Travel Guide Castelbuono

Famous in Sicily for having made an appearance in Giuseppe Tornatore's film Cinema Paradiso, this small town of 4,300 inhabitants is situated at 423 metres on the northern slopes of the Madonie, at the foot of the Carbonara peak (1,975 metres). It was founded by the Byzantines and developed from the 14th century onwards by the Ventimiglia family, who made it the first economic centre of the Madonie. The village takes its name from the 14th century castle, with a chapel, Santa Anna, with beautiful golden stuccos by Giacomo Serpotta. You can also stop to admire the 14th-century Vecchia Matrice in Piazza Margherita, which contains, among other treasures, an altar with a superb 16th-century polyptych. The patron saint of Castelbuono, Saint Anna, is honoured on 27 July with a large procession. In mid-August, a jazz festival takes over the town. Other cultural events take place during the summer, including the international festival of organ music, which is held in the churches