Which municipalities are in Madonie Park?

There are 15, all in the Metropolitan City of Palermo: Caltavuturo, Castelbuono, Castellana Sicula, Cefalù, Collesano, Geraci Siculo, Gratteri, Isnello, Petralia Soprana, Petralia Sottana, Polizzi Generosa, Pollina, San Mauro Castelverde, Scillato and Sclafani Bagni. Gangi lies just outside the park, but by history and roads it belongs to the Madonie.

What is the highest village in the Madonie?

Petralia Soprana, at 1,147 metres above sea level. Next come Geraci Siculo (1,077 m), San Mauro Castelverde (1,050 m), Gangi (1,011 m) and Petralia Sottana (1,000 m), which is home to the park authority and is the closest town to Piano Battaglia.

Which Madonie villages have won Borgo dei Borghi?

Two: Gangi in 2014 and Petralia Soprana in 2018. Borgo dei Borghi is the contest run by the Rai programme Alle falde del Kilimangiaro, with votes from a jury and the public. The two towns are close to each other and both are reached from the SS120.

Which villages should I see if I only have one day?

From the coast, pick Cefalù and Castelbuono, about 23 km and 26 minutes' drive apart. Inland, Petralia Sottana, Petralia Soprana and Gangi are on the same road, the SS120, less than half an hour apart. Trying to fit all five into one day is too much.

How do you get around the Madonie villages?

By car: the SS286 links Castelbuono and Geraci Siculo, the SS120 links Polizzi Generosa, Petralia Sottana and Gangi, and the SP54 climbs to Piano Battaglia. From Polizzi Generosa to Petralia Sottana it is about 17 km, from Petralia Sottana to Gangi about 16. Other distances are on the roads page.

Madonie villages

There are 16 villages in the Madonie: the 15 municipalities of Madonie Park (Parco delle Madonie), from Cefalù on the sea to Petralia Soprana at 1,147 metres, plus Gangi, just outside the boundary. For each one you find what to see, what to taste, the festivals of the year, nearby trails and where to stay and eat.

By altitude, from Cefalù to the 1,147 metres of Petralia Soprana

Indicative sketch, not to scale. Tap a village to open its page.

Above 1,000 metres

5 villages

Petralia Soprana stretched along the ridge, in the warm afternoon light

The highest town in the Madonie, Borgo dei Borghi 2018

The rock of Geraci Siculo with the castle ruins and the houses along the ridge

The first capital of the Ventimiglia, above the Madonie woods

The main street of Petralia Sottana with colourful umbrellas hung above it and stone house fronts

Home of the Madonie Park, at the foot of Piano Battaglia

San Mauro Castelverde on top of its hill, above the woods of the valley

The village at a thousand metres above the Gole di Tiberio

Gangi spread over its hill, with snow-capped Etna on the horizon

Borgo dei Borghi 2014, all stone on Monte Marone

Between 500 and 1,000 metres

7 villages

The houses of Polizzi Generosa on the hill, between fir trees and a clear sky

The town of the Abies nebrodensis, sfoglio and badda beans

Castellana Sicula in the distance among the hills, behind a row of trees in autumn colours

The village of hamlets and murals

The houses of Sclafani Bagni seen from the top of the rock, with the green valley below

The walled village on the rock and its hot spring

680 m a.s.l.

Gratteri

The terrace over the Tyrrhenian Sea above Cefalù

Pollina from above, gathered on its cliff with the Pietra Rosa theatre

The stone theatre and the manna, above the sea at Finale

Caltavuturo at the foot of its limestone cliff, seen from Sclafani Bagni in the sunset light

The village below the Rocca di Sciara

The roofs and bell towers of Isnello, below the rock faces of the Madonie

The town of the stars, beneath the Madonie cliffs

Valleys and coast

4 villages

The ruins of Collesano castle seen from a stone passage, with green mountains behind

Ceramics, a castle and the Targa Florio museum

Castelbuono from above, with the roofs of the old town and the Madonie mountains behind

The town of the Ventimiglia castle, manna and testa di turco

239 m a.s.l.

Scillato

Springs, water mills and oranges

Cefalù from above, with its red roofs, the cathedral and the Rocca above the town

The Norman cathedral, the Rocca and the sea at the foot of the Madonie

How are the Madonie villages grouped?

By altitude, and so by character. Above you find them in three bands.

Above 1,000 metres: Petralia Soprana, Geraci Siculo, San Mauro Castelverde, Gangi, Petralia Sottana. Snowy winters, cool summers, ridge roads.
Between 500 and 1,000 metres: Polizzi Generosa, Sclafani Bagni, Castellana Sicula, Pollina, Gratteri, Caltavuturo, Isnello. Towns on rocky outcrops, looking over the valleys.
Valleys and coast: Cefalù, Castelbuono, Collesano, Scillato. Closer to the motorway and the sea.

Which villages should you choose?

It depends on what you are after.

Castles and the Ventimiglia family: Castelbuono, Geraci Siculo and the tower of Gangi. The family’s story is in the article on the Ventimiglia castles.
Mountains and trails: Petralia Sottana and Polizzi Generosa are the gateways to Piano Battaglia.
Sea and mountains together: Cefalù, with its Rocca, and the villages looking down on it, such as Gratteri.
Sky and stars: Isnello, with the GAL Hassin astronomical park.
The highest village: Petralia Soprana.

What is on each village page?

An account of the village with what to see, local food, live weather and the villages a few kilometres away. And five linked pages: things to do, where to stay, where to eat, events and trails. Places to stay and eat come from verifiable sources and show the date of the last check.

How do you see them on a map?

The map above shows where they are. For villages and trailheads together, open the Madonie map. For driving distances and times between villages, see the roads page.

Frequently asked questions

Which municipalities are in Madonie Park?: There are 15, all in the Metropolitan City of Palermo: Caltavuturo, Castelbuono, Castellana Sicula, Cefalù, Collesano, Geraci Siculo, Gratteri, Isnello, Petralia Soprana, Petralia Sottana, Polizzi Generosa, Pollina, San Mauro Castelverde, Scillato and Sclafani Bagni. Gangi lies just outside the park, but by history and roads it belongs to the Madonie.
What is the highest village in the Madonie?: Petralia Soprana, at 1,147 metres above sea level. Next come Geraci Siculo (1,077 m), San Mauro Castelverde (1,050 m), Gangi (1,011 m) and Petralia Sottana (1,000 m), which is home to the park authority and is the closest town to Piano Battaglia.
Which Madonie villages have won Borgo dei Borghi?: Two: Gangi in 2014 and Petralia Soprana in 2018. Borgo dei Borghi is the contest run by the Rai programme Alle falde del Kilimangiaro, with votes from a jury and the public. The two towns are close to each other and both are reached from the SS120.
Which villages should I see if I only have one day?: From the coast, pick Cefalù and Castelbuono, about 23 km and 26 minutes' drive apart. Inland, Petralia Sottana, Petralia Soprana and Gangi are on the same road, the SS120, less than half an hour apart. Trying to fit all five into one day is too much.
How do you get around the Madonie villages?: By car: the SS286 links Castelbuono and Geraci Siculo, the SS120 links Polizzi Generosa, Petralia Sottana and Gangi, and the SP54 climbs to Piano Battaglia. From Polizzi Generosa to Petralia Sottana it is about 17 km, from Petralia Sottana to Gangi about 16. Other distances are on the roads page.

Sources

Page updated on 19 October 2026