggero 15 0921 423 156. Artisan pestos, jams,
conserves, olive oils and huge chunks of Madonie mountain cheese.
Daily 9am–1pm & 3.30–8pm;
closed Wed in winter.
DIRECTORY
Hospital Contrada Pietrapollastra 0921 920 111.
Pharmacies Battaglia, Via Roma 13 (Mon–Fri 9am–1pm & 4.30–8.30pm;
0921 421 789); Cirincione, Corso Ruggero 144
(Mon–Fri 9am–1pm & 4.30–8.30pm; 0921 421
209). There’s a rota system for evening and late-opening
pharmacies posted in their windows.
Police Carabinieri, Discesa Paramuro ( 0921 421
412).
Post office Via Vazzana 2, between Via Roma and the seafront (Mon–Fri 8am–6.30pm, Sat 8am–12.30pm).
Himera
Mon–Sat 9am–6.30pm, Sun 9am–1pm • €2 • There’s no public transport to Himera. It’s around halfway between Cefalù and Termini Imerese – take the Buonfornello exit from the autostrada and keep a keen eye out for signs once you’re on the SS113 coastal road.
On the coast around 20km west of Cefalù stands the site of the ancient Greek city of Himera, though the visible remains are few and it’s probably one for dedicated stone-hunters only. Himera was the first Greek settlement on Sicily’s northern coast, founded in 648 BC as an advance post against the Carthaginians, who controlled the west of the island. The town inevitably became a flashpoint, and in 480 BC the Carthaginian leader Hamilcar landed a huge force nearby. Pitted against the combined armies of Akragas (Agrigento), Gela and Syracuse, the invading force was demolished and Hamilcar himself perished – either assassinated by Greek spies before the battle, or killed when he threw himself onto the pyre afterwards, depending on whose version you read. The outcome of the battle marked a significant upheaval of the classical world – and, in the case of Sicily, a new balance of power, with the Greeks in the ascendant. But their glory was short-lived: in 409 BC Hamilcar’s nephew, Hannibal, wreaked his revenge and razed the city to the ground, forcing the surviving citizens west to what is now Termini Imerese.
The site
All that’s left of the important Chalcidinian settlement that once stood here is the massive Tempio della Vittoria, erected to commemorate the defeat of the Carthaginians – indeed, the labour was carried out by the captured Carthaginians themselves. It’s a conventional Doric construction, with six columns at the front and back, and fourteen at the sides. Despite the paucity of the remains, and the proximity of the road and rail line, the solitary ruin does have a powerful appeal. It’s said to stand on the very site of the 480 BC battle, and after the victory some of the rich Carthaginian spoils were pinned up inside. The acropolis lay just inland, and, though excavations have uncovered a necropolis and some smaller temples, much work remains to be done at the site. There is a good museum (same hours and ticket), housing some of the items dug up at the site (others are in museums in Termini and Palermo), including a few of the striking lion’s-head waterspouts that drained the temple’s roof. One strangely moving display is of the grave of a married couple, the wife curled up next to her husband, her leg resting on his.
Termini Imerese
Around 35km west of Cefalù, TERMINI IMERESE is the last major town before the capital, Palermo. The coast on either side is dishearteningly industrial, but Termini has the magnificent backdrop of Monte Calogero (1326m) as some compensation and – once you’ve negotiated the congested streets – an airy upper town with a stunning belvedere that’s worth the trip. Termini was originally settled by Greeks from Zancle (Messina) in the seventh century BC, and grew in importance as it absorbed the influx of survivors from the destroyed city of Himera, 13km to the east. Later, as Therma Himeraia, it flourished under the spa-loving Romans, and today the town is still famous in Italy for its waters, reputed to be good for arthritis and pasta-making.
At the centre of the upper town is a spacious piazza dominated by the monumental, pink-fronted, seventeenth-century Duomo. Inside are renowned sculptures by Marabitti, notably his Madonna del Ponte in the fourth chapel on the right. Really, though, the views are the thing in Termini, so stroll beyond the Duomo along the palm-fringed belvedere, which offers an extensive panorama over town, mountain, port and sea. The promenade continues around the headland to the shady Villa Palmieri gardens, which shelter the remnants of a public building from the Roman era as well as the remains of an Anfiteatro Romano – this lies just up from the Porta Palermo, the former entrance to the city. Outdoor cafés and kiosks between cathedral, belvedere and gardens offer drinks, ice creams and a shady place to sit.
Museo Civico
Via Marco Tullio Cicerone • Tues–Sat 9am–1pm & 4–6.30pm, Sun 9am–1pm • Free
Opposite the Duomo, down a lane to the side of the Palazzo Margherita, the excellent Museo Civico has more art treasures, including work by Antonello Gagini, a fine sixteenth-century Flemish Annunciation and some grisly scenes of martyrdom. There are also coins, ceramics and other finds from Greek Himera, as well as the marble bust of an elegant second-century Roman matron.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: TERMINI IMERESE
By train Termini Imerese is a frequent stop on the line between Palermo, Cefalù and Messina. There are trains approximately every half hour (sometimes more) and journey time is 30–45min. To get to the centre from the station, turn right, walk past Piazza Crispi and down Corso Umberto e Margherita to Via Roma, the stepped street that climbs to the upper town (a good 15min walk).
By bus Buses arrive at and depart from immediately outside the train
station, though some also make a stop in the upper town. There is a
reasonable service to Caccamo (7–8 daily Mon–Sat; 15min, autobusrandazzo.altervista.org) and Castelbuono (Mon–Sat
2 daily; 1hr 30min).
By car Drivers would do best to follow signs for “Museo” and “punto panoramico”, as there’s plenty of parking up by the belvedere.
Caccamo
Ten kilometres to the south of Termini Imerese, the small town of CACCAMO, set amid green hills, is worth visiting chiefly for its remarkable castello.
Caccamo itself is not much more than an overgrown village, disturbed only by the weight of traffic along the one main street, Corso Umberto I.
Castello
Via Castello • Mon 9am–1pm & 3–7pm, Tues–Fri
8.30am–1pm & 3–8pm, Sat & Sun 9am–1pm &
3–7pm • €2 • 091 814 9252
Caccamo’s castello is a many-splendoured thing, a chalk-white array of towers and battlements dominating the town and commanding the heights above the deep San Leonardo river valley. Built originally in the twelfth century, the castle has over 130 rooms, though only a fraction are open to the public – there’s usually a multilingual guide on hand, able to churn out colourful background stories for a few euros. The highlight is the grand Sala della Congiura, where the barons’ plot against William I (“the Bad”) was hatched in 1160; it has a fine painted wooden ceiling and walls festooned with arms. Other rooms hold more weapons, costumes, coats of arms and reproductions of period furniture, and a terrace allows you to savour the glorious views.
