The tour aims to discover two of the most significant “crown jewels” of Sicily: Sutera, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, and the “Manfredonico-Chiaramontano” castle in Mussumeli, which will also be the perfect occasion to visit the relevant archaeological site of Polizzello, its nearby village and its two farms of excellency: the Costanzo e le Aromatiche di Girafi cheese factories. The small town of Mussomeli, which has Punic origins, is a village that begets more or less 10,000 inhabitants, with a strategic panoramic position, in which there are both hills and mountains (700 meters of altitude). Recently the town has implemented urban regeneration plans, also with the “houses for 1 euro” project, the outline has attracted many foreigners to invest in this enchanting place with medieval charm. Mussomeli’s castle, with its Gothic-Norman style,

it’s not only the most beautiful castle in Sicily but also the most preserved, the structure has a unique charm, and it dominates the valley from a rocky spur of 778 meters. It is said that the fortress has been built on a previous Arab castle and it is also called “il Nido D’Aquila”. The Trabia’s palace, The Langelo royal residence, Minneci’s mansion and Sgadari’s palace are also recommended to visit (this last attraction, is today an archaeological museum, with remains of the archaeological sites of Polizzello and Raffe). Sutera is a mediaeval village with 1250 inhabitants, located on a cliff of the Nisseno hinterland, boasts the nickname of “balcone di sicilia” as it offers a wonderful panorama that goes from Etna to the Gulf of Agrigento, is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, and is one of the stops on the Magna Via Francigena, an ancient route that already connected Palermo to Agrigento in the 11th century. The area has been inhabited since the 7th century BC. C., as evidenced by the discovery, a few kilometres from today’s urban centre, of pre-Hellenic burials attributed to a Sican village. Between the fourth and sixth centuries, the site may have also been frequented by Basilian monks of the Greek-Orthodox rite, as evidenced by the traces of frescoes (locally called figured) visible in an ancient Sican tomb later used as a chapel, in the locality of San Marco. The foundation of the village dates back to the Islamic domination of Sicily, the period in which the Rabato district was built, where in addition to the Mother Church it is possible to visit the church of Maria S.S. del Carmelo, built in 1185. A beautiful living nativity scene is also set up in this neighbourhood, which is another attraction for many tourists. Finally, the Ethno-anthropological Museum, located in the Convent of the Carmelite Fathers, presents the reproduction of typical environments of the houses of the late nineteenth century, with original tools, utensils and furnishings of the time.