Things to do in the Madonie

In the Madonie you can walk all year round, ski at Piano Battaglia when it snows, go out on snowshoes, watch the stars in Isnello and wade up the Gole di Tiberio by raft in summer. Almost everything starts from three areas: the high plains, the woods above Castelbuono and the coast at Cefalù.

What is in this section?

Guides to activities: trekking and hiking, mountain biking, skiing, snowshoeing, astronomy, climbing, caving, horse riding, outings with children and photography. Each one tells you where it happens, in which season, what you need and whom to contact. The list above marks those already online.

What to do in each season?

• Spring and autumn: trail time. Start from the list of Madonie trails, with grade, approximate distance and time: from the Pizzo Carbonara loop to the Rocca di Cefalù.
• Summer: up high it stays cool. The Gole di Tiberio are explored in the water, with authorised operators who run raft and canoe trips. In August, around San Lorenzo, the GAL Hassin astronomical centre in Isnello has held shooting star evenings in recent years.
• Winter: Piano Battaglia has the only ski area in the Madonie, with a chairlift, a drag lift, a moving carpet and three runs. Read the guide to skiing at Piano Battaglia, the one on snowshoeing and, with children, the one on sledging.

How do you choose the right activity?

Consider how fit you are and what the weather is doing. On trails we use the CAI scale, explained in the article on mountain safety. On snow there are precise rules, from helmets for minors to off-piste equipment: they are in the guide to safety on snow.

Before you leave, check the mountain weather and the roads on the roads page.

Where do you stay to do it all?

If your plans are up high, stay in Petralia Sottana, Polizzi Generosa or Isnello, or at the Rifugio Marini at Piano Battaglia. If you alternate sea and mountains, Cefalù and Castelbuono are the easiest base. All places to stay are in where to stay in the Madonie, sports events on the sport page.