Holiday apartment in Villafrati – Baroque, Calvario and Chiarastella

A holiday apartment in Villafrati opens up a place where Baroque architecture, religious traditions and a geologically impressive landscape come together. The Baglio Filangeri is particularly striking: the Filangeri family had it built for residential purposes in the second half of the 18th century. The complex is arranged around three courtyards.

Palazzo Filangeri and a living local history

The oval main courtyard of the Baglio Filangeri connects Villafrati’s main thoroughfare with the buildings intended for baronial activities, as well as with the buildings formerly reserved for servants. It is also practical for getting around on site that a ramp for people with disabilities is available and that the Baglio can be entered free of charge.

The Palazzo Filangeri, a baronial building from the second half of the 18th century, is part of the historic ensemble. It served the Filangeri family as a residence, economic centre and courthouse. Its design is based in simplified form on 18th-century villas in Palermo and on bourgeois villas; at the same time, it follows the principles of the Baroque style. Restoration and renovation of the Palazzo were completed in 2023.

The main building of the Palazzo houses the Museo delle Spartenze on the piano nobile. A permanent theatre with 200 seats was established in the granary. The adjacent courtyard contains an open-air theatre whose audience stands follow the natural slope of the site. In this way, the Palazzo brings together architecture, local history and different forms of cultural experience.

Churches, art and craftsmanship in Villafrati

The religious buildings also have their own distinctive features. The Chiesa del SS. Crocifisso contains fourteen bronze Stations of the Cross by the sculptor Nino Alesco, who came from Rome. A wooden statue of the Crucifix is still venerated today in the restored church. The Chiesa della SS. Trinità dates from 1750 and contains two noteworthy paintings, including a “Nativity” painted by Goffredo Corbella. Construction of the Chiesa di San Marco began in 1865; the foundation stone was laid on 23 April by Archpriest Mario Caltabellotta.

Near Piazza Umberto I stands the Fontanella a due cannoli. Count San Marco donated it in 1849. The cast-iron structure bears, among other features, the coat of arms of the counts and has two outlets shaped like dragon heads. Villafrati’s craft history also includes plaster production, which supplied the local market as well as the markets of the surrounding towns. Until the period after the Second World War, it was carried out in numerous small, family-run kilns called “Carcare”.

Calvario and the religious festivals

The Calvario was built at the end of the 18th century on a hill above the Casale district outside the town, at the edge of the royal Palermo–Agrigento route. It can be reached via a steep staircase. Below the two access ramps is a chapel with a bust of the Ecce Homo. The Calvario is also associated with the depiction of the Crucifixion on Good Friday. In May, worshippers gather in front of the chapel to pray the Rosary.

The festival in honour of the SS. Crocifisso takes place on the third Sunday in September. The celebrations of the Festa del SS. Crocifisso traditionally begin on the Friday of the second week of September and continue until the fourth Sunday. They include three processions in which the image of the SS. Crocifisso is carried through Villafrati. The festive third Sunday also features the traditional “bardatura dei muli” parade with richly decorated mules. Anyone wishing to plan their trip around these cultural and religious highlights will find a clear seasonal reference point here.

Chiarastella between geology and early settlement

Another focal point is the Chiarastella area. The Grotta di Pizzo Chiarastella geosite is included in the “Bagni di Cefalà Diana e Pizzo Chiarastella” Regional Nature Reserve and protects the Grotta Buffa, also known as the Grotta di Villafrati. The cave was used as a rock necropolis from the Copper Age through the Early Bronze Age.

Human settlement in the municipal area has been documented since prehistoric times. In particular, a settlement called “Chifala” existed on Monte Chiarastella until the Norman period. Pizzo di Chiarastella is a geologically significant formation of dolomitic origin that is studied from botanical, faunal and geomorphological perspectives. In the Chiarastella and Contrada Celso areas, travelling mainly on foot is recommended because of the particularly steep terrain. This part of Villafrati is therefore especially suitable for an itinerary in which landscape, nature observation and history closely interact.

Which holiday apartment in Villafrati suits your travel plans?

The Masseria di Villafrati lies along the ancient royal route that connected Palermo with Agrigento. Together with the historic buildings, the Calvario and Chiarastella, Villafrati presents itself as a destination offering different types of experiences. If you mainly want to discover architecture and art, the Baglio, Palazzo and churches take centre stage. For religious traditions, the Calvario and Festa del SS. Crocifisso provide notable points of interest. Nature and history enthusiasts will find a different thematic focus in the Chiarastella area. These differences can help you choose the location of your holiday apartment according to the day trips you have in mind.

Further destinations to consider: Cefalù, Castelbuono, Altavilla Milicia, Santa Flavia, Polizzi Generosa, Caccamo, Prizzi and Balestrate.

For the main travel overview: Palermo.