The Municipality of Bivona led the consortium of the Agrigento villages who loudly requested the establishment of the Sicani Mountains Park, a work to enhance the territory, protect the environment and capable of encouraging tourist activities in the area.
But the Monti Sicani Park is above all the recognition of the triumph of nature in Western Sicily, in an area where tourists will find a true paradise.
The history of the Sicani Mountains Park
The history of the Monti Sicani Park is long and troubled: 12 municipalities have requested the establishment of the Park Authority for years. After two failed attempts in 2014 and 2018, finally in 2021 the mayors of villages such as Bivona and Sambuca di Sicilia managed to obtain concrete results: in the same 2021 the boundaries of the Park were delimited, with trekking routes e equipped green areas.
Due to the importance of this vast naturalistic site, it was finally possible to give life to the Park, which brings together in a single name the Natural Reserves of the Cammarata Mountains, Carcaci and Genuardo, in addition to Monti of Palazzo Adriano and Valle del Sosio.
What to see in the Sicani Mountains Park
To completely immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of the Reserve, we recommend that you organize an entire holiday in the countryside, staying overnight in one of the surrounding municipalities.
In the Monti Sicani Park it is possible to do trekking, reaching areas of historical and archaeological interest such as Permian fossils, dating back almost 300 million years; along the course of the Sosio river which crosses the area and touches the borders of Bivona, it is possible to admire many unique flowers.
Among the holm oak, maple and pine woods that characterize the Park, it is possible to spot wild rabbits, foxes, hedgehogs and martens, while among the birds that populate the Reserve there are the spotted woodpecker and the blackcap.
La highest peak of the Park of the Sicani Mountains is that of Mount Cammarata, which reaches 1570 metres. From here you can spot the peaks of Etna, the Madonie Park and the Tyrrhenian Sea, while on clear days, you will also be able to see the coasts of the Mediterranean.
Where stay
To visit all the wonders of the Sicani Park, we advised you to stay overnight in one of the villages surrounding the Park, such as Bivona or Sambuca di Sicilia, Burgio or Cammarata.
Here then is a small guide of what you can admire in the historic centers of these ancient mountain villages, including monuments, churches and works of art that will make your stay in Sicily even more precious.
Bivona was born in the XNUMXth century and main attractions in the center are the Churches. Even in the surrounding area, there is no shortage of wonderful sacred buildings that history has left almost intact, such as the Chiaramontana Mother Church of the thirteenth century and the incredible Church of Santa Maria di Loreto. Furthermore, in the town you will also find many noble palaces which with their beauty make the streets of Bivona unique.
Sambuca di Sicilia it is the ideal place for those who want to capture all the beauties of the Belice Valley from above, looking out from the Belvedere exedra, before going to the Sanctuary of Maria SS. dell'Udienza or in the Church of Santa Caterina, to admire the incredible meticulousness of the baroque decorations.
A Burgio you can visit the Baronial Castle, but also numerous churches such as those of San Rocco and San Giuseppe, the ruins of the Priory of Santa Maria del Bosco and the former Church of Santa Lucia. Casale Saraceno is connected to Castello, which is located in the Santa Lucia neighborhood.
Cammarata it is a larger centre, full of monuments and tourist attractions such as the seventeenth-century Mother Church of San Nicola di Bari, the Castle and noble palaces such as Palazzo Trajna. The Church of the Annunziata, the Church of San Sebastiano and the Church of Sant'Antonio Abate are just some of the numerous churches that you can visit in the town.
In each of the towns bordering the Monti Sicani Park, you will find welcoming accommodation facilities suitable for all types of travellers. Furthermore, in these parts you can enjoy unique dishes, prepared only with genuine ingredients and according to traditional recipes: then try the pasta with sardines, the swordfish rolls and the delicious Sicilian pesto.
How to get to the Sicani Mountains Park
The Monti Sicani Park can be easily reached from Bivona, which is only 16 km away.
To get to town, in the car take the SS 121, then SS 189 and SS 188 will take you to the exit for the SS 118, where you will find the signs to reach Santo Stefano Quisquina and finally Bivona. If you travel on the train, the closest station is Agrigento Centrale, where when you get off you will find buses and shuttles waiting for you, to accompany you on the 36 km to the centre.
© Image by Marcos90, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
