Holiday apartment in San Mauro Castelverde – between the Madonie and Nebrodi

San Mauro Castelverde lies between the Madonie and the Nebrodi at an altitude of over 1,000 metres. The town offers panoramic views as well as access to the sea.

Holiday apartment in San Mauro Castelverde between hiking routes and culture

The network of trails around San Mauro comprises 16 routes with a total length of approximately 180 kilometres. One route from Piano San Mauro is very easy. It can be travelled on foot, by mountain bike or e-bike, and with a Joelette. Another route begins at the former Capuchin monastery, leads through the historic centre and runs through the forest behind the municipal cemetery towards Colle Calandra.

More challenging elevations characterise the route from Portella Ciambra to Timpa del Grillo. It climbs to 1,345 metres; Timpa del Grillo is the highest point in the San Mauro Castelverde area. The Sentiero dei briganti siciliani begins in San Mauro Castelverde in the Parco delle Madonie, passes through Gangi and ends after approximately 100 kilometres in five days and with four overnight stays in Cesarò in the Parco dei Nebrodi.

Gole di Tiberio and the Pollina River

The Gole di Tiberio are a fluvial karst gorge carved into limestone by the Pollina River. The limestone rocks formed in the Upper Triassic more than 200 million years ago; the uplift and formation of the gorge began approximately 23 million years ago in the Miocene. The Geopark area is recognised by UNESCO and lies along the Pollina River between San Mauro Castelverde and Castelbuono within the Parco delle Madonie.

The Gole di Tiberio can be reached from the Castelbuono or Tusa exits of the A20 via the SP 52 and SP 60; a staircase with approximately 400 steps then leads to the gorge. The excursions organised in spring and summer include crossing the gorge in an inflatable boat and a walk along the Pollina River. Depending on the season, they may also include a detour to the small gorges or upstream to swimming pools. Zipline Sicilia offers people with motor disabilities a seated start using a safety harness.

Churches, crafts and medieval traces

The Church of San Mauro Abate was built in 1620 over three older churches. Its polychrome majolica spire on the bell tower is decorated with partially overlapping spheres. The Church of San Giorgio Martire preserves an Arab-Norman portal and an Arab-Norman-style bell tower. During restoration work in 2014, further Arab-Norman columns were uncovered.

The old windmill of San Mauro Castelverde is one of the few remaining examples of this type of architecture in Sicily and dates back to the 17th or 18th century. The Museo Etnoantropologico features rooms dedicated to agriculture, shoemaking, woodworking, blacksmithing, weaving, grape harvesting and rural life. The interactive map Antiche Botteghe guides you through the historic streets of San Mauro Castelverde and to the old craft shops. Along the way, it conveys stories about local occupations, knowledge and people.

The Castello di San Mauro Castelverde – Castrum Sancti Mauri – is considered an ancient fortified centre in the Val Demone at an altitude of approximately 1,100 metres. Under Norman rule, the Castello belonged to the Diocese of Troina in 1082 as a donation from Count Roger. In 1196, the Countess of Geraci, Guerrera Creon, commissioned work; the two associated towers on the hills of Colle Maddalena and Colle San Marco may date back to her.

Discover olive oil from the Madonie

The Banca dell’Olio delle Madonie is located in renovated underground rooms of the former Badia and houses a permanent exhibition about extra virgin olive oil. A multisensory visitor route with technical explanations and guided tastings of oils from local producers complements this insight.

Further places for planning your trip

Other places you can include in your travel plans are Cinisi, Grisì, Ciminna, Gangi, Lercara Friddi, Ficuzza, Alia and Cefalù.

For the overarching travel overview: Palermo.