Chiesa Madre
Piazza del Duomo • Daily 7am–noon and 3.30–6pm
Behind the castle crag sits the Chiesa Madre, with reliefs around the sacristy door attributed to Francesco Laurana, the Renaissance sculptor who left his mark all over the region, particularly in Palermo. Look out, too, for the seventeenth-century tablet depicting St George and the Dragon over the main portal.
Chiesa dell’Anime del Purgatorio
Piazza del Duomo • Erratic hours
To the right of the Chiesa Madre as you enter the piazza, the Chiesa dell’Anime del Purgatorio is more compelling, specifically for its catacombs, reached down crumbling steps. Fully clothed and collapsing bodies lie in niches in the walls, topped by a row of white skulls, the remains of the town’s nobility and clergy who made their last journey here between the seventeenth and mid-nineteenth centuries. If the church is closed, ask around for the custodian, who expects a tip for letting you in (though you can get a glimpse of the niches and skulls by peering through the grate beneath the front entrance).
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: CACCAMO
By bus Caccamo is connected by bus with Cefalù (2 daily; 45min); Palermo (4 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr 15min); Termini Imerese (8 daily Mon–Sat; 15min). Buses arrive and depart from Via Porta Euracea on the western edge of the historic centre.
EATING
A Castellana Piazza di Caduti 091 814 8667. Right by the castle, this
medieval granary now houses a popular pizzeria-ristorante, with a long list of very reasonably priced
grilled meats and pizzas. Tues–Sun lunch &
dinner.
Parco Regionale delle Madonie
The Madonie mountain range and valleys south of Cefalù fall within the limits of one of Sicily’s most accessible regional parks, the Parco Regionale delle Madonie. It’s an area of beech and pinewoods, flower-filled upland plains, craggy rocks, high passes and soaring peaks (including the highest mountains in Sicily after Etna). Villages and towns are few and far between, but a couple of places in particular make good bases for tours and walks, while several remote resort hotels and rifugi offer a real mountain escape. There’s a minor ski scene in winter, though not one for which you’d travel to Sicily.
Northern gateway to the Madonie park (pronounced Mad-on-ee-eh) is the attractive town of Castelbuono, 20km southeast of Cefalù, while right across the mountains on the south side is the smaller settlement of Petralia Soprana.
EXPLORING THE PARCO REGIONALE DELLE MADONIE
Though largely in Italian, there’s useful information on the official
park website, parcodellemadonie.it, and
at madonie.it. There is also a
park information office in Cefalù at Corso
Ruggero 116 (daily: June–Sept 8am–8pm; Oct–May 8am–6pm; 0921 923
327). However, it’s not as straightforward as it might be to go
walking in the mountains – you’ll be lucky to
get any first-hand advice (or English-speaking assistance) in the
information offices, while the only available walking map (Carta dei Sentieri e del
paesaggio; 1:50,000), although almost insanely informative, is
not of a good enough scale to route-find. There are also some other
“geological pathway” route guides, translated loosely into English, for
out-of-the-way places like Caltavuturo and Sclafani Bagni – however, they
aren’t as useful as they seem and require a high degree of tolerance for
getting lost. Some local tour operators organize
hikes, pony treks and other mountain activities, which might be your best
bet for getting to grips with the Madonie – check posters and brochures in
local information offices.
GETTING AROUND: PARCO REGIONALE DELLE MADONIE
By car You’ll need a car to get around the Madonie mountains, particularly as accommodation outside the towns is extremely limited and fairly remote. A good driving route runs from Castelbuono to Geraci Siculo and on to Petralia Soprana, before twisting back across the mountains to the ski and hiking area of Piano Battàglia and round again to Castelbuono. You could do this in a day (about a 90km, 3hr, drive), but spending at least one night in the mountains would give you time for a walk, a country picnic or two and endless stunning views.
By bus Buses run between Cefalù and Castelbuono (7 daily Mon–Sat, 2 daily Sun).
Castelbuono
CASTELBUONO – self-styled “capital” of the Monti Madonie – doesn’t actually feel much like a mountain town at all, but it is a pretty place that makes a good day-trip from Cefalù, even if you plan to go no further and higher into the Madonie park. It owes its origins to the Ventimiglia family, who made the town something of a thriving cultural centre in the fifteenth century, and their seat was the squat Castello Ventimiglia that’s visible from many kilometres around.
Castelbuono’s main street, Via Umberto I, is closed to traffic for much of the day. Like the rest of town, it makes for an enjoyable stroll, with a maze of cobbled streets on either side opening on to occasional churches and shady piazzas. For three days every June, the streets are laid with amazing floral designs and pictures during the Infiorata Castelbuonese. The lovely freestanding “Venus and Cupid” fountain on Via Umberto I is a good thirst-quencher on a hot day, while if you stroll around for any length of time you’ll also probably come across Castelbuono’s eco-donkeys – the town has replaced its garbage trucks with a unique door-to-door donkey collection service for household waste and recycling.
Matrice Vecchia
Piazza Margherita • Daily 11am–1pm & 5–7pm • Crypt €0.50
From the restored gateway and enclosed castle piazza, a charming tree-lined street runs down to central Piazza Margherita, where terrace cafés overlook the fourteenth-century Matrice Vecchia, fronted by a pretty loggia. If it’s open, you can pay to descend well-worn steps into the crypt to view a series of remarkably well-preserved sixteenth-century frescoes of the Passion of Christ.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: CASTELBUONO
By bus There are regular buses to Castelbuono from outside Cefalù’s train station, a 40min ride.
Destinations Cefalù (7 daily Mon–Sat, 1–2 daily Sun; 40min); Collesano (6 daily Mon–Sat; 45min); Gangi (1 daily; 1hr–1hr 20min); Geraci (2 daily Mon–Sat, 1 daily Sun; 45min); Isnello (1 daily Mon–Sat; 25min); Palermo (3 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr 45min); Termini Imerese (2 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr 30min).
By car If you’re staying in Cefalù, you might as well leave the car and take the bus; otherwise, park where you can and walk into the old town area (“centro storico”). Traffic loops through town on a convoluted one-way system, and it has to be said that initial impressions of Castelbuono by car are not good; it’s much nicer once you’re on foot.
