Water Festival and Loquat Festival

A festival born from water

In Altofonte, a small town in the Province of Palermo nestled on the slopes of the mountains surrounding the Sicilian capital, water is not just a detail: it is the very origin of the town. The village was founded as a royal Parco (park), a summer residence and hunting reserve for Roger II of Hauteville, chosen precisely for the presence of an abundant spring—the Alto Fonte—which later gave the town its modern name. The Water Festival is built upon this legacy of springs, fountains, and historic canals, celebrating the territory's most precious resource alongside the Loquat Festival.

Water and loquats, a local bond

The heart of the festival is the connection between the spring water and the loquat, the signature fruit of Altofonte: a true local specialty, cultivated thanks to the pure quality of the groundwater and the local water supply. The Loquat Festival joins the Water Festival in a single day of promotion, giving a platform to producers, farms, and the small communities of the Palermo mountains.

Among fountains, mills, and ancient water paths

The event takes place in Piazza Falcone e Borsellino, the town's main square, and features routes and activities that showcase the village's water heritage:

• guided tours along the Water Paths, visiting springs, historic fountains, and the ancient mill;
• theatrical storytelling with traditional Sicilian cunti (tales) and canti (songs);
• free food and wine tastings featuring local products—cheeses, cured meats, homemade pasta, olive oil, and wines from local producers;
• cooking shows and folk music entertainment.

A historic heritage to discover

Visiting Altofonte during the festival also means immersing yourself in its thousand-year history: from the Norman Parco of Roger II to the Cistercian monastery commissioned by Frederick of Aragon in 1306 and dedicated to Santa Maria d'Altofonte. The springs that still feed the town's fountains today are the common thread connecting past and present, which the Water Festival aims to share with visitors in a contemporary way. It is the perfect choice for a day trip from Palermo to discover an authentic corner of inland Sicily.