First day: Isnello and Castelbuono

Welcome in Sicily! Well arrived in the airport of Palermo! Take your car...and a granita and brioche if you want to have a little rest, after your flight, or a real recharge of energy! Now it' the time di start your trip!

Isnello is a little village of the Madonie Park, a real gem embedded on the mountains. The watercourse, called Isnello, which descends from the Madonie, laps the town to the north, to wedge itself into a suggestive narrow canyon formed between the hill of the castle, built probably under the Byzantine empire about 8th century AD, and the steep wall of the Montagna Grotta Grande. As many other centers, its history is intertwined with that of the families that alternate there, from 12th to 16th centuries. A strange story happened here in 1788: the citizens of Isnello, tired of the dominion exercised by the counts on the basis of the benefit, bought back the territories of the county, finally dissolving themselves from the baronial authority.

You can have a beautiful walk and visit the Castel's ruins and some churches, between them the Mother Church. In the middle of the city stands in fact the Mother Church, dedicated to the patron St. Nicholas of Bari, bishop of Mira. Dating between the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th centuries, it preserved beautiful stuccoes dating 1607 and a mechanical organ dating to 1625. Really interesting are a marble tabernacle (1484-1495), the wooden choir of 1601 and two wooden statue, that one of the patron San Nicolò (1689) and a beautiful crucifix by Giuseppe Li Volsi dating 1619.

At noon you can have lunch in the restaurant "La brace", where you can eat the typical local and seasonal products of the Madonie area, inspired by the ancestors' tradition, but adding a touch of creativity. Obviously, if in season, it's the right place where you can taste fresh forest mushrooms, wild vegetables and a very good local wine!

After lunch, in the afternoon I suggest you to visit the beautiful astronomical observatory. Do you know that the Madonie mountain area is among the best astronomical observing sites in Italy? The sky of the Madonie is wonderful here, thanks to the total absence of night light sources: here there is a clear view of the night sky in different days of the year. This was the reason why in 1990s it was decided to create an Astronomical Observatory in the Piano Battaglia area, with a Planetarium!

After the astronomical observatory you will stop in the beautiful little town of Castelbuono, which has medieval origins as testified by its beautiful and well preserved castle, where the Civic Museum has been created!!! You will fall in love with Castelbuono! I suggest you take a walk along the road that from the Castle (which is worth a visit, both for the beautiful contemporary art collection, but above all for the splendid Chapel of Sant'anna which is preserved here) leads to the central square with the Church Mother, who hides a frescoed crypt whose visit is not to be missed!

The Castle was built here in a very strong and dominating position. The current building of the Ventimiglia castle, which name derives from the noble family Ventimiglia (one of the most powerful in the medieval times) is the result from numerous renovations, which are difficult to reconstruct from its original appearance. With a simple quadrangular plan, it shows on the outside a mixture of styles, able to influence all the Sicilian architecture. Cube volume recalls the Arabic style; the square corner towers echo the Norman one; the round tower instead refers to the Swabian military constructions. Inside, a Contemporary Artwork are displayed and you must visit the incredible Palatina Chapel well-decorated in marble and stucco, dedicated to Saint Anne (the patron of the village), dating to 1683 and work of the very famous Giacomo Serpotta artist. Its beauty will leave you enchanted!!!

Here you are in the middle of the main square of the village and I'm sure you'll fell like you was living in the medieval times! The church with a portico on the facade, a bell tower on the left side, a fountain in the middle of the square: here you can smell a real medieval flavor in the air! Enter the Church, dating from the 14th century and a suggestion I hope you'll catch: go down and see the crypto, it's full covered of incredible realistic and colored frescoes!

Here in the Madonie, in addition to fresh mushrooms and other delights, manna is grown, a natural sweetener that you will find in all the shops! And Castelbuono has also become famous for the famous traditional panettone of Fiasconaro, made using the Mann in fact! Here you are just in front of one of the realms of goodness! The Fiasconaro pastry shop is specialized above all in artisan panettone, today exported from this village on the Madonie all over the world! Taste a few pieces, you will see the incredible goodness in its various flavors!

After a day of sightseeing, my suggestion is not only to book a room here, but also to book a table for dinner! Have you ever sleep in a Abbey? This will be an incredible experience, in the Relais Sant'Anastasia! This ancient Norma abbey, founded by Count Roger I about 11th century, is now transformed in a Wine resort! So, obviously, do not forget to ask for a bottle of the wine they produce here, it's one of the best Sicilia wines, winner of prestigious international awards!