San Biagio Platani > Itinerary 4 northwestern

The village of San Biago Platani was built between the Sicani Mountains at the beginning of the 17th century on a high plain above the river Platani and has developed around the two main avenues: Viale della Vittoria and Corso Umberto. The Chiesa Madre proudly exhibits paintings of Padre Fedele di San Biagio, a local friar of the Cappucin order who was much acclaimed as an artist throughout Sicily in the 18^th century. The art of this talented friar is characterized by a figurative language rich in details, a wise use of colors, and a profound attention to rendering human faces and emotions. Padre Fedele was also a highly regarded set designer of his time, overseeing the creation of splendid theatrical and processional decorations for the religious festivals of the area. His figure is still very much loved and celebrated by the community of San Biagio Platani. The town’s claim to fame are, however, the Archi di Pasqua (Easter arches) which adorn the centre of town in the Easter period: they are part of one of the oldest and most beautiful Easter traditions in Sicily. Many weeks before Easter the two rival confraternities, theMadunnara (devotees of the Madonna) and the Signurara (devotees of Jesus Christ) stage an artistic contest in which they try to outdo each other in building magnificent and imposing bamboo arches and cupolas over Corso Umberto. These arches are finely decorated with sculptures in bread, laurel leaves and citrus fruits. Throughout the entire holy week (and for several weeks thereafter) the arches offer a true spectacle to all visitors, especially in the evening when they are illuminated and the centre of town resembles a fairytale ballroom.

At a short distance from the town center, there are the gorges of the Platani River, an enchanting canyon where you can go hiking or cycling. In addition, the surrounding hills are covered with dense vegetation of olive groves, almond trees, and vineyards that produce fine wines and olive oils. San Biagio Platani is a place that offers visitors a perfect combination of history, culture, nature, and traditions, ideal for a vacation to discover the most authentic Sicily.