Mountains in Sicily Information

Mountains in Sicily

When people talk of Sicily they probably mention its coastlines, the quaint fishing villages, the excellent markets, the good food, friendly people, vibrant festivals and interesting cities. While landscapes such as the volcanic reaches of Mt Etna or the beautiful Aeolian Islands might be noted, few probably realize how wonderful and numerous are the sections of higher ground in Sicily.

Sicily has a number of mountain ranges and it is here where there are the best tracts of forests, an interesting array of plant and animal species, plenty of outdoor pursuits and fabulous mountain villages with a unique culture of their own.

The primary forests are in the Nebrodi Mountains, the Madonie Mountains and the woods of Ficuzza. Not all the mountain ranges are of volcanic origin.
HyblaeanMountains.

The Hyblaean Mountains

The Hyblaean Mountains range across several provinces in the southeast including Ragusa, Siracusa and Catania and is comprised of white limestone rocks and Karst typography. Like other famous mountain areas of this type, the Hyblaean features deep canyons and sharp valleys that form very scenic landscapes even though the mountains themselves are not that high.

The Necropolis of Pantalica and Cava d'Ispica are probably amongst the most famous attractions in this region. Pantalica is a plateau in which 5000 tombs were built between the 13th and 7th Centuries BC. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with paths winding through the valley leading to various caves and tombs.

The Cava d'Ispica is a spectacular canyon that runs for 13km through the Hyblaean Mountains between Modica and Ispica. The river valley has a series of catacombs, monasteries and burial sites of interest along the way.

MadonieMountains

The Madonie Mountains are a land of high mountains, woods and hillsides just east of the capital Palermo. It is the only reserve in which people also live in Sicily and the villages themselves contain monuments of Arab and Norman legacy with a particular culinary tradition. These Madonie mountains, after Etna, are the second oldest and highest geologic group of Sicily containing half of the island’s plant species.

In the 40,000 hectares you could walk, bike, horse ride, ski, play golf, trawl for mushrooms, cave or simply enjoy the gastronomy. Given the height of these mountains visitors should be ready for weather extremes and always bring jackets and rain gear. There are a number of good rifugios in the Madonie mountains open for day and overnight visitors. These are a great base for bikers, walkers, skiers and other visitors throughout the year.

Nebrodi Mountains

The Nebrodi mountains span 85,687 hectares and of these 50,000 hectares are woods. That means there are a huge variety of trees and animals including the unique San Fratello horse, sheep, pigs and cattle. Reaching from the Peloritani range in the west to the Madonie range east of Palermo, the Nebrodi also contains 21 towns, however it is largely unpopulated compared to the Madonie. The highest point in the range is Mt Soro at 1847 metres and much of the Nebrodi area is usually misty and wet thanks to the high altitude. Those that set out to explore the trails on foot, bike or horse back will love the options here but should be aware that rain does make some of the sections unpleasant and even disorienting - so take care.

If you're heading through the Nebrodi it's common to see wild pig but make sure you keep an eye out for the unique horse breed San Fratello particularly in the lower stretches.

Peloritan Mountains

These mountains are a ring of steep hills that effectively encircle Messina. They extend for 65km from Messina toward Cape Peloro, along the Ionian coast and west to the Nebrodi. The mountains are best viewed from the straits of Messina and form a fantastic backdrop to the city. The highest peak in this range is Montagna Grande at 1374m but the average height of the peaks are between 800m and 1000m and these are intermingled with ridges, ravines and deep gorges. There are some fantastic viewpoints up here of the Tyrrhenian and Ionian coasts, plus a few old monasteries/sanctuaries to explore and some good woods for both hunters and walkers.

Sicanian Mountains

This range of mountains border Ficuzza, Caltanisetta, Salemi and Agrigento in central-southern Sicily. They are not as well known as the Madonie or Nebrodi and receive far fewer visitors. Much of the range is hilly and made from clay or sandstone. There aren't many forests in the Sicanian Mountains and much of it is used for agriculture today. The highest peak, Rocca di Bussambra, is approximately 1613m in height and overlooks Ficuzza - a rather misty hamlet in the mountains. The woods of Ficuzza are the largest in western Sicily and ideal for trekking, cycling, horse riding and finding orchids.

Sant’ Angelo Muxaro is another interesting place to visit in this region. The hilltop town is surrounded by beautiful agricultural countryside where you could eat ricotta with shepherds, drop into caves, explore ancient tombs and enjoy the traditional foods and festivals.

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