in the nearby...
Quacella ridge © Lorenzo Sausa thanks to kind permission of the Madonie Park Authority
In a context characterised by mountains and picks that nearly reach 2000 m.a.s.l., the Madonie Park represents a huge naturalistic, artistic and historical patrimony.
It is part of the World UNESCO Geopark because of its particularly interesting geological and geomorphological aspect, which represents almost all the aspects of Sicilian geology. In fact, there are the most ancient Sicilian rocks, which were formed in the Triassic. The highest peaks of the Madonie Park are: Pizzo Carbonara (1979 m.a.s.l.), San Salvatore Mount (1912 m.a.s.l.), Ferro Mount (1906 m.a.s.l.), Quacella Mount (1869 m.a.s.l.), Cervi Mount (1656 m.a.s.l). Even if they are part of the same mountainous complex, they are very different from each other and characterized by valleys, plateau, upland plateau, precipices.
In addition, even if the area is only the 2% of the Sicilian surface, it hosts half of the Sicilian
plant species, whom the most part is endemic
PETRALIA SOPRANA
The salt mine
This deposit of extra pure rock salt was formed six million years ago, due to a series of rare geological events and because of the Mediterranean Sea dried up. The deposit has the shape of a laid-up egg, and it stretches about a km, and it hosts the MACSS, the Contemporary Art Museum Sottosale, which is a unique case of contemporary art museum located in an active mine with its salt rock sculptures
PETRALIA SOTTANA
Adventure park
The Madonie Adventure Park is completely immersed in a wood where the surrounding environment can
be fully enjoyed thanks to the proposed eco-sport activities. These are for
people of all age: canopy tour, archery, orienteering in the wood, sport
climbing, Powerfun jump. In addition,
it is possible to have lunch in the
dining area or to use the equipped
area for a pic-nic.
ISNELLO
Astronomic observatory
The idea of the astronomic Park of the Madonie was born at the beginning of the 90s thanks to the first intuitions that the scientific research with the most efficient and innovative divulgation of the astronomic science were to join, to innovate the knowledge processes and to take advantage from the potential of the scientific activity to revitalize a poor area which has an important touristic potential.
PIANO BATTAGLIA
ski station
Piano Battaglia is a district of Petralia Sottana municipality, at about 1600 m.a.s.l. in a big karstic hollow in the heart of the Madonie mountainous chain. The area hosts facilities to practice winter sports (ski lift) and it is also a famous touristic station, with different accommodation facilities and a small church dedicated to the Virgin of Snow.
Curated by the Madonie Park Body it is inserted in a precious naturalistic frame, surrounded by an ancient beech wood.