Rich in history, art and traditions, Montalbano Elicona is one of the oldest and most fascinating towns of the Nebrodi Mountains, and was voted Italy's most beautiful village in 2015.
Some believe its name comes from the Arabic “Al Bana”, meaning “excellent place”; others argue that it comes from the Latin “Mons Albus”, after the heights on which the town stands, which are white with snow in winter. “Elicona”, on the other hand, seems to date from Greek colonization: the Dorians called the hill on which the medieval village of Montalbano later rose “Helikon”, meaning “winding”, because of the shape of the nearby stream.
It is easy to lose yourself in the beauty of this majestic village: the Middle Ages are still in the air, with little houses perched on rocky spurs and lanes winding among its many churches, noble palazzi and enchanting castle.
The castle, built as a defensive stronghold during Swabian and Aragonese rule, was turned into a true royal palace at the wish of Frederick III of Aragon. It rises on two levels, with eighteen large, elegant windows in its outer walls above the Swabian arrow slits and a good number of portals and doors. Inside, its vast halls bring the atmosphere of the old royal courts back to life.
Near the castle, the church of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria, dating from 1393, is well worth a look. Built in the Romanesque style, it holds fine paintings, such as the “Cena Domini” from the school of Guido Reni, and a marble statue of the saint attributed to the school of Gagini.
From the castle, wandering through the alleys and lanes of the historic center, we take in the village all the way to the cathedral. Restored in 1645 and flanked by an imposing bell tower with fine bronze bells, it is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and San Nicolò Vescovo, patron saint of this mountain town.
On one side, the land stretches toward the Argimusco plateau, where pleasant expanses of pasture and ancient woods, such as the Bosco di Malabotta nature reserve, offer visitors breathtaking scenery; on the other, it slopes gently down to the Tyrrhenian Sea, drawing the eye all the way to the outline of the Aeolian Islands.
The magnificent Argimusco megaliths hold an irresistible fascination: giant limestone rocks with unusual shapes, in whose outlines we discover human and animal figures and esoteric, almost magical symbols. Some say these rocks were shaped by thousands of years of erosion by wind and rain; others maintain that the shapes were made by a mysterious prehistoric people who lived here and practiced propitiatory rites and sacrifices to the gods.
Among the most important megaliths, two large, elongated boulders stand solemnly, said to recall the symbols of manhood and womanhood; a few hundred meters away rises the majestic so-called Eagle, one of the most lifelike megaliths in the world, which looks like the profile of the bird of prey with its wings spread. The Argimusco is the only megalithic site in Sicily.
It is in this area that the Elicona River rises. Over the centuries, water mills were built along it, and the locals once walked or rode mules to them, carrying wheat to be ground. Among the vegetation you can still see the remains of the old mills (wheels, walls, saitte, the water chutes).
The unusual landscape of Montalbano Elicona is dotted with “cubburi”, also called “casotti”, structures that look like the trulli of Apulia and the nuraghi of Sardinia. A few hundred meters from the plateau lies the splendid Bosco di Malabotta nature reserve, in the transition zone between the Peloritani and Nebrodi Mountains. The reserve ranges from 650–700 meters up to 1,341 meters in altitude.
Inside the protected area grow beeches, Turkey oaks, oaks, pines, chestnuts and hazels, and to a lesser extent maple, black poplar, willow, oriental hornbeam, holly, spindle tree, holm oak, wild pear and common elder.
The reserve's wildlife is typically Sicilian: there are wildcats, foxes, rabbits, porcupines and European hedgehogs, martens and weasels, shrews, edible dormice, garden dormice and wild boar.
There are also various species of reptiles, amphibians and insects, including many species of butterflies that are now rare.
Some believe its name comes from the Arabic “Al Bana”, meaning “excellent place”; others argue that it comes from the Latin “Mons Albus”, after the heights on which the town stands, which are white with snow in winter. “Elicona”, on the other hand, seems to date from Greek colonization: the Dorians called the hill on which the medieval village of Montalbano later rose “Helikon”, meaning “winding”, because of the shape of the nearby stream.
It is easy to lose yourself in the beauty of this majestic village: the Middle Ages are still in the air, with little houses perched on rocky spurs and lanes winding among its many churches, noble palazzi and enchanting castle.
