Culture
Castles of the Madonie: where they are and how to visit
The castles of the Madonie town by town: Castelbuono with its museum, the ruins of Geraci, Collesano, Caltavuturo, Isnello, Pollina and the Rocca di Cefalù.
Collesano · 470 m a.s.l.
Things to do in Collesano
Collesano easily fills a whole day. In the morning walk around the centre, between the Basilica di San Pietro, the church of Santa Maria di Gesù and the castle ruins, with the view from Piazza Castello. Then visit the Targa Florio museum, the race that ran right through here, and the ceramics workshops. Walkers have two options: the Sentiero dei Borghi, about 10 km towards Scillato, opened in January 2026, and the climb to the archaeological site of Monte d'Oro. By car, in half an hour or a little more you reach Isnello, Gratteri and Piano Battaglia. If you come at Carnival, in late May or in mid-November, you will find the village celebrating.
For Collesano we have 22 guides, 1 trail and 1 itinerary.
What to see in town
- Medieval castle and Piazza Castello
- Basilica di San Pietro (Chiesa Madre) and watchtower
- Targa Florio museum
- Santa Maria di Gesù church
- Santa Maria la Vecchia church
- Town hall and Palazzo Fatta-Del Bosco
- Monte d'Oro archaeological site
- Ceramics workshops
Guides
Culture
Churches of the Madonie: Cefalù Cathedral and the Gagini
Churches to see in the Madonie: Cefalù's Norman cathedral, mother churches with Gagini marbles, the Last Judgement of Gangi, the Polizzi triptych, Gibilmanna.
Things to do
Climbing in the Madonie: Passo Scuro and other crags
Climbing in the Madonie: the Passo Scuro crag at Castelbuono, the CAI routes at Petralia Sottana, Collesano and Caltavuturo, courses, rules and safety.
Info
Getting around the Madonie: distances, roads and buses
Getting around the Madonie: driving distances and times between the 16 towns, the roads to know, the buses from Cefalù and how to manage without a car.
Culture
History of the Madonie: from prehistoric caves to today
The history of the Madonie: prehistoric caves, Greeks and Romans, Arabs, Normans, the Ventimiglia county, the early modern age, the Park and depopulation.
Things to do
Horse riding in the Madonie: bridle paths and riding centres
Horse rides and treks in the Madonie: the Park's bridle paths on the old royal drove roads, riding centres listed by the Park authority, seasons and rules.
Nature
Madonie beech woods: ancient trees and autumn colours
Madonie woods: beech forests up to 1,900 m, holm oaks, cork oaks, giant hollies and trees 800 years old. Where they are, how to tell them apart and when to go.
Food
Madonie cheeses: provola, caciocavallo and ricotta
Madonie cheeses one by one: Slow Food provola, caciocavallo, Gratteri's canestrato, ricotta and tuma, with farms to visit, cheese festivals and pairings.
Culture
Madonie crafts: ceramics, basketry, embroidery and stone
Madonie crafts: the majolica of Collesano, baskets woven from cane and dwarf palm, the embroidery of Isnello, puppets, the stone of Petralia and salt sculpture.
Culture
Madonie festivals and traditions: calendar and rituals
Madonie traditions month by month: Holy Week, the Miracula of Gangi, Sant'Anna, the Ballo della Cordella, the Giostra dei Ventimiglia and nativity scenes.
Food
Madonie food festival calendar, season by season
Madonie food festival (sagre) calendar by season: usual periods, villages and what you eat, from Scillato oranges to Polizzi hazelnuts and mushrooms.
Food
Madonie mushrooms and truffles: seasons, rules and dishes
Mushrooms in the Madonie: when to find them, the rare basilisk mushroom, Park and Region rules on permits and limits, truffles and where to eat them in autumn.
Info
Madonie Park rules: zones, bans and what you can do
The rules of the Madonie Park: zones A, B, C and D, official bans, camping, fires, mushrooms, dogs, drones and cars, with sources from the Ente Parco.
Nature
Madonie Park: towns, protection zones, rules and what to see
Madonie Park (Parco delle Madonie): 39,679 hectares and 15 towns between Cefalù and the Petralias, founded in 1989. Zones, rules, sights and how to get there.
Nature
Madonie peaks: heights and summits over 1,800 metres
The peaks of the Madonie: Pizzo Carbonara 1,979 m, Pizzo Antenna Grande, Monte San Salvatore, Quacella and Mufara. Table of heights, trails and practical tips.
Nature
Madonie plateaus: Piano Battaglia, Piano Zucchi and more
The plateaus of the Madonie: Piano Battaglia at 1,572 m, Piano Zucchi, Piano Sempria, Piano Cervi, Piano Pomo and Piano Catarineci. Heights, access, what to do.
Nature
Madonie wildlife: golden eagles, vultures and fallow deer
Madonie wildlife: golden eagles, griffon vultures back after 70 years, Egyptian vultures, fallow deer, porcupines and the Parnassius apollo siciliae butterfly.
Things to do
Mountain biking in the Madonie: forest roads and touring
MTB and e-bikes in the Madonie: where to ride around Piano Battaglia and Piano Zucchi, the CAI scale, the Ciclovia dei Parchi, bike hire and Park rules.
Culture
Museums of the Madonie: what to see town by town
Museums of the Madonie: the Mandralisca in Cefalù, the Museo Civico in Castelbuono castle, Minà Palumbo, the Targa Florio, salt sculptures and rural life.
Culture
Targa Florio: history of the race and the Madonie circuit
The Targa Florio was born in 1906 on the roads of the Madonie: history of the race, its three circuits, Floriopoli, the Collesano museum and today's events.
Things to do
The Madonie with kids: adventure parks, stars and snow
What to do in the Madonie with children: Parco Avventura Madonie, Pollina Adventure, GAL Hassin, picnic areas, easy trails and sledging, with 2026 prices.
Food
What to eat in the Madonie: typical dishes and produce
What to eat in the Madonie and in which town: cheese, badda beans, mushrooms, manna and desserts, a seasonal food calendar and which type of place to choose.
Trails from Collesano
Itineraries through here
In nearby villages
Villages within 15 km of Collesano as the crow flies, nearest first:
- Things to do in Gratteri 18 entries · 6.1 km
- Things to do in Isnello 41 entries · 6.7 km
- Things to do in Scillato 14 entries · 7.3 km
- Things to do in Caltavuturo 16 entries · 12 km
Frequently asked questions
- What is there to see in Collesano?
- What to see in the village: Medieval castle and Piazza Castello, Basilica di San Pietro (Chiesa Madre) and watchtower, Targa Florio museum, Santa Maria di Gesù church and Santa Maria la Vecchia church. For Collesano we have 22 guides, 1 trail and 1 itinerary.
- What is there to do near Collesano?
- Within 15 km as the crow flies: Gratteri (18 entries, 6.1 km), Isnello (41 entries, 6.7 km), Scillato (14 entries, 7.3 km) and Caltavuturo (16 entries, 12 km).