Visit Gratteri

If you are ready to embark on a journey into the distant Middle Ages to live an exciting experience, you cannot fail to visit the ruins of a Norman abbey, one of a kind, immersed in the Gratteri wood.

It is one of the oldest historical monuments in the Madonie village, half an hour’s walk from the town, through an unspoiled natural landscape. The appointment is at the “Passo della Scala” – under the church of the Crucifix – from where a path begins which, for some decades, has been renamed the Via dei Premostratensi.

And you arrive in a lonely place, steeped in stories and legends, where superhuman peace prevails but which, at the time of the foundation of the monastery, must have been a strategic point of intersection between two Roman roads very frequented by travelers and pilgrims.

The site, today, is a favorite destination for numerous Italian and foreign visitors who go to the discovery of what might seem, at first glance, a ruin like many others, but which in reality is a milestone of the Norman Way in Sicily.

The church of the monastery of San Giorgio is in fact a cultural asset of singular importance in the Sicilian panorama from a historical, artistic, spiritual and anthropological point of view. Its origins date back to the century. XII and are located in a very complex and, at the same time, intriguing period of medieval history.

A priory founded by the Normans and entrusted to a French order, the Premonstratensian monks, the only example in Sicily and then, in 1300, it was inherited by the Hospitallers of Jerusalem, better known as the Knights of Malta, who held it for several centuries as a commendam.

We will tell you a fascinating story of a Norman monument where real events and singular legends blend together in a highly evocative setting that make that of Gratteri a historical document of the Norman period ready to be included within the UNESCO sites of Sicily.

What it includes

This itinerary includes two stops:

• Piazzetta Scala;
• Abbey of San Giorgio.

Information on the sites

Visite the site for more information

Excursion period and time

Timetable: to be chosen from 8 am to 6 pm (please arrive about 30 minutes before departure)

After the excursion you will have the opportunity to: taste typical local products, have lunch at the restaurant or outdoors with a catering service and buy typical local products.

Possibility of overnight stay.

Meeting point

Departure from Piazzetta Scala

Type of excursion

Excursion with pack animals for transporting provisions

Duration

Entire itinerary takes 4-5 hours

Group size

The excursion is subject to a minimum number of 8 participants.

What to bring

Sunglasses, sun cream, insect repellent, long trousers, comfortable closed-toe shoes (trainers or boots), a bottle of water, umbrella, heavier clothes for the evening (it can get cooler in the mountains).

Hiking days

• Check the calendar of events.
• Every day by prior booking with a minimum of 8 participants.

Difficulty of the excursion

Medium/High

(Excursion with guide + lunch)
The price includes transport, the assistance of a guide and a narrator, packed lunch to be enjoyed during the excursion in a characteristic place with typical Sicilian products (drinks included).

Extra costs

Cost of shuttle bus Gratteri/Cefalù – Cefalù/Gratteri
Depending on the number of participants, the time of departure and return will be established
Meeting point in Cefalù – Railway Station
Meeting point in Gratteri – Belvedere Gangi Battaglia
Possible transfers from other locations can be agreed with the organisation depending on the number of participants.

What to know

The itinerary is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control.
The company reserves the right to modify or cancel the itinerary if necessary due to availability and/or adverse weather conditions.
Participants must sign a waiver before taking part in the excursion.

Note: Guides reserve the right to judge the level of experience of each participant. If they consider the participant unsuitable, the participant will not be allowed to take part in the excursion. No refunds will be issued.

For further information, please contact: (+39) 320 4553505