Visit Brindisi : the complete guide
Visiting Brindisi is a tasty and fascinating journey between the different cultures that have...
19.04.2024
Self guided 
Walking
Magna Via Francigena trail: from Palermo to Agrigento
SicilyDifficulty path:Moderate
Self guided · WalkingDuration: 8 daysCode: ws014
from 790 €per person
Highlights
Sicily: history has passed through here!
She is the daughter of 25 centuries of foreign rule: Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Muslims and Normans have all left their mark in their passage through these lands.
The Sicilian roads have historically been the meeting place between various cultures, the point of contact between peoples, the path to reach a destination.
The Roman road system was created to connect the Empire, but later this system came under the administrative and political control of the Franks.
The Magna Via Francigena connects Palermo to Agrigento and crosses Sicily from north to south, from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.
From Palermo you reach the agricultural fiefdom of Corleone nestled in the Sicilian land. The route then climbs up the Monti Sicani Regional Park, and then in the Valley of the Platani River.
From here Sutera, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, and Racalmuto, home of the writer Sciascia, surmounted by the Chiaramontani Castles. From the Aragona Caldare station, formerly frequented by sulfur miners, you will arrive by train in the mythical Agrigento.
She is the daughter of 25 centuries of foreign rule: Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Muslims and Normans have all left their mark in their passage through these lands.
The Sicilian roads have historically been the meeting place between various cultures, the point of contact between peoples, the path to reach a destination.
The Roman road system was created to connect the Empire, but later this system came under the administrative and political control of the Franks.
The Magna Via Francigena connects Palermo to Agrigento and crosses Sicily from north to south, from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.
From Palermo you reach the agricultural fiefdom of Corleone nestled in the Sicilian land. The route then climbs up the Monti Sicani Regional Park, and then in the Valley of the Platani River.
From here Sutera, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, and Racalmuto, home of the writer Sciascia, surmounted by the Chiaramontani Castles. From the Aragona Caldare station, formerly frequented by sulfur miners, you will arrive by train in the mythical Agrigento.
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Palermo, magical metropolis of a deep south
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Corleone, a reborn village
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Ancient fortresses and spectacular monasteries
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Racalmuto, the birthplace of the writer Sciascia
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Routes in the Natural Reserves of Sicily
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Agrigento, open air museum
Program
Day1
Benvenuti in Sicily! Palermo and Santa Cristina Gela
12km, +380m -340m
Private transfer from Palermo (city or airport) to Piana degli Albanesi for your first walk along the the Magna Via Francigena. But before you start walking, don't forget to taste the delicious Iris with ricotta in one of the pastry shops in the center! After few kilometers you will reach Santa Cristina Gela: in this small village of Albanian origin, which preserves arbëreshë customs, traditions and language, a cannolo break is recommended to ensure a good dose of energy! Leave Santa Cristina Gela behind you and continue on the way to Corleone, to reach the Masseria where you will pass the first night.
NB: in case of late arrival, the transfer will go directly to the masseria for the overnight stay (possibility of dinner).
→ If you want to visit Palermo, we recommend to ask for an additional night in the magnificent Sicilian capital at the beginning or end of the tour.
Day2
From Santa Cristina Gela to Corleone
23km, +450m -620m
After breakfast you will start your second walk along the Magna Via Francigena trail.
A lake that embraces an entire valley, the ancient latifundia once considered the barn of Rome, farms and monasteries: today reveals the charm of the pilgrimage to the Sicilian land.
Natural background of the day will be the Bosco della Ficuzza and Rocca Busambra, one of the Natural Reserves of the Sicily Region. At the picturesque Tagliavìa Monastery, you can freshen up and fill your water bottles.
You will follow to Corleone, a town known for mafia facts, but also rich in history and churches: it is renowned the Monastery of the Franciscan Friars Minor Renewed, located on an inaccessible fortress in the center of the village.
The current story speaks of young people who, both in agriculture and in tourist activities, successfully redeem the image of the territory. In this regard, the Legality Laboratory, located in one of the assets confiscated from the boss Bernardo Provenzano, and the CIDMA (International Center for Documentation on the Mafia and the Antimafia) are worth a visit.
