MAGNA VIA FRANCIGENA DAILY STAGES: 9 DAYS OF WALKING IN SICILY.
The Magna Via Francigena is a chance to experience Sicily at a slower pace. This ancient pilgrimage route, running from Palermo to Agrigento, takes you through small villages and across open landscapes that many visitors miss.
Over nine days, you’ll follow quiet paths and country roads, with each stage offering something different – whether it’s a peaceful stretch through olive groves or a climb up to a hilltop town. It’s a journey that allows you to connect with Sicily’s history and natural beauty, one day at a time.
In this blog post you’ll find a guide to the daily stages of the Magna Via Francigena based on our experience of walking in September 2024. You’ll find recommendations for accommodation, a guide to amenities and highlights on route.
Magna Via Francigena Daily Stages Map
Here you can find a map of the Manga Via Francigena daily stages.
For navigation, we recommend using the All Trails app.
Magna Via Francigena Daily Stages: Overview
Below you can find an outline of the standard Magna Via Francigena daily stages.
- Day One: Palermo (or Monreale or Altofonte) to Santa Cristina Gela 25kms
- Day Two: Santa Cristina Gela to Corleone 25.5kms
- Day Three: Corleone to Prizzi 20kms
- Day Four: Prizzi to Castronovo di Sicilia 24kms
- Day Five: Castronovo to San Giovanni Gemini (or Cammarata)12.5kms
- Day Six: San Giovanni Gemini to Sutera 18.5kms
- Day Seven: Sutera to Grotte (or Racalumuto) 24kms
- Day Eight: Grotte to Joppolo Giancaxio (or Aragona) 19.5kms
- Day Nine: Joppolo Giancaxio to Agrigento 17kms
Note – it is possible to take a bus from either Aragona or Joppolo to Agrigento. Personally, we prefer to feel that we have completed the walk fully. That said, the last day of the hike is really not ideal (lots of road walking and confusing directions), so many walkers may prefer to skip this and spend longer in Agrigento.
Magna Via Francigena Daily Stages: In Detail
We’ve set out a detailed daily stages guide below.
Magna Via Francigena Stage One: Palermo to Santa Cristina Gela
KEY DETAILS: 15.5miles/25kms, 3,500ft elevation gain, time 6-7 hours.
ROUTE
HEADING OUT OF PALERMO
The Magna Via Francigena starts in Palermo, specifically by the Cathedral. From here, you’ll leave via the Norman Gate and make your way through the outskirts of the city, eventually reaching a hill to the glorious town of Monreale.
However, it is possible to start outside of Palermo if you’d rather use public transport and skip some of the worst bits of the walk.
You can find our guide to the best things to do in Palermo in one day here.
THREE OPTIONS ON DAY ONE
There are effectively three options for your start point of the Magna Via Francigena:
- Walk out of Palermo – note, this not the nicest route, after leaving the historic centre you reach a quite uninspiring residential/ urban area.
- Take the bus to Monreale – then walk from here. Buses leave from near to Palermo Cathedral regularly, and start early in the morning. This skips the bit out of Palermo and you still get to see Monreale.
- Option three is to take a bus to Altofonte – but keep in mind that this means you will miss Monreale. However, the walk from Monreale to Alfonte is not the best start to the walk – a fair bit of litter, busy roads and impatient drivers.
FROM MONREALE
Being completely honest, after the grandeur of Palermo Cathedral and then Monreale, the walk out of Monreale is a little disappointing. You leave the town via a road, which is quite busy with a few impatient drivers. There’s also a lot of litter. We were very worried that we would not enjoy the route at this stage, but be assured that it does get better.
As the route starts to climb, you’ll reach Altofonte – a small village, with a square and a church. As we were walking on a hot day, we quickly located a gelato shop near to the centre of the village. At this point and beyond Altofonte, the route starts to get much better – but is not without some painful hill climbs.
After Altofonte, the path takes you out of town until you reach a steep series of steps leading up to a small church. This is the worst of the incline, but a gentle climb continues until close to Santa Cristina Gela.