The castle, built as a defensive stronghold during Swabian and Aragonese rule, was turned into a true royal palace at the wish of Frederick III of Aragon. It rises on two levels, with eighteen large, elegant windows in its outer walls above the Swabian arrow slits and a good number of portals and doors. Inside, its vast halls bring the atmosphere of the old royal courts back to life.
Near the castle, the church of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria, dating from 1393, is well worth a look. Built in the Romanesque style, it holds fine paintings, such as the “Cena Domini” from the school of Guido Reni, and a marble statue of the saint attributed to the school of Gagini.
From the castle, wandering through the alleys and lanes of the historic center, we take in the village all the way to the cathedral. Restored in 1645 and flanked by an imposing bell tower with fine bronze bells, it is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and San Nicolò Vescovo, patron saint of this mountain town.
On one side, the land stretches toward the Argimusco plateau, where pleasant expanses of pasture and ancient woods, such as the Bosco di Malabotta nature reserve, offer visitors breathtaking scenery; on the other, it slopes gently down to the Tyrrhenian Sea, drawing the eye all the way to the outline of the Aeolian Islands.
The magnificent Argimusco megaliths hold an irresistible fascination: giant limestone rocks with unusual shapes, in whose outlines we discover human and animal figures and esoteric, almost magical symbols. Some say these rocks were shaped by thousands of years of erosion by wind and rain; others maintain that the shapes were made by a mysterious prehistoric people who lived here and practiced propitiatory rites and sacrifices to the gods.
Among the most important megaliths, two large, elongated boulders stand solemnly, said to recall the symbols of manhood and womanhood; a few hundred meters away rises the majestic so-called Eagle, one of the most lifelike megaliths in the world, which looks like the profile of the bird of prey with its wings spread. The Argimusco is the only megalithic site in Sicily.
It is in this area that the Elicona River rises. Over the centuries, water mills were built along it, and the locals once walked or rode mules to them, carrying wheat to be ground. Among the vegetation you can still see the remains of the old mills (wheels, walls, saitte, the water chutes).
The unusual landscape of Montalbano Elicona is dotted with “cubburi”, also called “casotti”, structures that look like the trulli of Apulia and the nuraghi of Sardinia. A few hundred meters from the plateau lies the splendid Bosco di Malabotta nature reserve, in the transition zone between the Peloritani and Nebrodi Mountains. The reserve ranges from 650–700 meters up to 1,341 meters in altitude.
Inside the protected area grow beeches, Turkey oaks, oaks, pines, chestnuts and hazels, and to a lesser extent maple, black poplar, willow, oriental hornbeam, holly, spindle tree, holm oak, wild pear and common elder.
The reserve's wildlife is typically Sicilian: there are wildcats, foxes, rabbits, porcupines and European hedgehogs, martens and weasels, shrews, edible dormice, garden dormice and wild boar.
There are also various species of reptiles, amphibians and insects, including many species of butterflies that are now rare.
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Montalbano Elicona tours
What to see in Montalbano Elicona
In this distinctive medieval village, you feel as if you have stepped into a picturesque maze, an irregular, winding web of little sandstone houses. Every corner of the old town deserves to be visited, photographed, lived. Following the lanes and stairways, we can admire the medieval blocks and the many alleys that lead us around the imposing Swabian-Aragonese castle, the churches and the noble palazzi.
Among the best-known and most photographed corners of Montalbano Elicona is the “Vicolo Placido Fiore”: a small lane named after Placido Fiore, who died in 1684 and founded the charitable fund known as the Peculio.
He made a habit of “helping needy families by extending them credit of his own”, especially in hard times for the town, when the people suffered oppression and plunder. The charity he set up went on doing its work over the following centuries, until the Cassa Agraria, an agricultural bank, was founded in 1887.
Another characteristic street of Montalbano's historic center is Via Giovan Guerino, named after the man local tradition remembers as a defender of the people in medieval times. He is said to have fallen in battle right beneath the gate named after him, a few meters from the church of the Spirito Santo.
And besides its varied stone carvings, Montalbano boasts two standouts on Via Mastropaolo: the striking Baroque portal of Casa Messina-Ballarino, carved in the 1600s by Irardi da Napoli, and that of Casa Mastropaolo, an 18th-century work by a local master stonemason. Both were declared national monuments by the heritage authority in 1912.
