Monti di Palazzo Adriano e Valle del Sosio – Nature Reserve

At a glance. A rare green haven within the sea and nature area, this oasis homes the oldest rocks in all of Sicily. Did you know its immense forests hide a whopping 90 km of trails and the suggestive Norman remains of Sant’Adriano Hermitage and Rifesi Sanctuary? Find it on the map and read more!

Good to know. The nature reserve of the Valle del Sosio is embedded in the range of the Sicani mountains and located between the towns of Burgio, Bivona, Palazzo Adriano and Chiusa Sclafani; it is the source of the river Sosio which changes its name downstream into Verdura. Hikers will find ideal conditions for an unforgettable walk: immense oak woods cover the slopes of majestic valleys cut by deep canyons and topped by superb peaks where birds such as Corvo Reale, Nibbio and Capovaccio (Common Raven, Kite, and Egyptian Vulture) fly. These are the oldest rocks on the Sicilian Island and, together with the centenary oaks they represent Sicily’s natural, primordial beauty. Penetrating into these forests populated by foxes, martens, wild cats and porcupines, hikers will come upon suggestive and fascinating monuments such as the ruins of the Hermitage of Sant’Adriano and the Sanctuary of Rifèsi.

The suggestive remains of the Hermitage of Sant’Adriano are now shrouded in vegetation, from which emerge here and there what is left of cherubs, friezes, columns, and parts of the building abandoned for centuries. These are the remnants of an ancient history that began around 1157, when the abbot of San Giovanni degli Eremiti in Palermo requested and obtained from the Norman King William I (known as the Bad) a highly secluded place to lead a contemplative life alongside his brethren. In the following centuries, the complex passed to various religious orders and was inhabited until the 16th-17th century: the remains still visible amid the greenery are, in fact, mostly from the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Subsequently, the relocation of religious centers toward inhabited villages marked the progressive abandonment of the building until it became a forgotten ruin in the woods, to be admired today from afar or with the help of an expert guide.

The Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Rifesi is another gem nestled within the Nature Reserve area, but unlike the former, it has remained well-preserved and architecturally closer to its original Norman foundation. The building, just a few kilometers from Burgio, is still used for worship and serves as the destination of a solemn procession that celebrates the Madonna dell’Assunta on July 15th each year. A place of rare charm, hidden among the woods of the Sicani Mountains at an altitude of about 800 meters, which still exudes history, faith, and mystery.

Thanks to continuous promotion and site protection efforts, the Sosio Valley Nature Reserve allows everyone to visit it with ease. In fact, several reference points have been established, including a visitor center, an environmental education center, equipped picnic areas such as the one named “Menta,” and a series of trails suitable for all kinds of use: a network of a staggering 90 km, 30 of which can be explored on foot, and the rest on horseback or by bike.