Day3
From Corleone to Prizzi
19km, +750m -350m
The Park of the Sicàni Mountains opens to the pilgrim: archaeological sites and pristine forests tell the story of the Sicàni people who gave the island the name Sikània.
The walk from Corleone to Prizzi, was a royal green lane always been crossed by the people who have inhabited this wet and wooded part of Sicily: often the paths of transhumance and main and secondary roads have coincided with the pilgrims' route. When the Greeks arrived in Sicily between the 8th and 7th centuries BC they came into contact with the indigenous peoples who already inhabited this land: Elìmi in the west, Sicàni in the center and Siculi in the east. Cozzo Spoletino and Hippàna are Hellenized indigenous centers and later in the 3rd century BC Romanized on the occasion of the First Punic War.
The route guards and reveals history to travelers who know how to read it.
Day4
From Prizzi to Cammarata
19/25km, +450/550m -550/800m
Leaving Prizzi behind you, today you will cross the Carcaci Mountains Nature Reserve, between wetlands and forests, along a landscape rich in biodiversity.
At the end of your itinerary you will reach Castronovo di Sicilia. Kars-nubu for the Arabs, this "fortified fortress" has become Castrum for the Normans. The village has a long city wall that protects the city and places of worship. Names and buildings suggest that Castronovo di Sicilia has always been a strategically important stop along the Magna Via Francigena trail between Palermo and Agrigento.
After a visit to the inhabited center, transfer to Cammarata for the night.
→ On request it is possible to shorten today's stage from 25 to 19km.
Day5
From Cammarata to Sutera
20km, +700m -750m
The Platani River feeds this land, its valley is rich in pastures and fruits of eastern origin such as green pistachios and juicy mountain peaches.
You are about to enter the County of Caltanissetta. Farmhouses and masserias are places for a break along the way. The rabad, "suburb outside the walls", of Sutera awaits you. The Arab district ràbato, full of alleys and huts, comes to life during the Christmas holidays with the living nativity scene.
The Sanctuary of San Paolino on the chalky monolithic fortress of Sutera is definitely worth a visit ... can you see the Etna volcano?
→ Even today you can request to shorten the walk on the Via Magna Francigena with a short transfer at the beginning of the day.
Day6
From Sutera to Racalmuto
22km, +750m -900m
The story continues to show itself to the wayfarers: the Roman bridge of Campofranco, the Sicilian thòlos tombs of Milena, the Neolithic settlements (5000 BC) of Serra del Palco.
People who often walked on these lands have decided over the centuries to settle in this territory.
Your daily walk ends in Racalmuto, the country of sulfur mines and the writer Leonardo Sciascia.
Day7
From Racalmuto to Agrigento
13km, +250m -400m
Penultimate day: the steps get slower, partly because of tiredness and partly because of the fear that everything will end too soon!
The earth smells of sulfur around here, and the mines tell you about it. Along the way, the Petra of Calathansuderj, a Byzantine-Arab-Norman stronghold, shows you the direction of Aragon.
At the end of this fantastic Magna Via Francigena experience, you will catch a train and reach Agrigento for the last night.
Day8
Arrivederci Agrigento!
Here is the golden south coast, the Mediterranean Sea, that is the sea of all peoples, the fortress of Agrigento with its cathedral. The journey is over ... or maybe it's just started!
Don't miss the Monastery of Santo Spirito to savor the delicacies of the cloistered nuns and certainly not miss the Valley of the Temples, where the worship of the divine is preserved and revealed from time immemorial.
Tour programme variations
Due to organizational reasons, weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during the holiday.
Along the way you may find temporary deviations (for example road works) which cannot be foreseen; in this case each walker can decide autonomously how to deal with these stretches.
