The Flower Festival of Monreale

To fully discover the culture of a place, it is not enough to wander among monuments and churches, albeit ancient and enchanting, but you need to live traditions and events that every year enliven cities and villages throughout Italy, including Sicily. On the island, for example, there are many floral displays, that is floral arrangements linked to religious festivals or pagan meanings and, among the most beautiful, there is the Infiorata of Monreale, one of the most beautiful villages in Sicily also thanks to the UNESCO World Heritage Cathedral.

The Flower Festival of Monreale

The floral display of Monreale is an event that attracts many visitors from all over the province of Palermo and coincides with the Feast of Corpus Christi. A large carpet composed of colorful flower petals is installed, at least 60 m long. and approximately 3 m wide. The same petals are arranged, as if they were tiles of a mosaic, so as to create scenes linked not only to the sacred sphere but also to Sicily and the traditions of this land. Many angles of Monreale they are embellished with flowery installations, as well as fountains and church altars.
All 'Infiorata of Monreale in fact, all citizens participate, from students to florists to parishioners and nuns, under the direction of the teachers of the city's art school.
This is the beautiful setting that forms the backdrop to the procession of the Corpus Christi, complete with a procession through the streets of Monreale of the monstrance of Blessed Sacrament, under the typical canopy.

Infiorata of Monreale: historical notes

The Flower Festival of Monreale, Also known as Monreale Art in Bloom, is a relatively recent event: the first edition in fact took place in 2018, on the initiative of the municipality and a series of bodies including the "Traders Association of Monreale".
In recent editions, in addition to the flowery paintings placed in the city, a pictorial exhibition was also held in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II and pleasant musical events, including concerts in the beautiful Cathedral of Santa Maria Nuova.

When does the Infiorata of Monreale take place?

The Flower Festival of Monreale takes place on the day of the Corpus Domini celebrations: in the year 2023 the scheduled date for the event is for Sunday June 11.

Where the Infiorata of Monreale takes place

The Infiorata takes place in the heart of the village of Monreale, a small village 4 km from Palermo, located at 310 m. of height at the foot of the Monte caputo, in the so-called Gold Basin. It is a luxuriant territory dotted with citrus fruits which, illuminated by the sunlight, make the atmosphere luminous and golden.
The Infiorata essentially takes place in Pietro Novelli Coursein Vaglica Squarein William II Square and Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, where is the Fontana del Tritone.

What to do during the Monreale flower festival

The Flower Festival of Monreale is the perfect opportunity to visit this town and in particular the Cathedral of Santa Maria Nuova, declared UNESCO heritage. What is striking inside are the 6000 square meters of gold mosaics, including 130 from the Byzantine era: they tell stories of the Old and New Testaments, as well as scenes from the life of the saints. The Christ Pantocrator it is the fulcrum of the church and offers an extraordinary scenographic effect.
Do not miss the Romanesque cloister of Monastery of San Benedetto, in the center of which stands the Fountain of the King palm-shaped.
In Monreale, the Diocesan Museum , Church of the Most Holy Crucifix, where an ancient crucifix dating back to the XNUMXth century is kept, which apparently saved the population of Monreale from the plague.
After a tour of the picturesque district of Ciambr'art, one cannot fail to reach the Belvedere overlooking the Gold Basin and, in the distance, Palermo.

How to get to Monreale

To reach Monreale you have to leave by car from Palermo and take the SS186 or by bus, from the central Piazza Indipendenza in Palermo, through line 389.
Those coming from Catania must instead take the A19, and then take the E90 (a road to take also for those coming from Messina), always in the direction of Palermo: from the capital, proceed along the SS186 towards Monreale.