ACCOMMODATION
4 Cannola Via Dafni 7 0921 671 490 or 333 242
1018, bb-4cannola.it. The town’s most central
B&B has clean, plain rooms in a restored house just
behind the Venus fountain (aka Quattro Cannola or Four Spouts)
on the main street. €60
Azienda Agrituristica Bergi Contrada Bergi 0921 672 045, agriturismobergi.com. A laidback organic
estate in a gorgeous valley, 3km southeast of town on the SS286
Geraci Siculo road, with spacious, country-style one- and
two-room units set around landscaped gardens and a pool. It’s a
working farm of orchards and olives – home-made preserves and
fruit from the trees are served at breakfast, while a good
four-course dinner (€25, or included in the €75 half-board per
person rate) uses more of their produce. €110
Relais Santa Anastasia Contrada Santa Anastasia 0921 672 233, santa-anastasia-relais.it. For a
sumptuous stay, try this rather grand restored twelfth-century
abbey 8km outside town, with honeyed stone walls, elegant rooms
in deep colours, and a glorious outdoor pool. Rates can be high,
but contact them for special deals, especially out of season.
Dinner in the lovely restaurant is €40 per person. €360
Rifugio Francesco Crispi Piano Semprià 0921 672 279. The nearest mountain
refuge to Castelbuono is at 1300m above sea level, and a good
two hours’ strenuous walk away in the Milocca forest. It’s open
all year, providing basic accommodation in double rooms.
Breakfast is included, and dinner is available. €60
EATING AND DRINKING
A line of appealing cafés and restaurants with outdoor terraces lies between the castle and Piazza Margherita, while yet more places are hidden away in the surrounding alleys. Pork, beef and especially wild mushrooms are typical menu items in this mountain region.
A TASTE OF HEAVEN
“And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating.”
Famous for the sustenance it gave Moses and the Israelites, manna is the sap of the south European flowering ash (Fraxinus ornus), cultivated uniquely in several plantations around Castelbuono. The sap is obtained by making incisions with a knife in the trunks of the trees, between July and September. The liquid sap is at first bitter, but it sweetens as it solidifies on the trunk. As well as being a mild laxative and purgative, it is also a cough sedative, an expectorant, a sweetener, and can be used as an eyewash and for softening boils – and according to locals in Castelbuono, it can even bring the dead back to life.
Chewy and tasting like a mixture of honey and maple syrup, manna is put to rather more pleasant use by the pasticcerie of Castelbuono, most notably Fiasconaro, who use it in their unforgettably delicious panettone, nougat and ice cream.
Antico Baglio Piazza Ten. Schicchi 3 0921 679 512. It’s a couple of
hundred metres off the beaten track, but this restored old
baglio (warehouse) has both a cool
interior and shady outdoor deck, where you can sample things
like home-made pasta with a sausage-meat and mushroom ragù (pasta dishes from €7–9, main dishes
from €8–15). At night there are pizzas too. Follow the signs
from Piazza Matteotti at the end of Via Umberto I. Tues–Sun lunch &
dinner.
Fiasconaro Piazza Margherita 10 0921 671 231. Known throughout Italy
for its gourmet panettone and other goodies made with locally
grown pistachio ad manna (the latter
unique to the area), this is a must for foodies. A seat here in
the charming old-town square and a home-made ice cream or a dish
of strawberry granita takes some
beating on a hot day. Daily 9am–1pm &
3.15–8pm.
Nangalarruni Via delle Confraternite 5 0921 671 428. The best place in town
for serious mountain cuisine, this upmarket rustic tavern does
amazing things with wild mushrooms. They appear in soups, sauces
and pasta dishes and with pork and beef to follow; finishing
with a shot of the sweet local digestivo, Elisir di Fontana, is always a good
idea. Dishes start at €8, or there are three tasting menus at
€23, €25 and (if you are seriously hungry) €30. It’s just down
Via Umberto I from Piazza Margherita, second alley on the right.
Daily lunch & dinner;
Jan & Feb closed Wed.
Geraci Siculo
For an initial taste of the mountains, make the half-hour drive from Castelbuono up the winding SS286 to GERACI SICULO, 20km away. If ever a town was buttoned up tight against the threat of winter, it’s this one, with its packed houses lining streets so narrow that laundry is strung across from balcony to balcony. At the highest point, up back-breaking cobbled alleys, the scant, restored ruins of a castle and an ancient chapel stand amid wild flowers and scented pines. Amazing 360-degree panoramas unfold, while back down the valley Castelbuono and its own mighty castle are easily seen. The road south of town climbs even higher before dropping down to the SS120 Gangi–Petralia road, where you can pick up the route into the central park region.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: GERACI SICULO
By bus There is a bus to Geraci a couple of times a day from Cefalù via Castelbuono, which then runs on to Gangi, but it really isn’t worth the hours of time between one bus and the next. Realistically Geraci is only a coffee stop for drivers.
Piano Zucchi and Piano Battaglia
The heart of the Madonie lies southwest of Castelbuono, in the upland slopes and valleys below the two peaks of Pizzo Antenna Grande (or Pizzo della Principessa, 1977m) and Pizzo Carbonara (1979m). These are the highest of Sicily’s mountains after Etna, with a winter ski business based at the two resort areas of Piano Zucchi and Piano Battaglia – though “resort” is pushing it, since there are no villages here and only very limited facilities. Outside winter time, it’s an enjoyable drive up into the high mountains, with plenty of places to park up, take a walk through the alpine meadows and have a picnic.
There’s nothing much at all at Piano
Zucchi (1100m), save a little mountain chapel, a children’s
playground and views of peaks to all sides. Piano
Battaglia, sited at 1600m ( pianobattaglia.it), is a
rather nicer area for walks in the high plains and picnics under the beech
trees.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: PIANO ZUCCHI AND PIANO BATTAGLIA
By car From Castelbuono, drive 9km west to Munciarrati (also known as Mongerati), between Collesano and Isnello, where there’s a turn-off up into the mountains. Piano Zucchi is 17km from the junction, with Piano Battaglia 7km further on again. From Piano Battaglia, it’s another 20km, or half-hour drive, over the tops and down to the Petralia towns.
Petralia Soprana and Petralia Sottana
The southern edge of the Madonie range is marked by the twin towns of Petralia, which lie on opposite sides of a hill. There are some wonderful views, as you might imagine, from the upper town of PETRALIA SOPRANA, which sits at an altitude of nearly 1150m. This was the birthplace of the craftsman Fra Ùmile da Petralia (1580–1639), whose wooden crosses are found in churches all over southern Italy. From the edge of the village you get a long view over the Madonie and Nébrodi mountains, as well as an occasional sight of Etna.