What's included
Our offer includes
- 7 nights with breakfast in double room
- Private transfer day 1 and 4
- Credential of Magna Via Francigena
- Detailed route description with maps
- Travel App (maps, tracks, route notes)
- Luggage transportation hotel to hotel
- Phone assistance 08:00-20:00
Not included
- Transfer OUT
- Other meals and drinks
- Public transport day 7
- Entrance fees and tips
- Hotel tourist taxes
- Insurance and everything not listed as "Included"
Departures and prices
Mid Season02/09/2024 => 26/10/2024
Standard830 € /p
Low Season27/10/2024 => 20/11/2024
Standard790 € /p
Low Season01/02/2025 => 28/03/2025
Standard830 € /p
Mid Season29/03/2025 => 24/07/2025
Standard880 € /p
Mid Season01/09/2025 => 26/10/2025
Standard880 € /p
Low Season27/10/2025 => 30/11/2025
Standard830 € /p
Supplements per person
Transfer Apt-Palermo (min 2 pax)
Standard45 € /p
Transfer Agrigento-Palermo (min 2 pax)
Standard120 € /p
Single room | Low Season
Standard200 € /p
Single room | Mid Season
Standard220 € /p
Solo traveller
Standard320 € /p
Other Information
Grade
This tour along the Magna Via Francigena winds mainly through dirt paths and country lanes, with rare intersections on busy roads and some short passages on water channels.
The morphological conformation of this part of Sicily provides considerable differences in level to be tackled daily, so the tour is suitable for anyone with good walking training. The length of a walking day ranges from a minimum of 5 to a maximum of 25 km and travel times between 1,5 and 6 hours.
The hikes are along dirt tracks and country lanes, with rare crossings of busy roads and some short passages along water channels.
We recommend to wear comfortable walking shoes, better if trekking boots, and to bring with you a hat, trekking poles (strongly recommended), drinking water, sun cream and a waterproof jacket in case of rain. The itinerary on the Magna Via Francigena on foot is designed to offer a combination of nature and culture, while providing a good level of comfort.
Accomodations & Meals
This tour offers accommodation in central B&B and selected 3* hotel.
All rooms are ensuite.
- 1 night in Santa Cristina Gela
- 1 night in Corleone
- 1 night in Prizzi
- 1 night in Cammarata
- 1 night in Sutera
- 1 night in Racalmuto
- 1 night in Agrigento
7 breakfasts included.
Support
→ We will take care of your luggage while you are walking.
For the whole duration of your tour, you can contact our assistance numbers.
Travel documents
A few days before departure you will receive by email the Service List with instructions for using the Travel App.
On day 1, during your first private transfer you will receive:
- updated Service List;
- luggage Labels;
- detailed Route Description with Maps;
- Credential of Magna Via Francigena.
Arrival and Departure
Getting there
Palermo is easily reachable by train, bus, car and by air.
BY TRAIN. Trenitalia connects the main Italian cities with the capital of Sicily. From Milan it takes from 15 to 20 hours of travel, with 1 or two changes; from Rome about 11/12 hours with direct line. On www.viaggiatreno.it you can find update informations about train routes.
BY AIR. Palermo Airport Falcone e Borsellino is well connected to the most important Italian and foreign cities.
The airport is about 35km from the city and is well connected with the bus service of the Prestia e Comandè bus lines. More information at the following link.
The train service to and from the airport has also been reactivated, for information and timetables refer to the Trenitalia website.
BY BUS. Palermo is also accessible by bus. Here some of the major operating companies: Marinobus, Baltour & Flixbus, Sais autolinee, Buscenter.
BY CAR. To get to Palermo by car, there are convenient maritime connections departing from Naples, Livorno, Genoa, Tunis. Instead, crossing the Strait of Messina, take the A20 Messina-Palermo, a very suggestive but very busy route.
Back to Palermo
From Agrigento, the last stage of the Magna Via Francigena, it is possible to reach Palermo using the regional connections of the State Railways. The train ticket is about € 10.00; travel time is approximately 2hrs. The rides are reduced during Sunday and public holidays.
→ If you prefer to travel in total comfort, you can book a private transfer on the days of arrival and departure.