Route - Cous Cous

San Vito San Vito lo Capo is famous to be a seaside town and its coast is splendid and opens into a bay which extends from S. Vito to the cape of Solanto, at the foot of mount Monaco.

Here you can fi nd a tuna station that is inactive since 1600. The place was visited by pilgrims devoted to St. Vito, where there is a sanctuary dedicated to him. It was erected in the XIII century on an old chapel and was fortifi ed in 1545.

There are many towers in this place, raised to signal the presence of hostile boats, such as Impiso’s, Torrazzo’s, Sceri’s, Roccazzo’s and also Isolidda’s.

Corleone

Corleone is a small town in the province of Palermo. The name of the town was also used as surname of the main character in Mario Puzo’s book and Francis Ford Coppola’s fi lm, The Godfather. The father of Michael Corleone (played by Al Pacino), Don Vito (played by Marlon Brando in The Godfather and Robert DeNiro in The Godfather, Part II) emigrated to the United States from Corleone. In real life, Pacino’s grandparents emigrated from the town of Corleone in the same generation as Don Vito Corleone does in the film.

The Mother Church dedicated to St. Martin Bishop was initiated in the late 1300’s. Its present look is the result of numerous changes and refurbishments. Its interior has nave and aisles divided into various chapels containing precious art pieces.

Cefalù

The Cathedral of Cefalù located in Piazza Duomo was built under the patronage of Roger II of Sicily, beginning in 1131. This style of Norman architecture would be more accurately called Sicilian Romanesque, the mosaics inside are among the most famous in the world.

San Vito

In St. Vito every year, in September, takes place the “Festival of couscous”. Many Sicilian, Egyptian, Palestinian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian chefs take part to the competition in preparing this special dish. The competition concludes with the public tasting of couscous.

Zingaro

The Natural Reserve of the Zingaro is situated in the extremity of the tyrrhenian west coast of Sicily and it is the continuity of the set of calcareous reliefs of the Mesozoic origin in the Palermo area, near to Mount Cofano. In the reserve, the general climate indicated for the vegetation has an average temperature of 19° C and a rainfall capacity of 645 mm. Also when it doesn’t rain, often there are on the mountains beneficial fog banks that come from the sea and that maintain local damp microclimates.

Ficuzza

Close to Palermo there is Ficuzza, an interesting naturalistic place.

The road that seems is designed from a motorcyclist. A suggestion: guide, then return behind and stop to relax between the trees and the nature.

The Bosco della Ficuzza is one of the richest and charmest woods in Sicily. King Ferdinand of Bourbon himself in the late 16th century made Ficuzza his hunting lodge. The vegetation is highly varied comprising oaks, ashes, cork-oaks, maples; it is home to a rich wildlife including small mammals, countless species of birds and wild-boars. Some buildings, among which is the Palazzina Reale, also lie amidst the wood.

...continuing for Corleone you could follow a small shunting line and visit the sanctuary of the Madonna of the Rosary of Tagliavia, goal of pilgrimages.

Cefalù

A gorgeous little town located on the north coast between Palermo and Messina, has about 50,000 inhabitants and is one of the major tourist attractions in the region. It has Roman baths, an ancient cathedral, marvellous beaches and is a tranquil city full of history.