However, it’s the lower town, 3km away, PETRALIA SOTTANA, that acts as the mountain base for the region. Clinging to the hillside, it’s an evocative place with one long main street, Corso Paolo Agliata, lined with weathered medieval churches, small piazzas and shuttered houses, culminating in the usual castle ruins.
Parco Avventura
April–June, Sept & Oct Sat
& Sun 10am–6pm; July & Aug daily 10am–8pm • Picnic area €2, adventure course €17
adults, €8 children • 091 748 7186, parcoavventuramadonie.it
For a fabulous day out in the trees above town you can drive to the Parco Avventura, 3km beyond Petralia Sottana on the Piano Battaglia road, where as well as picnic areas and marked trails there’s a thrilling high-rope adventure course through the pines – booking is a good idea in summer and at weekends (especially Sundays).
INFORMATION: PETRALIA SOPRANA AND PETRALIA SOTTANA
Tourist information The tourist office is at Corso Paolo Agliata 100 (daily
8.30am–2pm & 3–8pm; 0921 641 811, petraliasottana.net). The Ente Parco delle Madonie
office, at Corso Paolo Agliata 16 (daily 8am–2pm; 0921
684 011, parcodellemadonie.it), should be able to tell you
something about hiking, skiing and escorted excursions.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
La Locanda di Cadì A Fuoco Lento Borgo Cipampini, Petralia Soprana 338 289 0100, lalocandadicadi.it. Run with passion and
incredible attention to detail, this authentic country inn is
really quite a special place, located in a minuscule medieval
borgo outside Petralia Soprana.
It’s best known as a place to eat, with mains based on whatever
is in season at the time – every ingredient is meticulously
sourced or picked from the garden. The quality free-range
chickens and Madonie lamb are fragrantly stuffed and oven
roasted, and a full meal will be €25–30. There are rooms as
well, and staying here is an unforgettable experience. €80
Polizzi Generosa
A twenty-minute drive west of the Petralias, the small town of POLIZZI GENEROSA is another possible Madonie base. Mountain views aside, the grand old Chiesa Matrice contains the area’s greatest work of art, a triptych of the Madonna and Child flanked by saints. Attributed to a mysterious fifteenth-century Fleming known only as the “Maître au Feuillage brodé”, it’s reckoned to be his finest achievement.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: POLIZZI GENEROSA
By bus Polizzi Generosa is connected to Palermo by very infrequent
buses (2 daily; 1hr 20min; saistrasporti.it).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
U Bagghiu Via Gagliardo 3 0921 551 111. Serves a great pasta
speciality, penne al Bagghiu (cheesy
penne with tomato and garlic), and pizzas in the evening. Dishes
from €6. Mon & Wed–Sun lunch
& dinner.
Giardino Donna Lavia Contrada Donna Lavia 0921 551 104, giardinodonnalavia.com. Set within a
former Jesuit monastery and the perfect location for a country
holiday, with five rooms and a suite with its own terrace in a
tower. The restaurant (dinner daily; €23) is exceptional, with
locally sourced meats, home-grown veg and pulses, and freshly
picked wild greens and herbs. Try the home-made taglietelle with
a tasty puree of fagioli badda (a
dramatic-looking violet and white bean unique to Polizzi), wild
borage and wild fennel. Lots of wild mushrooms in season, and a
fabulous roast suckling pig. Rooms €70, suite €100
Santa Venera Contrada Santa Venera 0921 649 421, santavenera.com. It’s worth making the
trip to hole up in this place, run by the same family behind
U Bagghiu and located 7km north of
Polizzi Generosa, towards the Scillato autostrada junction. A
comfortable farmhouse agriturismo,
it’s surrounded by vineyards and orchards, with seven en-suite
rooms, a swimming pool and good views in all directions. You can
eat in the restaurant here (daily, dinner only) for €15–25, or
there’s a half-board deal for €50 per person. €70
East of Cefalù
To the east of Cefalù, the rugged Tyrrhenian coast is hugged by rail, road and motorway, and is pretty built up for the most part. There are several resorts tucked along the narrow strip of land between the Nébrodi mountains and the sea, and though most of them are not worth going out of your way for – or indeed getting off your bus or train – there are several spots – ranging from an unusual art hotel to the bustling ceramics town of Santo Stefano di Camastra – where those travelling by car might want to take a break for a stroll around.
Castel di Tusa
Some 25km east of Cefalù, the coastal village of CASTEL DI TUSA features the remnants of a defensive castle and some good rocky beaches. In recent years, however, the place has become rather better known for its modern art, thanks to the efforts of Antonio Presti (born in Messina in 1957), who in the late 1980s and early 1990s invited artists from around the world to create a group of large-scale sculptures along the river bed (fiumara) and valley of the Tusa River, which flows down from the Nébrodi mountains just east of the village. After a protracted legal battle with the authorities, the sculptures were formally inaugurated as the Fiumara d’Arte sculpture park in 2006. You can pick up a brochure and map from Presti’s other venture, the equally arresting L’Atelier Sul Mare “art hotel”, at Via Cesare Battisti 4, which itself has become something of a tourist attraction: non-guests can be shown around the rooms and grounds on guided tours (daily at noon; €5).
A TOUR OF THE FIUMARA D’ARTE
All the structures and sculptures along the Fiumara d’Arte lie south of Castel di Tusa, and seeing the lot entails a 50km round trip by car through some magnificent countryside. Follow the signposts and you can’t go far wrong, starting at the turn off the SS113 for Pettineo, a couple of kilometres east of Castel di Tusa (Santo Stefano/Messina direction). One of the earliest commissions – La Materia Poteva Non Esserci, resembling two giant hands joined in prayer – comes almost immediately into view, standing right under the motorway viaduct. It’s 6km further up the valley to Pettineo itself, a gorgeous little village with the shards of a ruined castle at its highest point and a couple of bars in the old centre for drinks. More signs then direct you another 6km up the nearby mountain to the precariously located village of Motta d’Affermo for Energia Mediterranea – a graceful concrete curving wave in mottled blue astride a dusty hilltop. Beyond lies the dramatic cliff-top pyramid that is 38° Parallelo (also known as La Piramide), after which you backtrack to Pettineo. There’s a further cluster of works a twisting 10km south of Pettineo, in the environs of the striking hilltop hamlet of Castel di Lucio, from where you can either return the way you came, back to the coast, or continue on to Mistretta, which offers an alternative way back down to Santo Stefano di Camastra (or on over the mountains to Nicosia).
