Borghi dei Tesori Fest
Arches, sundials, and Fiorelli pastries in a Madonie mountain village at 1,000 meters
About Borghi dei Tesori
The widespread festival of small Sicilian villages
The Borghi dei Tesori Fest is the "village-scale" version of the renowned Le Vie dei Tesori festival: a major widespread event that brings dozens of small Sicilian towns to life over three weekends in May. Promoted by the Le Vie dei Tesori Foundation, the 2026 edition involves twenty-five villages, including San Mauro Castelverde (Province of Palermo, Sicily), which participates during the third and final weekend. Perched at an altitude of over 1,000 meters in the heart of the Madonie Park, the town preserves an intact medieval urban layout and panoramic views stretching from the mountains to the sea.
What to visit in San Mauro Castelverde
During the festival weekend, the village unveils corners and landmarks that reflect its unique Madonie identity. Highlights of the guided tours and walks include:
- the famous 66 arches and bagli (courtyards) that dot the historic center, along with the distinctive sundials painted on the facades;
- the Church of Santa Maria dei Franchi, dating back to the Angevin era, which houses works by the Gagini school;
- the Mother Church of San Giorgio, featuring its characteristic Arab-Norman bell tower and pointed stone arch portal;
- the Badia monastery, with its precious underground chambers frescoed with biblical scenes;
- the Madonie Oil Bank, housed in an ancient Dominican monastery and dedicated to the prized Crastu olive cultivar.
Experiences, flavors, and walks
Alongside the tours, the festival offers thematic walks through the village's courtyards and arches, craft-related experiences, and, above all, tastings of local flavors. The absolute stars are the Fiorelli (or fiorello maurino), crunchy flower-shaped pastries filled with white cream and made with eggs, milk, sugar, flour, and extra virgin olive oil, as well as traditional cookies and buccellati from the Madonie tradition.
A heritage to rediscover
The goal of the Borghi dei Tesori Fest is to promote the heritage of small towns in the Sicilian hinterland, which are often overlooked by mass tourism. For San Mauro Castelverde, it is an opportunity to showcase its soul—made of stone, narrow alleys, arches, monumental churches, and a cuisine that guards ancient recipes. The town's participation is renewed every year, always during the third weekend of the festival.
Borghi dei Tesori — edition 2026
For the 6th edition of the Borghi dei Tesori Fest, San Mauro Castelverde opened its doors on Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24, 2026, during the third and final of the three weekends in May promoted by the Le Vie dei Tesori Foundation. The program of the Madonie village revolved around the discovery of the famous 66 arches and the sundials scattered throughout the courtyards of the historic center, shared through guided walks.
Among the experiences offered were the tasting of the fiorello maurino—a crunchy flower-shaped pastry filled with white cream—alongside traditional cookies and buccellati, and the visit to the Madonie Oil Bank, set up in an ancient Dominican monastery and dedicated to the prized Crastu cultivar. The 2026 edition was part of the regional calendar that saw twenty-five participating municipalities and the usual single coupon system valid in all locations.
Programme Borghi dei Tesori 2026
Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24
- Walk among the 66 arches and sundials: a guided itinerary through the courtyards and alleys of the historic center
- Visit to the Madonie Oil Bank, in the former Dominican monastery, dedicated to the Crastu cultivar
- Opening of monumental churches featuring works by the Gagini school
- Tasting of Fiorelli (fiorello maurino), cookies, and traditional buccellati
Detailed schedules, meeting points, and booking information were available on the official Le Vie dei Tesori portal.
Highlights Borghi dei Tesori 2026
Prices Borghi dei Tesori 2026
Practical information — Borghi dei Tesori
Getting there
San Mauro Castelverde is located in the Madonie Park, in the Province of Palermo, at an altitude of over 1,000 meters. By car, it can be reached from the A19 Palermo-Catania motorway or the SS113 along the Tyrrhenian coast, then driving up the internal roads of the Madonie. A car is the most convenient means of transport, as the nearest train stations are quite far from the center.
Coupons and bookings
To access the sites, you must purchase Le Vie dei Tesori coupons, available online on the official website or on-site: approximately 18 euros for 10 visits, 10 euros for 4 visits, or 3 euros for a single entry. Experiences and walks require a dedicated coupon, and booking is recommended, especially for tastings with limited capacity.
Tips
The village is at an altitude of over 1,000 meters: bring comfortable shoes for the stone alleys and a light jacket. San Mauro Castelverde participates in the third weekend of the festival; specific dates vary from year to year within the month of May.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Borghi dei Tesori
Centro storico di San Mauro Castelverde
Centro storico, 90010 San Mauro Castelverde