In the Metropolitan City of Palermo, there is a small town populated by about 3.500 people: the village is located 630 meters above sea level and its name is Caltavuturo.
Here nature makes its show, the history is ancient and waiting to be discovered, while the town welcomes you with the delicious delicacies of the Sicilian table!
Here then between mountains overlooking the sea and a historic center full of beauties, Caltavuturo and its history, to discover everything there is to see in Caltavuturo, immersed in the Imera Valley.
The beauties of nature in Caltavuturo and surroundings
Before arriving in Caltavuturo, nature itself reveals what to see: the Imera Valley and Madonie Park they are the natural frame of the village.
Il Madonie Park it offers you extraordinary panoramas and peculiarities such as the Nebrodi fir. Among the highest peaks of the Park, we point you out Carbonara lace e Antenna lace, which exceed 1.900 meters in height: here, near the neviere, you will find snow even in summer, while the view sweeps over the wonders of the Tyrrhenian Sea. In the park you can make beautiful walks in the green, spotting hares and hedgehogs, foxes and even the griffin.
La Imera Valley surrounds the course of the Salso river, also touching the center of Resuttano. Here nature is discovered along the banks of the river, among the pebbles bathed by clear and fresh waters where herons, egrets, hawks and harriers live. Between cliffs and streams, the landscape is idyllic, populated only by typical plants and animals that live in the river.
The history of Caltavuturo
Caltavuturo already existed well before being called Caltavuturo: with this we mean that among these hills, the story is very ancient. In fact, as early as the XNUMXth century BC there is news of Mount Gorgium and the ancient center of Ambica, which today corresponds to the town of Sclafani Bagni: here, in the surroundings of Caltavuturo, Dinocrates and Agathocles, the tyrant of Syracuse, fought.
Between the sixth and seventh centuries, however, these lands were colonized by the Byzantines, before the arrival of the Arabs: it would have been born in this period, the ancient original village from which today's Caltavuturo descends and this story can be read in the name of the town itself, which in Arabic could mean "Stronghold of Abū Thawr" but also "Rock of the Vulture".
From the arrival of the Normans until the 1893th century, several noble families ruled the town, including the Ventimiglia family, and it was in this period that the village began to expand, in fact many inhabitants left the center to go down to the lower quote. Even today the village remembers how in XNUMX, during the Revolt of the Sicilian Fasci, some peasants who had occupied the cultivated lands were killed during the bloody demonstration.
What to see in Caltavuturo
What can you see in Caltavuturo during a holiday of a few days?
Let's start from the historic centre: the town's symbols are its oldest monuments, such as the Mother Church of the sixteenth century, consecrated to Holy Apostles Peter and Paul; upon entering, you can admire the original sculptures by Gagini. Even older is the Church of the Holy Saviour, which dates back to the twelfth century, while the Church of Santa Maria di Gesù it is one of the most "modern", built in the seventeenth century and guardian of a beautiful wooden Crucifix, made by Friar Umile from Petralia. Another religious building that you should visit in the center is the Badia, Or the Church of Santa Maria La Nova.
To complete your visit of Caltavuturo, what to see in the surroundings? Among the closest destinations, we remind you of the Terravecchia Castle, from the XNUMXth century, of which only the ruins remain today. Descending from the Rocca, you will also find the Mannari, the stone sheepfolds shelter for the flocks. Then you can visit the Gazzara gorges e Mount Sheltered, before reaching the Madonie Park or Resuttano.
Caltavuturo at the table, among typical dishes and festivals
Tasting the typical dishes and products of the village will allow you to fully understand the spirit of the country: in Caltavuturo the main product is the Ferla mushroom, to which a real one is dedicated in the month of November international festival a local festival not to be missed, for those who want to organize an autumn holiday in Sicily; throughout the year, however, in Caltavuturo you can taste the best of Palermo cuisine and whet your appetite with the delicious arancini. Speaking of whetting your appetite, in these parts for a perfect appetizer, ask for local cheeses and cured meats, to taste the real typical products of the area.
How to get to Caltavuturo
Caltavuturo, in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, can be reached by car or train: getting there is easy!
In the car, take the A19 Palermo-Catania and about 3,9 km from the town, you will find the exit for Scillato; on the train, Termini Imerese station is about 24 km from the village, where you will arrive by bus or shuttle.
© Image by David Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