Halaesa
Daily 9am–1hr before sunset • €2
Just 3km up the road from Castel di Tusa, on the way to the village of Tusa, are the sparse ruins of Halaesa, a fifth-century BC Sikel settlement that enjoyed some success under Rome. The name derives from the Greek alaomal, meaning to wander aimlessly, and refers to the original settlers here, the peripatetic Alesini, who had tried settling just about everywhere else. You can make out the chequered layout of the streets, remains of the agora, and – at the highest point – foundations of two third-century BC temples, with lofty views down over the Tusa valley.
ACCOMMODATION: CASTEL DI TUSA
L’Atelier Sul Mare Via Cesare Battisti 4 0921 334 295, ateliersulmare.com. Just metres from the
sea, many of the rooms here have been given the designer-art
treatment by individual artists: one is adorned with Arabic and
Italian poetry and sports a mammoth window looking onto the sea,
with a shower that works like a car wash, while another is
bathed in a red glow at night. Other rooms are more
conventionally styled, though still with original artworks and
furnishings. €140
Santo Stefano di Camastra
Cefalù aside, quite the nicest stop along the Tyrrhenian coast is SANTO STEFANO DI CAMASTRA, reached by train or via a quick drive along the SS113. It’s actually much the better for being split in two – beach and harbour below (where the train station is) and town high above, the latter forming a handsome old grid on a panoramic shelf of land. A steep cobbled path connects the two. Santo Stefano is renowned for its colourful ceramic work and the road through town is lined with shops selling platters, plates, cups, jugs, statues, household goods and decorative pottery. Off the main road, the old town is kept largely free of traffic and there’s a small public garden, a belvedere with sea views and a pedestrianized main street, Via Vittorio Emanuele, of shops, cafés, boutiques and grocery stores. It’s touristy certainly, but all very charming, while in the signposted Museo della Ceramica (Tues–Sun 9am–1pm & 4–8pm; free), in the handsome Palazzo Trabia, you can admire the best historic examples of the local pottery.
THE MONTI NÉBRODI
The Monti Nébrodi – a sparsely
populated expanse of high forest and rocky peaks – covers a huge wedge
of land between Santo Stefano di Camastra and Mistretta in the west and
Randazzo and the Etna foothills in the east. Much of the mountain range
is protected as the Parco Naturale dei
Nébrodi (the largest such area in Sicily), though it’s
difficult to get a good impression of the whole by car since few roads
connect the scattered villages within the park and even the towns on the
periphery are minor attractions for the most part. However, adventurous
hikers can follow any number of trails through the hills and valleys –
there are some detailed on the useful park
website, parcodeinebrodi.it – while there is a road up to the highest
peak, Monte Soro (1847m), between San Fratello
and Cesarò (SS289), from which extensive views reach to the Aeolian
Islands to the north and Etna to the southeast. There’s plenty more park
information on the website, and there are also visitor
centres in Sant’Agata di Militello ( 0941 702
524), Santo Stefano di Camastra ( 0921 331
199), Cesarò ( 095 773 2061), Randazzo ( 095
799 1611) and several of the mountain villages. Most visitor
centres are open weekday mornings only (usually 9am–1pm), and are only
intermittently useful – you should be able to pick up maps,
accommodation details and walking itineraries, but English-speaking
assistance is rare and there’s not much more help for hikers than can be
gleaned from the printed information. The best single visit is probably
to the Palazzo Zito, the official headquarters
in Sant’Agata di Militello (Mon–Fri 7.30am–2pm, plus Wed 2.30–6pm),
which contains a museum covering the park’s social and natural history
and heritage.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: SANTO STEFANO DI CAMASTRA
By bus Santo Stefano di Camastra is connected by bus with Mistretta (6 daily Mon–Sat, 3 daily Sun; 35min); and Nicosia (1 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr 30min).
By train Santo Stefano is on the train line between Palermo and Messina, but only a few of the slower regional trains stop here.
Mistretta
Six buses daily ply between Santo Stefano and Mistretta
From Santo Stefano, a high viaduct flies off 16km inland to one of the biggest of the nearby hill villages, MISTRETTA. The handsome old centre of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century buildings and cobbled alleys is largely unspoiled by modern construction: wrought-iron balconies and flower boxes overlook the long main street, the seventeenth-century cathedral has the hoary look of a medieval monument, while the population is largely composed of brown-suited pensioners milling around their veterans’ associations. There’s not much else to it, save some old-fashioned barbers’ shops, the public gardens, and castle ruins atop a small hill, but it makes a nice quiet place to stay away from the coast.
Sant’Agata di Militello
SANT’AGATA DI MILITELLO, 28km east of Santo Stefano, is a small Tyrrhenian resort that’s moribund for most of the year. In truth, it can hardly be called attractive, though its very long pebbled beach and calm sea are popular with holidaying Italian families, who pack the town’s apartments for a few weeks each summer. There’s a fishing harbour at one end, a palm-studded promenade, and a gridded town centre set back up the hillside, while a restored castle (daily 8.30am–12.30pm & 4–8pm; €2) speaks of more important times.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: SANT’AGATA DI MILITELLO
By bus There are hourly buses along the coast from Santo Stefano to Sant’Agata.
Destinations Cesarò (1 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr 30min); San Fratello (6 daily; 20min); San Marco d’Alunzio (4 daily; 20min).
By train Sant’Agata is a frequent stop on the coast train line between Palermo and Messina. The station is a 10min walk east of the town centre.
By car Follow the “porto” signs and drive in along the seafront, where there’s plenty of free parking.
San Fratello
Fifteen kilometres up in the hills from Sant’Agata, the large village of San Fratello was once populated by a Lombard colony, introduced to Sicily by Roger II’s queen, Adelaide di Monferrato. On the Thursday and Friday of Holy Week, before Easter, the town puts on the Festa dei Giudei (Feast of the Jews) – a unique carnival-type celebration when locals dress up in red devils’ costumes, complete with black tongues and horses’ tails (a reminder of their traditional trade of horse-raising), to the cacophonic accompaniment of trumpets, bells and drums. Needless to say, the ecclesiastical authorities take a dim view of these proceedings, but have to make do with having the Easter Sunday church congregations in suitably contrite and sober mood. For a panoramic picnic spot, head for the Norman church of Santi Alfio, Filadelfio e Cirino, isolated on top of a hill outside the village (follow the rough track from the cemetery). The church is dedicated to three brothers horribly martyred by the Romans: the first had his tongue torn out, the second was burnt alive, and the third was hurled into a pot of boiling tar.
