The Madonie Regional Park, covering approximately 40,000 hectares, contains more than 70% of the island's entire biodiversity. It boasts a rich forest cover dominated by different species depending on the altitude. Above 1,300 meters above sea level, it is dominated by beech trees, a survivor from the Ice Age, along with many other species, including holly and several endemic species, including the Abies nebrodensis, a beautiful fir tree that once covered the Sicilian mountains, where it was felled for its quality wood. For a long time, it was thought to be extinct until the chance discovery of around thirty specimens in an isolated valley about thirty years ago. The Madonie Mountains are a region that combines its rich natural beauty with its historical and anthropological appeal, thanks to the ancient and medieval villages we pass through and the scattered relics of a more or less remote agricultural, forestry, and pastoral past. All overnight accommodations are strictly quality agritourisms, restored old farms where you can still feel the history and where the quality of the food is excellent.

Because this is a circular trek in the Madonie Mountains, it is possible to complete only 2, 3, 4, or 5 days of this program upon request.

Stage 1, Luogo Marchese-Gibilmanna-Casale Drinzi; riding time: 6 hours
Breakfast, assignment of horses and saddles, and departure from Luogo Marchese around 8:00 am for Gibilmanna, a famous Franciscan sanctuary and monastery, home to the Madonna, patron saint and protector of the diocese of Cefalù. We first ride through the vineyards of the Sant'Anastasia estate, then through wild lands covered in Mediterranean scrub, arriving after three or four hours, depending on our pace, in Gibilmanna. We visit the Sanctuary and continue towards the charming medieval village of Gratteri, where we enjoy a picnic. In the afternoon, we continue through the San Giorgio forest, rich in holm oaks and downy oaks, passing the ruins of the San Giorgio Abbey (12th century) and the Madonna del Pedale (17th century), before reaching the "Casale Drinzi" farmhouse, near Collesano, an ancient village of Arab origin (Qal'at as-sirat). Dinner and overnight stay at the farmhouse.

Stage II, Casale Drinzi-Donna Lavia; 6 hours of riding

Breakfast and departure from Casale Drinzi around 8:00 AM, crossing the Mungerrati forest. Depending on weather conditions and snow depth, we continue towards Piano Zucchi or Piano Cervi, renowned high-altitude locations immersed in dense forests of holm oaks that gradually transform into beech trees, reaching Portella Colla (1,400 meters). From there, we begin the descent along the southern slope, arriving in the afternoon at the Donna Lavia farmhouse in the Polizzi Generosa area, also of medieval origin. A hearty dinner and overnight stay at the farmhouse are included.

Stage III, Donna Lavia-Terravecchia; 6 hours of riding time
Breakfast and departure from Donna Lavia around 9:00 a.m., passing through the Madonna degli Angeli valley to admire the only surviving specimens of the Nebrodi fir (abies nebrodensis), the symbol of the park. A picnic at high altitude near the Madonna dell'Alto Sanctuary (1,819 m), where on days with good visibility you can admire much of the island, followed by a descent to our "Terravacchia" farmhouse in the Castellana Sicula area, featuring a swimming pool overlooking the enchanting Sicilian interior. Dinner and overnight stay.

Stage IV, Terravecchia – Casalvecchio; 5 hours of riding
Breakfast and departure from Terravecchia around 9:00 am. This day is spent on the southern slopes of the Madonie Mountains, famous since ancient times for their productivity in fodder and wheat, the island's primary agricultural resource, once nicknamed "the granary of Rome," and our main staple food. Arrival in the afternoon at the Casalvecchio Geraci farmhouse after riding along the dirt roads surrounded by pleasant panoramic views. A delicious organic dinner featuring locally sourced produce and an overnight stay at the farmhouse.

Stage V, Casalvecchio – Luogo Marchese; Hours of riding: 7
Breakfast and departure from Casalvecchio around 8:00 a.m. We begin descending the Rainò tributary, which later becomes the Pollina River. This seasonal stream marks the eastern edge of the Madonnina territory and is characterized by its steep and wild valley, an easy hideout for the famous Maurini bandits of the 19th and early 20th centuries who ruled the roost here. We stop at the "Gole di Tiberio" site, a fascinating geological curiosity where the riverbed narrows into a narrow passage that can only be crossed by raft on days when the river is not at full flow. A picnic lunch and return through woods and cultivated fields to Tenuta Luogo Marchese. A typical Madonie dinner and overnight stay.

Stage VI, Luogo Marchese-sea-Luogo Marchese; riding time: 6 hours Breakfast and departure around 9:00 a.m. Today we descend toward the coast, through lush countryside planted with olive trees, almond trees, and manna ash, passing through the Guarneri forest and the charming coastal village of Sant'Ambrogio, a hamlet of Cefalù, and arriving at the beach. On days when sea conditions permit (and the beach isn't too crowded), you can swim with the horses before getting back in the saddle for the final ride to our Tenuta Luogo Marchese farmhouse, arriving in the evening. Dinner is just as sumptuous as the previous ones, and we spend the night there.