On Via Mastropaolo, between the Faranda and Bisagna palazzi, one of the old gates of Montalbano Elicona still stands: Porta di Terra. Through it passed the farmers who brought their produce to the castle and who left the castle to go back, precisely, to the land they worked.
If you want to relive the most significant moments in the life of Montalbano's people, just drop by the Eugenio Belfiore Historical Photography Museum: the customs, traditions and daily life of the town, its arts and old trades, its feast days, fairs and big events through the years.
Another place where history lives on is Palazzo Aloisio, now a house museum, as it is one of the very rare examples of a noble home left intact since the early 1900s. Inside, every piece of furniture, every kitchen utensil and every item of the household linens is still carefully preserved. Portraits of the former owners hang on the walls, amid period floors and rich frescoes.
Among the best-known and most photographed corners of Montalbano Elicona is the “Vicolo Placido Fiore”: a small lane named after Placido Fiore, who died in 1684 and founded the charitable fund known as the Peculio.
He made a habit of “helping needy families by extending them credit of his own”, especially in hard times for the town, when the people suffered oppression and plunder. The charity he set up went on doing its work over the following centuries, until the Cassa Agraria, an agricultural bank, was founded in 1887.
Another characteristic street of Montalbano's historic center is Via Giovan Guerino, named after the man local tradition remembers as a defender of the people in medieval times. He is said to have fallen in battle right beneath the gate named after him, a few meters from the church of the Spirito Santo.
And besides its varied stone carvings, Montalbano boasts two standouts on Via Mastropaolo: the striking Baroque portal of Casa Messina-Ballarino, carved in the 1600s by Irardi da Napoli, and that of Casa Mastropaolo, an 18th-century work by a local master stonemason. Both were declared national monuments by the heritage authority in 1912.
On Via Mastropaolo, between the Faranda and Bisagna palazzi, one of the old gates of Montalbano Elicona still stands: Porta di Terra. Through it passed the farmers who brought their produce to the castle and who left the castle to go back, precisely, to the land they worked.
If you want to relive the most significant moments in the life of Montalbano's people, just drop by the Eugenio Belfiore Historical Photography Museum: the customs, traditions and daily life of the town, its arts and old trades, its feast days, fairs and big events through the years.
Another place where history lives on is Palazzo Aloisio, now a house museum, as it is one of the very rare examples of a noble home left intact since the early 1900s. Inside, every piece of furniture, every kitchen utensil and every item of the household linens is still carefully preserved. Portraits of the former owners hang on the walls, amid period floors and rich frescoes.
What to see in Montalbano Elicona
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The Montalbano Elicona castle overlooks and dominate the village. Its structure, dated back to the 12th century, was modified and enlarged between the 13th and 14th century, in obedience to Frederik II of Aragon’s wishes. It was possible…
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Pleasant expanse of pastures and thousand-year old woods, esotericism and mysticism, breathtaking views: that is the Argimusco, an area that expands on an ample upland between 1165 and 1230 meters above the sea level, the only example of…
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You will find it near the Castle, oriented towards the Argimusco. Arnaldus de Villa Nova, alchemist and personal doctor of king Frederick III of Sicily, says that it was built in 1310. Inside the ancient little church, dedicated to Saint…
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It is the main church and it rises up in piazza Duomo. You will find it walking across several small streets from the Castle to Piazza Duomo, in the quartiere Matrice. It is the biggest church of the village and it is known as Basilica…
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It dominates the square that welcomes you to the village and it is near the City Hall. Once it was given to Dominicans. The chiesa di San Domenico, better known as Santuario di Maria Santissima della Provvidenza, represents the heart of…
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In the quartiere Matrice, in the heart of the village, you will find the chiesa dello Spirito Santo. Built during the 14th century, this small church is made of a unique nave with three altars, three recesses made of sandstone with…
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Unfortunately, nowadays there are only some ruins of this church because of the earthquake of 1978. We know that it was built around 1100-1200. It has a rectangular plan with a unique nave and a transept marked by a vault made of stone.…
1Castello di Montalbano
