Relaxed arrival at Catania airport or Palermo, transfer to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay in the Madonie Mountains.

Distance: 9.3 km, Total time: 2 hours 27 minutes, Time on the move: 1 hour 27 minutes

Ascent: 525 meters, descent: 534 meters, Lowest point: 1588 meters, Highest point: 1987 meters

Difficulty level: Easy

A pretty little nature trail leads us over the highest karst massif of the Madonie through mighty oaks and unique holly forest from the last ice age to the first viewpoint, the Cozzo Luminario. On the way we experience the barren karst landscape of the Carbonara massif up close, only the beech trees, which are often too low in bushes, give the light gray hills a green splash of color. Again and again we encounter a peculiarity of this area, the sinkholes that look like small quarries, in which precious water seeps away. We finally have an incomparable panorama on the way over the seemingly endless ridges of the Carbonara, one of the highest elevations in Sicily. Dinner and overnight stay.

Distance: 10.5 km, duration: 3:45 h, ascent: 550 hm, descent 550 hm

Difficulty level: medium

Beautifully shaped holly trees in the rock garden above Geraci: Today’s tour takes us to a mountain range on the eastern edge of the Madonie. Of particular interest are the mighty sandstone veins that run through the characteristic karst rock of this mountain range and erode on the surface into large railings. The varied landscape is enforced by monumental natural rock gardens with wildly thrown boulders and bizarre holly trees. They cover the terrain like big caps and accompany our way, especially in the second half. At our starting point in Geraci, the mineral water factory tells of the abundance of water in this area, as demonstrated by the numerous water structures on the descent from the summit.

Dinner and overnight stay.

Enjoy the Madonie yourself or drive with us to Gangi.

Accommodation and breakfast in the Madonie.

Distance: 3.5 km. Duration: 3:00h, Ascent: 234 hm, Descent: 233 hm

Difficulty level: Medium

Our goal is the “Rifugio Ferdinando Crispi” at an altitude of 1250m, to which the pothole littered little street winds its way through dark holm oak forests. First, however, it goes up a rocky forest path a few meters up to the Madonna, over which an ancient downy oak spreads its cracked bark like a large coat for protection.

Dinner and overnight stay.

Distance: 17.7 km, duration: 5:30h, ascent: 882 hm, descent: 882 hm

Difficulty level: medium

This magnificent as well as challenging hike offers wide views of the valley of the river Imera South with a change to the Mediterranean vegetation. It continues steeply uphill between the fortresses Rocca del Pomo (1,469 m asl) on the left and Rocca Vaccaro (1,428 m asl) on the right.

The vegetation thins out, but offers the first beech trees, milkweed hedges, gorse, wild pears and orchids on the slopes. The first covered plants can be seen over 1,200 meters above sea level. After the southern slopes of Monte Alto, where the sanctuary is located, you come to a green clearing. In front of it you can see the mountain Monte San Salvatore. On the left is the path that leads to the Madonna degli Angeli gorge and on the right is the path that leads to the Sanctuary of Madonna dell’Alto at an altitude of 1,819 meters above sea level.

Upon reaching the sacred building from the 15th century, you can enjoy a view of the landscape, a number of valleys, hills, rivers and mountains. In the distance you can see Mount Etna, the Imera Valley, the highest peaks of the Agrigentino region and the sharp mountain rocks that rise right in front of the Sanctuary. Dinner and overnight stay.

Enjoy the Madonie yourself or drive with us to Castelbuono

Accommodation and breakfast in the Madonie.

Transfer to Catania or Palermo airport and Arrivederci in Sicily.