マドニエ公園の天然記念物・トップ20

A large metal summit cross, easy access from Ref. Crispi, wonderful landscape in the Parco delle Madonie, views in all directions, the most spectacular certainly to Castelbuono towards the sea (N)...it's worth it...also later on the stop at the CAS hut Ref. Crispi

What a fantastic view from up here! (360°). A wooden sign marks the summit (Sicily's second highest!). The path is steep on all sides but always easy to walk, never really exposed; only loose rocks could pose a problem. The area was apparently quite busy in the past (ski lifts, etc.), but nature is slowly reclaiming the infrastructure...great beech "groves"!

"In 2012, a man named Salvo Valenti claimed to have had visions of the Archangel Michael, who ordered him to place a painting of St. Michael in a wooden votive shrine near a spring in the Madonie mountains, at an altitude of 1,300 meters. This site has become a pilgrimage destination, even though the Curia does not officially recognize it as a sanctuary. The story is shrouded in mystery and devotion, and the painting continues to inspire the faithful who go there to pray and reflect."

A place dedicated to the Archangel San Michele with a holy spring.

The "Fratel Biagio Conte" Nature Trail, an easy walk, runs along a forest road that from Portella Colla first descends gently to the forest gate and then climbs part of the northern slope of Cozzo Sella. Among the native beech, maple, and holly trees, you'll also encounter Madonie fir trees, introduced by the joint efforts of the Park Authority, the University of Palermo, and the State Forestry Company of the Sicily Region. Along the trail, you can observe native flora and fauna in a natural and landscape setting of rare beauty. It's no coincidence that this location was chosen by Brother Biagio for a period of hermitage at the forest refuge you'll encounter along the trail. Continuing, you'll reach a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the Piano Mirabilici valley, a karst sinkhole that characterizes the area. In the background, Monte Cervi with its magnificent continental beech forest. We invite you to walk the path in silence and leave no trace of your passage. Nine panels along the path invite pilgrims to observe and reflect, just as Brother Biagio loved to do.

Pizzo Palermo and Pizzo Principessa are also easy to plan, even if there are no specially marked paths there.

A votive chapel, for the most faithful.

The Grattàra Cave is an integral part of the history and folklore of the place, because in legend it is the seat of the Befana ("a Vecchia Strina"), the protagonist of an ancient fairy tale.