The Montalbano Elicona castle overlooks and dominate the village. Its structure, dated back to the 12th century, was modified and enlarged between the 13th and 14th century, in obedience to Frederik II of Aragon’s wishes. It was possible to enter the fortification by four gates: Porta Reale to the south, Gian Guarino to the west, Porta di terra to the east, Portella to the north. Each gate had a particular function: by the first one only the king Frederik could have access; the second one has the name of a warrior who died while defending the gate; the third one was a secret gate; the fourth one was for the working class. The castle is made of two different bodies: the oldest, presumably built during the Norman period, made of a rectangle (called mastio), protected at the middle of the two short sides by two imposing crenellated towers (a rectangular one and pentagonal one); the other body, built during the Aragonese period, in a lower position, is made of a quadrangular corral along the cliff. The castle consists of two floors, it has eighteen big and elegant windows on the outside walls on the top of Swabian embrasures and a large number of doors and gates. On the top of the Aragonese building there are guelph merlons, built during the restoring works of 1980s. In the interior you can remember the atmosphere of the ancient courts thanks to the big rooms; it is possible to admire the Real Chapel, exclusive privilege of the kings: it was a “cuba” of the Byzantine period dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Here there is the commemorative plaque in honour of Arnaldus of Villa Nova, doctor, alchemist and counselor of the Crown of Aragon. The castle, built as a defense, became in obedience to Frederik II of Aragon a real royal palace, leisure residence during the summer. It was used to make the king stays in Montalbano Elicona more comfortable and easier. He used to come to treat a disease (the podagra), using the oleaginous substances of the Tirone water. The castle belonged to several lords - the Lanza family (1396), among others - and then given to the Jesuits who made a monastery. From 1921to 1967, the castle belonged to the Municipality of Montalbano Elicona. Now it hosts the Museums of Weapons. If you reach the squared tower you will enjoy a breathtaking view of the castle, the village and the mountains that protect the southern part (Argimusco, Polverello, etc.).
Address
Via Don Ottavio Bolgeni - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
Via Don Ottavio Bolgeni - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
2Megaliti dell'Argimusco
Pleasant expanse of pastures and thousand-year old woods, esotericism and mysticism, breathtaking views: that is the Argimusco, an area that expands on an ample upland between 1165 and 1230 meters above the sea level, the only example of megalithic site of Sicily. In this territory the river Elicona originates and flows into the Tyrrhenian sea between the villages of Falcone and Tindari. During the centuries, along its flow, water mills were built used by inhabitants, who came walking or by donkey to take wheat to grind. Nowadays it is possible to admire rests of the ancient mills among the vegetation (wheels and walls). Megaliths are very impressive comparable to the so called menhir where Celtics used to celebrate their religious rituals. Enormous calcareous rocks with strange shapes and profiles similar to faces, animals, magic and ancient symbols. It is known that this rocks have been shaped by wind and rain. But is it possible that it was only the natural erosion to create the extraordinary effects of this enormous stones? Or have they been made by any mysterious prehistoric population? Some of them have characteristic and extremely evocative shapes; among the most remarkable megaliths, near Portella Cerasa there are two enormous, imposing and quite threatening stones which have an elongated shape (the first one is thinner and slimmer, the second one shorter and stronger): they represent the sexual symbols of virility and fertility. Not so far from here you will find the so called Aquila (Eagle) with its wings spread and its head pointed towards the South. Going to the North, you will enter the holy place, one of the most fascinating areas: in front of you you could see the Grande Rupe (Big Cliff), the biggest stone. On the East side you could see the profile of a man called il Teschio (the Skull) or il Siculo (the Sicilian). Among the several faces you could imagine in the rocks, there is one of them that will impress you: it is called l’Orante (the Prayer) or Dea Neolitica (Neolithic Goddess). You will see a figure with her hands joined, probably a preyer woman, 25 meters high. Since today no archeological study has been made, so it is impossible to date the area and its uses.
Address
Strada Provinciale 115 - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
Strada Provinciale 115 - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
3Chiesa di Santa Caterina
You will find it near the Castle, oriented towards the Argimusco. Arnaldus de Villa Nova, alchemist and personal doctor of king Frederick III of Sicily, says that it was built in 1310. Inside the ancient little church, dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, there is a statue made of marble representing the saint put on a precious base with bas reliefs, that looks up in the sky before being martyred, made by the Gagini’s workshop. The frontal part of the altar has a “Cena Domini” made by Guido Reni’s workshop. the façade has a beautiful Romanesque portal made of bare stone. At the top of the roof there are a Ghibelline merlon and two ribs for the bells.
