Sambuca di Sicilia

Member of I Borghi più belli d'Italia

Leop81 (Wikipedia user)Sambuca di SiciliaPublic domain
Civa61Balvedere, Sambuca CC BY-SA 4.0
GuzmanChiesa di Santa Caterina Sambuca di Sicilia CC BY-SA 4.0
GuzmanCortile del Palazzo Panitteri CC BY-SA 4.0
Giuseppe TucciLagoarancio CC BY-SA 3.0
MboeschSambuca-de-sicilia-chiesa-del-carmine CC BY-SA 3.0
MboeschSambuca-de-sicilia-palazzo-chiacco CC BY-SA 3.0
MboeschSambuca-de-sicilia-palazzo-dell-arpa CC BY-SA 3.0
Guzzman85Simulacro di Maria SS. dell'Udienza CC BY-SA 3.0
Mario BonaviriGole della Tardara CC BY 3.0
Davide MauroPiazza Saraceni 3 CC BY-SA 4.0
CoshipiSambuca di Sicilia panorama CC BY-SA 2.0
GuzmanSculture tessili di Sylvie Clavel Sambuca di Sicilia CC BY-SA 4.0

Founded by the Arabs around 830 as Zabut, Sambuca still keeps its Arab quarter, a knot of seven Saracen alleys known as li setti vaneddi, beneath a belvedere at the top of the hill. In the 17th century the town grew along the Corso, lined with noble palaces and churches. Below lies Lake Arancio, where the Mazzallakkar fort resurfaces whenever the water drops.

Highlights

The seven Saracen alleys of the Arab quarter
Palazzo Panitteri, home of the ethno-anthropological museum
The Carmine church, with Antonello Gagini's marble Madonna dell'Udienza
The Mazzallakkar fort, emerging in summer from Lake Arancio
The archaeological site of Monte Adranone, from the 4th century BC

Text adapted from Wikipedia (Sambuca di Sicilia (IT), Sambuca di Sicilia (EN)), Wikivoyage (Sambuca di Sicilia (IT), Sambuca di Sicilia (EN)). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Population: 5,341

Things to see

Riserva naturale orientata Monte Genuardo e Santa Maria del Bosco (IT)
Teatro comunale L'Idea (IT)
chiesa di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria (IT)
Local food: Minna di Virgini PAT (IT)

Events through the year

Feast of Saint Joseph Religious · 19 MarchFeast with procession
Holy Week processions Religious · Good Friday and Easter SundayDead Christ procession; at Easter noon the Risen Christ meets the Madonna
Feast of Saint George Religious · 23 AprilCo-patron blesses fields and families; local cheesemakers offer zabbinata
Festa di Maria Santissima dell'Udienza Religious · Third Sunday of MayPatronal feast with an all-night procession through the old centre
Animal fair Fairs and markets · 13 June and 21 September
Notte Bianca della cultura Music and arts · One summer night, 8 pm to 3 amBook launches, painters, music, theatre and food tastings along Corso Umberto
Festa di Maria SS. dei Vassalli Religious · 5 AugustPasta with dried broad beans, the Virgineddi, is handed out
August procession of the Madonna dell'Udienza Religious · Every five years, August · every 5 yearsStatue carried to the Trasferimento quarter
Saracen Festival Historical · AugustRe-enactments and open-air food tastings in the Arab quarter
Feast of Saint Lucy Religious · 13 DecemberProcession

Dates follow the traditional patterns in our sources: check locally before you travel.

Adapted from Wikipedia (Sambuca di Sicilia), Wikivoyage (Sambuca di Sicilia (IT), Sambuca di Sicilia (EN)). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Local food & wine

Guzzman85Minni di virgini CC BY-SA 3.0
Minna di virgini (IT)SweetShortcrust pastry with milk cream, pumpkin jam, chocolate and cinnamon
Nocellara del Belice olives and oil (PDO) (IT)Olive oilLocal olive variety grown for oil in the area
Vastedda della Valle del Belìce (PDO)CheeseSheep's milk cheese from local flocks
Sambuca di Sicilia DOC (IT)WineLocal DOC wine, the main resource of the local economy
VirgineddiBread and pastaPasta with dried broad beans, shared on 5 August
Biscotti a CavigliaSweetBiscuits shaped like a chair rung, served with tea or sweet wine

Adapted from Wikipedia (Sambuca di Sicilia), Wikivoyage (Sambuca di Sicilia). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to sleep

4 places to stay within 3 km

B&Bs and guest houses 3
Campsites 1

Nearby member villages

Salemi · 33 km
Sutera · 57 km
Erice · 63 km
Petralia Soprana · 89 km
Cefalù · 91 km