Way of the Madonite Shrines

The Way of the Madonie Shrines starts from the Shrine of the Spirito Santo in Gangi, one of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages, famous for its Living Crib and the medieval charm of its historic centre. The shrine is linked to the legend of a miraculous effigy. From the village, continue through the woods of the park to reach Blufi.

The small town of Blufi, on the southern hill of the Madonie, is characterised by splendid medieval buildings. A stop on the pilgrimage is the shrine of the Madonna dell’Olio (8th century), in honour of the local tradition of olive growing and the particular spring of mineral oil that gushes out just a few metres away. From here, the Way of the Madonie Shrines continues to Petralia Sottana and its two Marian shrines.

The municipality of Petralia Sottana, among the Orange Flag Medieval villages in Sicily, is rich in ancient churches to visit and hosts the Shrine of the Madonna dell’Alto (13th century), on the summit of Monte Alto (1819 metres above sea level), and the Shrine of the Madonna delle Nevi, on the summit of Piano Battaglia, Petralia’s ski resort and UNESCO Geopark where you can stay overnight.

In the last stage of the Way of the Madonie Shrines we pass from the top of the mountains to one of the most beautiful stretches of the northern coast of Sicily, Cefalù, among The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, part of the UNESCO circuit “Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedrals of Cefalù and Monreale”. In the hamlet of the same name stands the shrine of Gibilmanna, of Benedictine origin, later passed to the Friars Minor.

Find out more on the site of the Way of the Madonite Shrines.

Regional web map of paths and routes for soft mobility realised by LabGis Osservatorio Turistico della Regione Sicilia, in collaboration with FIAB Sicilia and CAI Sicilia.