The village of Sclafani Bagni is a small medieval jewel that has just 600 inhabitants and which hides a little secret that will amaze even the most incredulous visitor.
His Old Town everything tastes medieval and the surroundings are a triumph of nature, given that the town is located within a nature reserve which is the oriented one Bosco Favara e Granza forest. Here, then, is all you need to know to visit the village or to discover all its historical and natural beauty.
The story of the origins of Sclafani Bagni
The origins of Sclafani Bagni are very uncertain because there are no official documents, even if its position in an easily protected area and a citation in a writing by Diodorus Siculus suggest that the area was inhabited well before the arrival of the Greeks. In reality, the first certain identification of the village dates back to 938 and is found in the Chronicle of Cambridge where it is said that the Muslim troops under the guidance of Halil managed to conquer the stronghold of Scaflani.
Starting from 1060, however, we witness the Norman domination and then the Aragonese one, while in the early years of the fourteenth century the feud passes into the hands of Matteo Scaflani, already count of Adernò. Under this lord, the village experienced a period of prosperity and urban expansion but on his death the husbands of the two daughters, Margherita and Luisa, fought for the dominion for a long time, in fact leaving it abandoned to itself.
Sclafani Bagni: what to see
There are many things to see in the village of Sclafani Bagni: a tourist tour can only start with a visit to mother church, entitled to Santa Maria Assunta, a structure built in the Palatine period and then, from the XNUMXth century onwards, restructured and enlarged several times. Inside, among other things, there is also a Roman sarcophagus entirely made of marble. Then there is the Church of St. James, of uncertain dating but certainly already existed in 1573 when it is mentioned in an official document, the same story that unites it to the church of San Filippocited in the same document. Also very nice monastery of Santa Chiara, built in 1629. From the point of view of civil architecture, however, there are the remains of castle wanted by Matteo Sclafani which dates back to the XNUMXth century: one of the towers and the entrance portal can still be admired.
The natural spas of Sclafani Bagni
One of the points of attraction of Sclafani Bagni, however, is certainly represented by spa. It's about a natural spring, which reaches a temperature of 37 degrees.
In 1748 a thermal establishment was built around the springs which was strongly desired by the Ducal House of Fernandina. In 1846, then, the then count Matteo Sclafani decided to completely renovate it but unfortunately a few years later, in 1851, a landslide damaged it beyond repair. It was rebuilt further downstream but never returned to its former glory and was closed permanently around 1990.
The water is of the bromo-iodic sulfur type and reaches a pool just outside the town, open to all, which forms a natural swimming pool which is used by anyone who wants to take advantage of the benefits of thermal spring. In ancient times, the pool was used by pilgrims who traveled along the Via Francigena on the Sicilian side and who relaxed before resuming their journey.
Things to do in Sclafani Bagni
There will be many institutional events, which are organized every year in Sclafani Bagni and which attract thousands of visitors. In the month of December, for example, there is the sausage festival which is a gluttonous date that celebrates one of the typical dishes of this area while, in the month of June you can participate in the pork festival. On the last Sunday of June, on the other hand, there is the most heartfelt appointment, namely the patronal feast which is that of the Ecce Homo, an appointment that over time has been able to mix faith and folklore and whose origin is lost in the mists of time.
How to get to Sclafani Bagni
One of the peculiarities of the historic village of Sclafani Bagni is that it cannot be traveled by cars, given that its narrow streets climb the slopes of the mountains and do not allow the passage of cars. For this reason, after reaching by car, the foot of the village along the A19 that connects Palermo to Catania, with the same Scillato or Tremonzelli exit, it will then be necessary to continue first for Caltavuturo and immediately after for Sclafani Bagni, if you want to visit the spas. For the historic village, on the other hand, it will be necessary to leave the car just outside and continue on foot.
