Food festival · Cefalù
Festa del Corbezzolo in Sant'Ambrogio, above Cefalù
Festa del Corbezzolo in Sant'Ambrogio, Cefalù's hill hamlet: a November weekend of strawberry tree sweets, woodland walks and workshops.
2025 edition
OverSant'Ambrogio, hill hamlet of Cefalù, and Guarneri wood, Cefalù
Programme
Tastings, children's workshops and themed walks. Free entry.
This edition is over. We update the page as soon as the next dates are out.
Source: comune.cefalu.pa.it, checked on 19 October 2026
The Festa del Corbezzolo takes place in Sant’Ambrogio, the hill hamlet of Cefalù, about 7 km from the centre. It lasts one weekend in early November and is devoted to the strawberry tree (corbezzolo), one of the typical autumn fruits in this area: tastings, children’s workshops and walks in the Guarneri wood. In 2025 it was held on 8 and 9 November, with free entry.
It is a small festival, run by the people of the village. In 2025 it was organised by the Riscopri Sant’Ambrogio association, and the Comune di Cefalù published it in its calendar. The 2026 dates have not been released yet.
The 2025 programme
This was the programme of the two days in 2025, from the flyer published by the Comune di Cefalù:
| Day | Time | What | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 8 November | 16:30 | Chinese lantern making workshop, for adults and children | Riscopri Sant’Ambrogio association premises |
| Saturday 8 November | 18:30 | drum circle with La Bottega delle Percussioni: instruments provided on site | roaming |
| Saturday 8 November | 19:00 | night walk “La torre vista come un tempo”, then dinner at your own expense in the village with strawberry tree dishes | roaming |
| Sunday 9 November | morning | breakfast at your own expense at the viewpoint, with strawberry tree croissants from the Cozzo Mauro bar | viewpoint |
| Sunday 9 November | 10:00 | “Sulle orme della volpe rossa”, guided visit to the Guarneri wood by the Palma Nana cooperative, packed lunch | Guarneri wood |
| Sunday 9 November | lunch | pane cunzato baked in the village’s communal oven, offered free | Guarneri wood |
| Sunday 9 November | 15:00 | “Cartoline delle feste” workshop with the village ladies | association premises |
| Sunday 9 November | 16:30 | tasting of strawberry tree sweets made by residents | association premises |
All activities were “by voluntary contribution”: you leave what you like.
The Guarneri wood and the strawberry trees
The paths of the Guarneri wood start from Sant’Ambrogio, among oaks, ash trees and strawberry trees. Back in 2015 the Serra Guarneri environmental education centre, with the Palma Nana association, organised a weekend here devoted to the strawberry tree, with fruit picking during the walk and a jam workshop. It was a different initiative, with booking and a fee, but the theme was the same.
For other routes in the area, see the trails around Cefalù or the climb up the Rocca di Cefalù.
Practical tips
Sant’Ambrogio is about 7 km from the centre of Cefalù, a quarter of an hour by car, according to our calculation on OpenStreetMap. The sources do not mention parking or shuttles: the village is small, so it is worth arriving early on Sunday morning. In November bring trail shoes for the walk and check the Cefalù weather before you set off.
To stay the night you can choose Cefalù: there is the list of where to stay in Cefalù. In the same period, a few kilometres away, there is the Collesano Cheese Festival; other autumn festivals are in the calendar of food festivals in the Madonie and among the events in Cefalù.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the Festa del Corbezzolo in Sant'Ambrogio?
- The festival is held in early November, over a weekend. In 2025 it was on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 November. The 2026 dates have not been published yet: the Comune di Cefalù announced the 2025 edition on its website in late October.
- How much does it cost to take part?
- According to the Comune di Cefalù, entry to the festival is free. In the 2025 programme the activities were "by voluntary contribution": workshops, walks and tastings with no fixed price. Sunday lunch in the wood was a packed lunch, brought by participants.
- Where is Sant'Ambrogio and how do you get there?
- Sant'Ambrogio is a hill hamlet belonging to the Comune di Cefalù, in the hills east of the town. From the centre of Cefalù it is about 7 km and a quarter of an hour by car, according to our calculation on OpenStreetMap. The sources on the festival do not mention dedicated parking.
- What do you eat at the Festa del Corbezzolo?
- In 2025 there were strawberry tree croissants for breakfast at the viewpoint, dinner at your own expense in the village with themed dishes, pane cunzato baked in the communal oven offered at lunch and, on Sunday afternoon, a tasting of strawberry tree sweets made by residents.
- Can you go for a walk in the wood?
- In the 2025 programme the guided walk was on Sunday morning: at 10:00 the Palma Nana cooperative led a visit to the Guarneri wood "in the footsteps of the red fox", with a packed lunch. On Saturday evening there was also a night walk through the village.
- Who organises the festival?
- In 2025 the festival was organised by the Riscopri Sant'Ambrogio association, and the Comune di Cefalù included it in its events calendar. The Palma Nana cooperative and the Cozzo Mauro bar took part.
