Collesano Voyage Tips and guide

Collesano is a hill town in the Madonie mountains of Sicily, in the Metropolitan City of Palermo. About 20 km inland from the coastal resort of Cefalù, it makes an easy half-day trip for travellers exploring the Madonie or looking for an un-touristed Sicilian old town.

Collesano grew up around a Norman castle founded under Roger II in the 1130s and was an important feudal centre in the late Middle Ages. A devastating earthquake in 1693 destroyed the castle and reshaped much of the town, but the dense medieval street plan, several richly decorated churches and a tradition of maiolica ceramics survive. In the 20th century the town became known as a stop on the Targa Florio, the pioneering road motor race first run in the Madonie in 1906.

Collesano has no railway station. The usual approach is by car: from the A19 (Palermo–Catania) or A20 (Palermo–Messina) motorways, exit toward Campofelice di Roccella / Cefalù and follow the SS643 inland. Parking is available around the edge of the historic centre.

The nearest railway station is at Cefalù (about 20 km), on the Palermo–Messina line, from where Collesano is a short drive or a local bus connection. (Check current bus operator and timetable before relying on it.)

The historic centre is compact and best seen on foot; streets are narrow and steep in places, so wear comfortable shoes.

A free, self-guided walking tour links the main sights in a 15-stop loop of about 1.5 km, with a downloadable GPX route for offline use: collesano.tours (available in English, Italian, German and French).

• 37.9235113.9381851 Mother Church (Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul) (Chiesa Madre, San Pietro). The town's principal church (begun in the early 16th century), reached by a monumental staircase attributed to Antonino Spatafora (1602). Inside are frescoes by Giuseppe Salerno, "Zoppo di Gangi", and a notable collection of paintings and sculpture.  
• 37.92125313.9374982 Targa Florio Museum (Museo Vincenzo Florio). Museum dedicated to the Targa Florio, the endurance road race founded by Vincenzo Florio and first run on 6 May 1906 — one of the oldest motor races in the world. Housed in the Municipality Palace, a former Dominican convent. Check opening hours locally.  
• 37.92374713.9385533 Watchtower of Collesano (Torre di Guardia). A 12th-century tower at the highest point of the medieval town, later used as the bell tower of the Mother Church. The surrounding terrace gives wide views over the Madonie.  
• 37.92183613.9375334 Church of San Domenico. Early-16th-century church founded by Susanna Gonzaga, holding a 1623 "Madonna del Rosario" by Giuseppe Salerno.  
• 37.9184713.9377075 Santa Maria di Gesù. 17th-century Franciscan church known for a 1635 wooden Crucifix by Fra Umile da Petralia.  
• 37.92535513.9377286 Church of Saints Sebastian and Fabian (Chiesa del Collegio). Holds a 1688 canvas by Gaspare Perdichizzi that is the only known visual record of Collesano as it looked before the 1693 earthquake.  
• 37.92590813.9373847 Collesano Castle (Castello). Ruins of the Norman castle founded under Roger II (c. 1130–1140) and wrecked by the 1693 earthquake, at the top of the old town.  

• Self-guided walking tour of the old town. A free 15-stop route through the churches, the Targa Florio Museum, the castle and the craft workshops; allow 1.5–2 hours with stops. Route and GPX at collesano.tours. 
• Collesano Cheese Festival (Sagra del Formaggio). Annual food festival celebrating local cheeses and Madonie produce, usually held in November. Dates vary year to year; check with the Pro Loco. 

• 37.92202513.937311 Ceramiche Iachetta. Family ceramics workshop continuing Collesano's maiolica tradition; hand-painted tiles and tableware.  

• 37.92063413.9375051 Le Delizie di Benedetta. Family-run pasticceria, gelateria and rosticceria in the historic centre — good for Sicilian pastries and a quick savoury bite.  
• 37.91952313.9373282 Trattoria Carricaturi di Barranco. Family trattoria serving traditional Madonita and Sicilian dishes.  
• 37.92243913.9375273 Pizzeria Quattro Cannoli. Casual evening pizzeria on the corso.  

• 37.92260413.9374691 Caffè Civello. The town's oldest bar, in business since 1902; known locally for its gelato.  
• 37.91966113.9376372 Ulisanu Café, Via Cavour. Relaxed café-bar with outdoor tables.  

Accommodation in and around Collesano is mostly in agriturismi and country guesthouses in the surrounding Madonie countryside rather than in the town centre. Cefalù, 20 km away, has the largest choice of hotels on the coast.

• Cefalù — Norman cathedral and beaches on the coast, ~20 km.
• Madonie — the wider mountain park, with hiking and other hill towns (Castelbuono, Petralia Soprana, Polizzi Generosa).
• Palermo — the regional capital, ~80 km.