Capo d’Orlando
Some 17km northeast of Sant’Agata, occupying a headland where Aragonese king Frederick II suffered a historic defeat at the hands of a group of rebellious barons in 1299, CAPO D’ORLANDO is a slick holiday town surrounded by good rocky and sandy beaches. If you’re sufficiently charmed by the swimming, which is best on its eastern side (around the San Gregorio area), you might well want to stay. The town has plenty of restaurants, bars and birrerias, and a choice of discos in summer.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: CAPO D’ORLANDO
By train Capo d’Orlando is a frequent stop for trains running between Palermo and Messina; the station is a 10min walk from the town centre and beach.
Tourist office For general tourist information, ask at the kiosk on the seafront
(summer Mon–Sat 9am–1pm & 3–7pm, extended hours in summer;
0941 918 134).
Tours From Capo d’Orlando there are daily excursions to the Aeolian
Islands between June and September, with departures around 10am,
returning at 9pm: for further information and bookings, contact one
of the town’s travel agents, such as Agatirso Viaggi, Via Consolare
Antica 332 ( 0941 912 756, agatirso.com).
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel Faro Via Libertà 7 0941 902 466, nuovohotelfaro.com. 1960s-style hotel with
spacious rooms and balconies fronting the beach. Turn right out of
the station and walk along Via Crispi, head for the sea at Piazza
Matteotti, and it’s a few blocks to the right. €115
Patti
With its views out to the Aeolian Islands, a crumbling hilltop historic centre, and a general – and infectious – sense of well-being, PATTI is an engaging little place, with more charm than many of the centres on this coast. At the top of the semi-restored upper town, the Cattedrale has a powerful Madonna by Antonello de Saliba and, in the right transept, the tomb of Adelasia, much-loved first wife of Roger I, with the date of her death inscribed at the bottom, 1118. Afterwards, you could take one of the frequent buses that depart from outside the hospital just below the old centre to Patti Marina, where there’s a long, fine pebble beach.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: PATTI
By train Patti’s station (known as Patti–San Piero Patti) is located in the lower town, but connected by regular buses to the upper town; for the centro storico get off at Piazza Marconi (the stop after the hospital).
By bus There’s one daily bus here from Messina and one from Milazzo (both Mon–Sat). Buses arrive and depart from Piazza Marconi at the foot of the centro storico.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
BB Casa Rubes Via Magretti 127 0941 21 64, 347 527 5001, casarubes.it. An oasis. A lovely, relaxed
B&B in a beautifully converted town house in the heart of
the old town. Highlights include the flower-filled terrace where
breakfast is served at a long table. Gracious, welcoming owners.
€65
Sacra Famiglia Via Dante Alighieri 1 0941 241 622, sacrafamiglia.it. A spruce, modern convent
perched atop the old town, with functional rooms and a fabulous,
unpretentious restaurant (daily lunch & dinner), where the
crowds flock in for the antipasto feast (€15), a seemingly endless
series of tasty morsels – hot and cold, and meat-, fish- and
vegetable-based – eaten on a terrace looking out to the Aeolian
Islands. There are other great fixed-menu deals as well, but make
sure you arrive hungry. Closed Easter to late Aug. €90
Tindari
Now famous throughout Sicily as the home of a much-revered black Madonna, Tindari began life in 396 BC as Tyndaris, an outpost of Siracusa. Built and fortified as a defence against Carthaginian attacks along this coast, it was one of the last Greek settlements in Sicily. Almost impregnable thanks to its commanding height, the town continued to prosper under Rome, when it was given special privileges in return for its loyalty.
Santuario di Tindari
Mon–Sat 6.45am–12.30pm & 2.30–7pm,
Sun 6.45am–12.45pm & 2.30–8pm; closes 1hr earlier in
winter • Free • santuariotindari.it
Climbing the hill to the site, the first thing you see, glistening from its cliff-top position, is the Santuario di Tindari, a lavishly kitsch temple erected in the 1960s to house the much-revered Madonna Nera, or Black Madonna. A plaque underneath this Byzantine icon proclaims Nigra sum, sed hermosa (“I am black, but beautiful”), a reference to the esteem in which she has been held for a thousand years since the icon appeared from the east to perform a series of miracles. Pilgrims throng to the sanctuary to pay their respects, especially around the Black Madonna’s feast day on September 8. There’s a great view from the top, overlooking a long tongue of white sand and the Marinello lagoons below.
Tyndaris archeological site
Daily 9am–2hr before sunset • €4
The archeological site of Tyndaris lies at the end of a path that starts in front of the sanctuary. Most of the visible remains are Roman, including some houses and shops along the main street, the decumanus – one of them (probably a caldarium, or bathhouse) with traces of plumbing still surviving – and an impressive basilica at the eastern end. The basilica would have been the entrance to the agora lying beyond (now covered by tourist shops). It was restored in the 1950s, using modern materials, though it still retains a certain grandeur. You can just about make out the manner of its construction, bridging Greek and Roman building techniques, and designed in such a way that the central gallery could be shut off at either end and used for public meetings, with the market traffic diverted along the side passages.
The decumanus has streets running off it, and at the bottom of one is the Casa Romana, a Roman house in good condition, with mosaic floors. At the other end of the main street, the teatro, cut into the hill, boasts a superb view over the sea, as far as the distant Milazzo promontory. A part of the stage remains from the original third-century BC Greek edifice, but most of the rest is Roman, dating from the Imperial Age when the theatre was converted for use as a gladiatorial arena. Later, it was partly dismantled to furnish stone for the city walls that once surrounded the settlement, of which a good portion remains. You’ll have seen some of them on the road up, including the ancient city’s main gate, built to the same “pincer” design as the one at the Euryalus castle outside Siracusa.
The site’s museum contains some of the best finds from the excavations, including a massive stone head of Augustus. There’s also a reconstruction of the theatre’s scene-building, and some eighteenth-century watercolours showing how the basilica looked before its overhaul.
ANCIENT THEATRE AT TINDARI
Each year from late May until mid-June, classical
dramas are staged in the ancient theatre at Tyndaris on
alternate evenings, and between late July and late August, there is also
a season of theatre and concerts here.
Performances normally start at 9pm, and tickets cost around €20. Ask at the ticket office by the
entrance to the archeological site or contact the box
office directly ( 0941 240 912 or 800
031 922, teatrodeiduemari.net) for details. You can also pick up a
programme from the Tindari
tourist office.
