Above Petralia Sottana, at 1,819 metres, stands a stone building that looks as though the mountain itself produced it. This is the Sanctuary of the Madonna dell'Alto, one of the highest places of worship in Sicily: no trees around it, only grass, bare rock and a horizon that on clear days runs a very long way.

Anyone climbing up for the first time is struck by two things. The first is the silence, different from the silence of the woods: up here it is the silence of the wind. The second is the gap between the effort of the climb and what you find at the top, which is very little and, at the same time, a great deal.

A mountain sanctuary, not a village church
The building is stripped back: exposed stone, a tiled roof, a small bell tower and, next to the church, the rooms that for centuries have sheltered pilgrims. It was not designed to impress, but to endure: at that altitude the winter is long and the wind gives nothing away.

That plainness is exactly its strength. The sanctuary does not compete with the landscape of the Madonie: it belongs to it.

Getting there
From Petralia Sottana you climb the mountain road that leads towards the summit: the final stretches are unsurfaced and call for care, especially after rain. If your vehicle is not suited to it, check the state of the road before setting off.

The alternative, and for many the better choice, is to walk up. Take the climb slowly, ideally in the early morning, and you get a landscape that changes as you go: first the woods, then the pastures, and finally the high grassland where only stone and grass remain.

The night between 14 and 15 August
There is one moment in the year when the sanctuary stops being a solitary place. Tradition has it that on the night between 14 and 15 August the faithful walk up for the dawn celebration: you set off in the dark, walk in a line of lights, and arrive as the sky is only beginning to pale.

Even those who do not come out of faith are rarely unmoved. The light opening up all at once over the whole of the Madonie, after hours of climbing in the dark, is one of those things people talk about for years.

Practical advice
At 1,819 metres the weather is nothing like the weather in the village, not even in August. You need hiking boots with a proper sole, a warm windproof layer even in high summer, enough water, and a head torch if you are walking at night. There is no shade at the top: with the sun high, a hat and sunscreen are not optional.

Mountain weather changes quickly, so it is worth checking the forecast the evening before and, in thick fog or storms, postponing without regret. The mountain will still be there.

Back down in the valley
You come down with heavy legs and a serious appetite. At Il Castello, in the centre of Petralia Sottana, the kitchen works with Madonie produce: madonita sausage, caciocavallo, fresh ricotta, mushrooms, seasonal vegetables. You will find the traditional dishes on the Il Castello restaurant page.

For a more relaxed dinner there is the pizzeria at Il Castello, with dough matured for 72 to 100 hours, ancient Sicilian grains and spring water from Geraci Siculo.

Sleeping at the foot of the climb
A trip to the Madonna dell'Alto works far better without a long drive before and after it. Our rooms in the heart of the Madonie are in the centre of Petralia Sottana, minutes from the start of the climb: you can set off early without an impossible alarm, and come back without having to drive at the end of the day.

Check availability and book your stay in the Madonie

For information, menus and reservations: +39 0921 641250 – Via Generale di Maria, 27, Petralia Sottana.