Borghi dei Tesori Festival
Convents, ancient libraries, and flower-lined alleys in the village of the Ventimiglia family
About Borghi dei Tesori
The widespread festival of Sicily's small villages
The Borghi dei Tesori Festival is the "village-focused" edition of the renowned Le Vie dei Tesori festival: a major widespread event that lights up dozens of small Sicilian towns over three weekends in May. Promoted by the Le Vie dei Tesori Foundation in collaboration with the Borghi dei Tesori association, the 2026 edition features twenty-five villages scattered across the island. Among them is Geraci Siculo (Province of Palermo, Sicily), one of the most evocative centers in the Madonie range, once the capital of the powerful Ventimiglia family's fiefdom.
Geraci Siculo, the village of the Ventimiglia
Perched at an altitude of over a thousand meters, the Municipality of Geraci Siculo preserves its medieval layout, with stone alleys, staircases, and flower-adorned corners that open onto vast panoramas of the Madonie. It is deeply tied to the memory of the Ventimiglia, the lords who controlled a vast territory of the Sicilian hinterland from here. During the festival, the town invites visitors to explore it through a widespread walking tour that encourages them to literally "count the convents" hidden among the alleys of the historic center.
What to visit in Geraci Siculo
During the festival weekend, the village unveils sites that tell the story of its religious and civic past. Highlights of the tours include:
- the 17th-century Capuchin Convent, now the MUSeBArch cultural center, housing an ancient library with rare and precious texts;
- the Augustinian Convent, built in 1627 and recently restored, featuring a central cloister, monks' cells, a refectory, a stable, and a ground-floor kitchen, as well as an impressive, perfectly preserved olive press;
- the Salto dei Ventimiglia, a panoramic viewpoint suspended over the void, offering sweeping views of the Madonie landscape;
- the artisan workshops of the village, including that of Fabrizio Fazio, one of the few remaining makers in Sicily of traditional medieval frame drums and percussion instruments.
Experiences and walking tours
In addition to the site openings, the festival offers themed walks through the flower-lined alleys, narrated itineraries, and encounters with the town's artisanal traditions, led by local youth guides. It is the perfect opportunity to discover the deep bond between Geraci Siculo, its Madonie identity, and the history of the Ventimiglia family.
A heritage to rediscover
The goal of the Borghi dei Tesori Festival is to showcase the heritage of small towns in the Sicilian hinterland, often bypassed by mass tourism. For Geraci Siculo, it is a chance to show visitors convents, cloisters, libraries, and vistas that are well worth the journey into the heart of the Madonie.
Borghi dei Tesori — edition 2026
For the 6th edition of the Borghi dei Tesori Festival, Geraci Siculo participated during the second weekend, Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, 2026, alongside other villages between the Madonie and the Trapani area. The historic center was explored through a widespread walking tour designed to "count the convents": highlights included the 17th-century Capuchin Convent, now the MUSeBArch cultural center with its ancient library of rare texts, and the Augustinian Convent of 1627, recently restored, featuring its cloister, cells, refectory, and intact olive press.
In addition to the site openings, visitors were able to walk through the flower-lined alleys to the Salto dei Ventimiglia, the panoramic viewpoint suspended over the void, and visit the village's artisan workshops, including the one dedicated to frame drums and medieval-style percussion instruments. The 2026 edition was part of the regional calendar of the three weekends in May promoted by the Le Vie dei Tesori Foundation, with twenty-five participating municipalities and the usual coupon system.
Programme Borghi dei Tesori 2026
Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17
- Opening of the Capuchin Convent (MUSeBArch cultural center) with its ancient library of rare and precious texts
- Opening of the Augustinian Convent (1627): central cloister, monks' cells, refectory, stable, kitchen, and intact olive press
- Walk to discover the flower-lined alleys of the historic center, "counting the convents"
- Panoramic viewpoint from the Salto dei Ventimiglia, suspended over the void
- Meeting with artisan workshops, including those for frame drums and medieval-style percussion
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
How to get there
Geraci Siculo is located in the heart of the Madonie, in the Province of Palermo. By car, it can be reached from the A19 Palermo-Catania motorway by taking the exit toward the Madonie and continuing along the inland roads; a car is the most convenient way to travel between the mountain villages. In some editions, the Le Vie dei Tesori Foundation organizes dedicated buses departing from Palermo and Catania, accompanied by guides.
Coupons and bookings
To access the tours, you must purchase Le Vie dei Tesori coupons, available online on the official website or at the information points in the villages: approximately 18 euros for 10 visits, 10 euros for 4 visits, or a single ticket for 3 euros. Booking is recommended, especially for experiences with limited capacity.
Tips
Geraci Siculo is at an altitude of over 1,000 meters: bring comfortable shoes for the stone alleys and a light jacket for the walks. The exact dates of the weekend vary from year to year within the month of May.
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Where does it take place — Borghi dei Tesori
Centro storico di Geraci Siculo