Riserva Naturale Laghetti di Marinello
Directly below Tindari and west of Oliveri lies one of Sicily’s most entrancing beaches, forming part of the Riserva Naturale Laghetti di Marinello, where saltwater lagoons, sand dunes and dramatic rocky cliffs provide a sanctuary for migratory birds. The lagoons, fine sand and clean water are irresistible, and there are bars and a campsite (see Marinello), but precious little shade on the beach.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: TINDARI
By bus Frequent buses from Patti stop in the car park over 1km from the sanctuary, from where minibuses shuttle every 10min or so up to the foot of the church (return tickets €0.60). The car park charges €1/hr.
By train The closest train station to Tindari is Oliveri-Tindari, a good 3km (uphill) walk.
Tourist information Tindari has a tourist office right next to the site on Via Teatro
Greco (Mon–Fri 9am–1pm; 0941 369 184, pattietindari.com).
ACCOMMODATION
Marinello Località Marinello 0941 313 000, www.villaggiomarinello.it. Perfectly located
for the Laghetti di Marinello, this well-equipped campsite is at the
bottom of the cliffs holding the Tindari sanctuary, within steps of
the lovely sandy beach and with bungalows and mini-apartments
rentable by the week. Tent pitch €13, plus €5–10 per
person; bungalows €50
Novara di Sicilia
Branching inland into the mountains at the nondescript village of San Biaggio, the SS185 to Giardini-Naxos is the only road connecting the Tyrrhenian and Ionian coasts. One of the most dramatic routes on the island, the road climbs gently into the hills through some handsome countryside to NOVARA DI SICILIA, whose main street is dotted with bars and shops that sell the strong local sheep’s cheese, maiorchina.
The dense woods above the village, with expansive views over the sea, are a favourite spot for the locals, who come out here on a Sunday armed with picnic hampers and portable stoves, though there are enough shady nooks and glades to find your own space. Soon after Novara, the road climbs to 1270m before descending, in sight of Etna’s dramatic slopes, to Francavilla and Castiglione.
EATING: NOVARA DI SICILIA
La Pineta Via Nazionale 0941 650 522. A traditional trattoria,
where you can sample the local ricotta, deep-fried crespelle (little pancakes) stuffed with fresh
vegetables, and home-made pasta. Tues–Sun lunch &
dinner.
Milazzo
If it weren’t for the industry besieging MILAZZO, it wouldn’t be a bad-looking place. A long plane- and palm-tree-lined promenade looks across the sparkling sea, while behind the town a rambling old castle caps Milazzo’s ancient acropolis. Most people, though, are put off by the unsightly oil refinery that occasionally produces a yellow smog overhead, and only stop long enough to get out again, taking the first ferry or hydrofoil to the Aeolian Islands, for which Milazzo is the major embarkation point.
Historically, the site’s strategic importance made it one of the most fought-over towns in Sicily. The Greeks arrived in 716 BC, after which the town was contested by successive armies, from the Carthaginians to the Aragonese. It even became a base for the British during the Napoleonic Wars, while fifty years later Garibaldi won a victory here that set the seal on his conquest of Sicily. If you get stuck here, there’s a fair bit to see and do, ranging from a great castle, to the surprisingly gorgeous Capo di Milazzo, with a beguiling cove and lovely beaches.
If you’re in a hurry, Milazzo is easy enough to handle. You could be on an outward-bound ferry or hydrofoil within an hour of arriving. But there’s enough in and around town to make it an enjoyable overnight stop, before or after your Aeolian trip.
The lower town
Milazzo’s lower town has a nice, brisk feel. It is not really a place to sightsee, more a place to go for a stroll, coffee or aperitivo while you wait for your ferry or hydrofoil. Given the inflated prices on the islands, anyone self-catering is well advised to do a little food shopping. There is a daily morning market behind the post office on Via G. Medici. If you have time to kill, the best thing to do on a sunny day is to walk along the shore, passing little booths and tables where fishermen sell their daily catch. Carry on long enough (around 20min), and you’ll reach a small sandy beach with refreshments.
Duomo Nuovo
If you fancy a touch of sightseeing, the silver-domed Duomo Nuovo has some Renaissance paintings in the apse: four panels of Sts Peter, Paul, Rocco and Thomas Aquinas; between the last of these, an Adoration of the Child by Antonello de Saliba, and an Annunciation by Andrea Giuffrè above that.
The citadel
The Borgo, Milazzo’s old hilltop citadel, dominates the town. Here, the views open out over bay and plain, while the higher you climb, the older and more decrepit the buildings become – some churches and palazzi on the approach to the castle are little more than precariously balanced shells. To appreciate the citadel’s size, walk round to the north side, where the formidable defences erected by the Spanish still stand almost in their entirety. The massive walls are magnificent, pierced by a suitably imposing tunnelled gateway.
Also within the citadel’s walls are the Duomo Antico, with Byzantine fragments, a central Norman keep, the old Sala del Parlamento and the remains of the Palazzo dei Giurati, later used as a prison. Outside the walls, opposite the castle’s entrance, the Dominican Chiesa del Rosario was formerly a seat of the Inquisition.
The castello
Via del Castello • Guided tours: July Tues–Sun
9.30am–1.30pm & 4.30–10pm; Aug Tues–Sun 9.30am–1.30pm
& 4.30pm–midnight; rest of the year check times at the
tourist office, as they vary according to staffing levels • Free • 090 922 1291
The castello itself is steeped in military history: built by Frederick II in the thirteenth century on the site of the Greek acropolis and on top of Arab foundations, it was enlarged by Charles V, and restored by the Spanish in the seventeenth century. Recently restored, excellent information boards in English and Italian recount the history of the site, which retains the pile holes made by Bronze Age huts, and a recently excavated medieval quarter with a complex system of cisterns.
Capo Milazzo
Bus #6 runs to the cape, departing from the stop to the left as you leave the hydrofoil station
Some 6km north of Milazzo, the thin Capo Milazzo promontory is the focus of most of the summertime activity. There are plenty of good little beaches here, but the loveliest spot to swim and snorkel is right at the tip of the cape, where the road ends and a path leads down to a natural sea-pool known as the Piscina di Venere, or pool of Venus. From here, a path runs along the west coast to a longer, sand and shingle beach, which is rarely busy, even in the summer.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: MILAZZO
By train Trains running on the main Palermo–Messina line stop at Milazzo.
The train station is a good 3km south of the centre. Local buses are
scheduled to run into town via the port every 30min or so during the
day, but the service is not entirely reliable. Buy tickets (€0.85)
aboard, or take a taxi ( 340 628 7546) for around €10.
