The best road cycling routes around Santa Margherita Di Belice

A village uninhabited for decades, ever since the entire population was relocated en masse to a brand-new town. Three thousand people, the exodus of survivors of the 1968 earthquake that destroyed entire towns in the provinces of Trapani and Agrigento. Today, only façades remain, baroque railings, old majolica tiles, a tangle of houses leaning against the bell tower of the main church, and stairways that look like they were cut out with scissors on a sheet of paper. Before the earthquake, Poggioreale was a delightful baroque village, with noble palaces, the square with the club, the inn, and everything else. The ruins bear witness to a tragedy from 40 years ago: fear, escape, separation. A place that, due to its beauty and the evocative atmosphere it evokes, has been the setting for numerous famous films: it is here that Tornatore filmed some scenes from Malena and The Star Man. An island out of time, with the hands of the clock stopped on the terrible night of January 15, 1968.

The Cretto di Burri in Gibellina, also known as “Il Grande Cretto”, is a unique work of art that honors the destroyed town of Gibellina after the devastating earthquake of 1968. Italian artist Alberto Burri created this monumental work between 1985 and 1989 and it was completed in 2015. With its huge white concrete blocks that look like giant cracks in the ground, the work symbolizes the lasting pain and memory of the past, but at the same time, renewal and reconstruction. Walking through the Cretto almost feels like walking through the past, as if you are re-entering the streets and alleys of the old town. The approximately 80,000 square meter area is made up of concrete structures that trace the original city layout. What is particularly impressive is the fact that the blocks are made from the rubble of the old town itself. When you stand on the Cretto and take in the simple but powerful aesthetic, you can literally feel the connection between art, history and human resilience. It is not only a reminder of what was lost, but also a symbol of hope and rebirth. It is especially beautiful if you do the hike in clear weather - the view into the distance underlines the silence and grandeur of this unique place.

07/2024 everything is cordoned off, impossible to access (shame)

seen online and seen live it is that place that is worth seeing live, huge and astonishing, shame only for the history of all this

Fog, strangely, in the Belice valley which covers all of Gibellina.

The Sicilian town of Gibellina was devastated by an earthquake in 1968. After the disaster, the residents at the time created a gigantic open-air museum. Alberto Burri's work of art lies like a shroud over the town of Gibellina, which was destroyed by the earthquake. The sidewalks between the concrete structures show where the town's streets and alleys used to run.

Located on a hill, Sambuca was awarded "Borgo dei Borghi" in 2016. Some of its monuments represent unaltered examples of Islamic urban planning.

Perched on a hill, Sambuca received the "Borgo dei Borghi" award (a comparison of the most beautiful villages in Italy) in 2016 for the quality of its monuments, some of which are still intact examples of Islamic urban planning.