Address
Via Mastropaolo 13 - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
Via Mastropaolo 13 - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
4Chiesa Madre
It is the main church and it rises up in piazza Duomo. You will find it walking across several small streets from the Castle to Piazza Duomo, in the quartiere Matrice. It is the biggest church of the village and it is known as Basilica minore di Santa Maria Assunta e San Nicolò Vescovo, who is the patron. It is known that it has existed since the 9th-10th century, but the building we admire today is not the original one because during the time its structure and style were modified. It had a Latin cross structure and only one big central nave. In 1654 two aisles changed the orientation of the church. The three naves, decorated by wonderful chandeliers, are separated by solid pillars on which round arches open. Along the left aisle there are several paintings made by Sicilian artists representing the Virgin and some Saints. Looking up you will see the A-frame roof made of wood, walls with decorations, rose windows and plasters. Along the left aisle there are five minor altars and four altars and an entrance along the right aisle, while in the central nave there are some plaster medals representing biblical figures. The church is full of fine works, the tabernacle on the altar made of golden wood decorated by several sculptures belonging to the Gagini’s workshop, among others. Inside the chapel on the right aisle, there is a wonderful marble statue representing St. Nicholas (1587) presumably made by Gagini. At the back, there is the bas relief made of marble representing some little angels with the miter in their hands. At the bottom of the statue there are four bas reliefs representing scenes of St. Nicholas’ life. There is also a wooden crucifix of the 15th century, a baptismal font made of stone; a Baroque canopy of the 18th century; a painting representing the Last Supper made by Guido Reni; a fine painting of the Assumption and precious vestments made of embroidered silk. On the outside there is a monumental bell tower made between 1665 and 1673 which has bronze bells; there is also a beautiful staircase that gives majesty to the church and a breath-taking view.
Address
Piazza Duomo - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
Piazza Duomo - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
5Chiesa di San Domenico - Santuario della SS. Provvidenza
It dominates the square that welcomes you to the village and it is near the City Hall. Once it was given to Dominicans. The chiesa di San Domenico, better known as Santuario di Maria Santissima della Provvidenza, represents the heart of the religious life of the village. The interior has three naves separated by two rows of columns that end with round arches. On the main altar you can admire the wooden statue of the Madonna della Provvidenza, made in 1730 by Alessandro Pantano. It represents the Virgin who has Baby Jesus in her left hand, while with her right hand blesses.
Address
Via Provinciale 19 - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
Via Provinciale 19 - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
6Chiesa dello Spirito Santo
In the quartiere Matrice, in the heart of the village, you will find the chiesa dello Spirito Santo. Built during the 14th century, this small church is made of a unique nave with three altars, three recesses made of sandstone with sculpted capitals. In ancient times, it was possible to admire some paintings dedicated to the Holy Spirit, St. Calogero and St. Francis of Paola and the wooden A-frame roof. The exterior has a nice façade characterized by a Romanesque portal with an arch that creates a play of architectonical elements.
Address
Via Giovan Guerino - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
Via Giovan Guerino - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
7Chiesa di San Michele
Unfortunately, nowadays there are only some ruins of this church because of the earthquake of 1978. We know that it was built around 1100-1200. It has a rectangular plan with a unique nave and a transept marked by a vault made of stone. On the walls there were big recesses decorated by frescos representing holy figures. In front of the main façade there were some seats made of stone.
Address
Traversa I Giardino - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
Traversa I Giardino - Montalbano Elicona (ME)
How to get to Montalbano Elicona from Catania
By car
From the A20 Messina–Palermo highway, take the Falcone exit and continue for 18 km to your destination, passing through Belvedere, taking the turnoff for Basicò and going past Toscano. From Catania, you can take the A18 highway to the Fiumefreddo exit, then follow the Linguaglossa–Randazzo–Santa Domenica Vittoria road to the Favoscuro junction, and from there continue to Montalbano Elicona.
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