There are usually a few enterprising locals offering an unofficial
taxi service in dodgy-looking cars. If you want to risk it,
establish a price first.
By bus Buses (including the Giuntabus service from Messina, whose timings are pretty much organized to tie in with hydrofoil arrivals and departures) stop on the port-side car park – turn right as you disembark from the hydrofoil.
Destinations Messina (approx hourly; 50min).
By ferry and hydrofoil Milazzo is the main departure point for ferries and hydrofoils to the Aeolian Islands. Via dei Mille runs along the port, with pedestrian and car access to the queues for the ferries. All hydrofoils now depart from the new departure terminal at the north end of Via dei Mille, right by the Giuntabus stop. Details of ferry and hydrofoil services are given in Chapter 3.
INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist information Milazzo’s tourist office is just back from the harbour at Piazza
Duilio 20 (Mon–Fri 8.30am–1.30pm & 3.30–6pm, Sat
8.30am–1.30pm; 090 922 2865).
Boat tours During the summer there are daily cruise excursions to the
Aeolians from Milazzo, usually sailing from Milazzo at 8.15am or
9am, stopping at two or three of the islands, and returning at
around 6pm. Tickets are €40–60, and the trips are run by Navisal,
Via dei Mille 27 ( 090 922 4926, navisal.com), and Tar.Nav,
Via dei Mille 17 and 43 ( 090 922 3617 or 340
070 7285).
ACCOMMODATION
Cassisi Via Cassisi 5 090 922 9099, cassisihotel.com. Elegant, minimalist,
family-run hotel, with a deft touch of contemporary oriental style.
The buffet breakfast is abundant, with local cheese and salamis,
typical pastries and biscuits, and lots of fresh fruit. A 5min walk
from the port, and close to the main shopping area. €130
Giardino di Sicilia Via Santa Maria Maggiore 29 090 922 2191. Five rooms with en-suite
facilities belonging to one of Milazzo’s most appealing restaurants.
The location is perfect for those who want to discover the hidden
delights of Milazzo, right at the foot of the Borgo, a few steps
from the seafront, and a short walk to the first beach of Capo
Milazzo. €80
Orchidea Via Nino Bixio 090 928 8004, beborchidea.it. Clean, functional B&B in
a modern palazzo, overlooking the port and
sandwiched between Via XX Luglio and Via Nino Bixio. The rooms won’t
win any design awards, but they are clean, serviceable and four have
sea views, and there’s a kitchen for guests’ use. There are also two
family suites with a twin room, double room and bathroom. Signposted
from the port. Rooms €45; suites
from €50
Petit Via dei Mille 37 090 928 6784, petithotel.it. Eco-archictectural hotel in a
nineteenth-century building on the seafront. Staff go out of their
way to be helpful, and breakfasts include local salamis and cheeses,
organic yogurt, eggs and jams, and home-made cakes. €110
Solaris Via Colonello Berte 70 333 605 0091,
bedandbreakfast.milazzo.info. Bright
and welcoming B&B a block from the port, with five
cheerfully decorated rooms with a/c and fridges. All the rooms have
balconies and one has a small covered terrace. €90
Il Vicolo Via Salemi 14 349 504 6851, ilvicolobeb.it. Located in a quiet side street
on the Ponente (eastern) side of town, 30m from the beach and just a
5min walk from the port, this B&B has three spick-and-span
rooms with en-suite bathrooms, and a fourth with a bathroom outside.
All have use of a fully equipped kitchen, and there’s a courtyard
for outside dining. Facilities include a washing machine, and the
use of bikes. €80
EATING AND DRINKING
There’s a small but worthy range of restaurants and trattorias in Milazzo’s centre; those furthest from the port tend to do the best food. The town’s passeggiata is one of the liveliest in Sicily, with baby buggies, scooters and cars clogging up Lungomare Garibaldi, and a swarm of couples and families dropping in for ice cream at the bars along the way, most of which stay open late in summer. There are plenty of pubs dotted around the Borgo, too, open every evening in summer, at weekends in winter.
RESTAURANTS
Bagatto Via M. Regis 11 090 922 4212. You can sample local
salami and cheeses as well as more substantial dishes (€10–16)
at this chic wine bar and restaurant. Try the tagliata of
seared, thinly sliced rare beef (€16). There’s a great selection
of wines and a cool, laidback ambience, with some tables
outside. Mon–Tues & Thurs–Sun
aperitivo & dinner.
La Casalinga Via R. D’Amico 13 090 922 2697. Local favourite for
fish, where the speciality is spaghetti polpa
di granchi (with crab sauce). First courses are €8
or €9, mains €7–16. Worth booking. Daily lunch & dinner;
closed Sun Oct–April.
Il Covo del Pirata Lungomare Garibaldi 47–48 090 928 4437. With wooden ceilings,
stone walls and piratical decor, this has more atmosphere than
most local eateries, and the food is occasionally superb.
Downstairs is a pizzeria, but you should go upstairs for the sea
view. First courses include linguine
tuttomare, a seafood extravaganza (€14) – other
pasta dishes are around €10. Closed Wed. Mon–Tues & Thurs–Sun
lunch & dinner.
Giardino di Sicilia Via Santa Maria Maggiore 29 090 922 2191, giardinidisicilia.net. Amiable
family-run restaurant and pizzeria, where you eat in a garden
courtyard in summer, serving what may be one of the best pizzas
(from €4) you ever eat, their crisp, tasty feather-light bases
the result of a dough fermented for 48 hours and a man who knows
how to get the best out of a forno a
legna. The emphasis on quality ingredients is
evident right across the menu, making even a simple pepata di cozze (peppered mussels; €9) an
unforgettable experience. Daily lunch &
dinner.
CAFÉS
Albatros Via dei Mille 38 090 928 3666. Once the classic café
in which to hang out while waiting for your ferry or hydrofoil,
and though the dock has moved 100m up the street, Aeolians and
old-timers still flock here for nostalgia’s sake and for the
great barman. Yummy pastries (try the nastrino, a raisin twist, or the cornetti with apple and crema), plus good
savouries and ice cream. Or make the waiting easier with a
deftly mixed martini. Daily 10am–8pm; Nov–May
closed Tues.
Bar Dama Piazza Battisti (no phone). Excellent little café for a daytime snack, with a few outdoor tables. The fruit granite are terrific. Closed Mon Oct–June.
Il Spizzico Via dei Mille s/n (no phone). Right next to the Ustica Lines office, this takeaway does the best arancini hereabouts, including versions filled with aubergine or spinach and mozzarella. Open daily.