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 wood of Gratteri. It is one of the oldest historical monuments in the Madonite 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 that, for some decades, has been renamed 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 has now become a favorite destination for numerous Italian and foreign visitors who set out to discover 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 monument 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.
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where real events and singular legends blend together in a highly evocative setting that make that of Gratteri a unique historical document ready to be included within the Arab-Norman UNESCO site.
What’s included
This itinerary includes two stops
- Piazzetta Scala;
- San Giorgio’s Abbey.
Infos about the place
Visit the website to get more information
Duration and time of the excursions
Time: to be chosen between 8.00 a.m and 6 p.m. (we ask you to arrive about 30 minutes before the departure)
After the excursion you will have the cance to: taste the place’s typical products, have lunch at the restaurant or outdoors, by taking advantage of the caterring, and buy the local typical products.
Possibility to stay overnight
Meeting point
Start at Piazzetta Scala
Type of excursion
Excursion with pack animals for the carriage of supplies
Duration
The whole itinerary lasts 4-5 hours
Size of the group
The excursion will only take place with at least n°8 participants.
What to bring
Sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, long trousers, comfy and closed footwear (sneakers or boots), a bottle of water, an umbrella, warm clothes for the evening (it can get colder on the mountains).
Excursions’ days
- See the events’ calendar..
- Every day upon reservation with at least n°8 participants.
Level of difficulty of the excursion
Medium/high
(Excursion with guide + lunch)
The price includes the transportation, a guide and a narrator’s assistance, a packed lunch that will be enjoyed during the excursion in a characteristic place with typical Sicilian products (drinks included).
Extra prices
Price of the shuttle bus Gratteri/Cefalù – Cefalù/Gratteri
The time of departure and return will be determined based on the number of participants
Meeting point in Cefalù – Train Station
Meeting point in Gratteri – Belvedere Gangi Battaglia
Any transfer from other locations can be arranged together with the organization based on the participants’ number
What to know
The itinerary can be subject to change in case of unplanned circumstances out of our control.
The company reserves the right to change or cancel the itinerary if necessary based on disposition and / or adverse weather conditions.
The participants need to sign a waiver before taking part of the excursion.
Note: the guides reserve the right to judge the level of experience of every participant. If they believe the participant is not suitable for the excursion, they will not be able to take part in it.
For more details about the excursion and about the map of the route, visit the following link: eventi.visitgratteri.com