The majority of the route until Santa Cristina Gela is unfortunately on road, but when we walked these roads were very quiet. On the approach to Santa Cristina Gela, we were welcomed by fields of cattle and the gentle tinkle of cow bells.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The 12th Century Monreale Cathedral is absolutely incredible inside – spend a while taking in the ornate décor, comprising of over 2,000 kg of pure gold.
- Alfonte is a pleasant small village and the first taste of a more rural environment – a delightful icecream place is found in the centre where we sat next to an older Sicilian gent who was merrily eating an icecream sandwich.
- Santa Cristina Gela is a small town, but with a distinct buzz, even late into the night.
AMENITIES
Cafes in Palermo open up early, giving you a chance to grab breakfast and coffee before heading to the trail. Monreale has a large supermarket as well as cafes, a bakery and restaurants (but keep in mind is a bit touristy and prices are higher.)
Water fountains in Alfonte – unclear if they are drinkable water but excellent to cool down. There’s also a cafe/ ice cream shop near to the centre of the village.
Santa Cristina Gela has a few restaurants as well as two cafes/ bars. We arrived on a Sunday to find that the best reviewed restaurant in town (Piccaso Risto Pub) was closed, but fortunately Belvedere Pizzeria was open and offered lovely food.
ACCOMMODATION
There are two options in Santa Cristina Gela – Albergo Belvedere and B&B Da Mercurior. You can find out more about both in our blog post about accommodation on the Magna Via Francigena here.
Magna Via Francigena Stage Two: Santa Cristina Gela to Corleone
KEY DETAILS: 15.9miles/25.5kms, 2,700ft elevation gain, time 6.5 – 7.5 hours.
ROUTE
The route on day two of the Magna Via Francigena presents an open and expansive experience, as you walk through wide footpaths and vast countryside.
From Santa Cristina Gela, there’s a hill to start the day. We walked just as a rain storm had passed and encountered a muddy path which presented quite difficult climbing challenges. At each step our shoes seemed to become more laden with mud, making it feel that we were wearing moon boots. After a slow climb, we reached delightful forest with long-ranging views.
The route is beautiful for most of the day, with vines and Sicilian countryside. Around 5 miles in, there are some overgrown paths that require a bit of bushwhacking. We also noticed some fencing that had been placed around footpaths to prevent walkers entering fields, meaning we had to step over fences to continue.
At Borgo Saladino we encountered our first aggressive dogs of the route. There is an area of land used by a shepherd, this is guarded by approximately 10 sheep dogs who were less than happy to see us.
Towards the end of the trail, there is an option to take a winter alternative route (invienro) along the road, or the normal path. If there has been any rain, we would urge you to consider the winter route. The normal path becomes quite muddy.
After three short climbs, the route leads to Corleone.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The scenery today is stunning, with vines and beautiful countryside along the route.
- Walking past the imposing Rocca Argenteria – a 600m natural structure.
AMENITIES
There are very limited amenities on route today. There is an Agroturismo hotel (Agriturismo Sant’Agata), which is sometimes open but not consistently – find it here.
Next to Santuario Madonna di Tagliavia, there is sometimes a stall selling cold drinks and sandwiches. But, this can’t be relied upon to be open every day.
ACCOMMODATION
Corleone is an interesting town with historic Mafia links. Today it is visited by tourists hoping to see the Godfather’s house and the Anti-mafia museum (a museum dedicated to the history of mafia on the island.)
There are many choices in Corleone for accommodation – we chose B&B Chiaro di Luna. You can find our full guide to accommodation on the route here.
Magna Via Francigena Stage Three: Corleone to Prizzi
KEY DETAILS: 12.2miles/ 20kms, 2,800ft elevation gain, 5-6 hours.
ROUTE
Day Three on the Magna Via Francigena is a stunning day of walking, with the best scenery that we had encountered so far. It starts with a very steep climb out of Corleone, this included slippery cobble streets after a rain shower for us. From the top, there are excellent views back down the hill to the town.
After this, there’s a sharp downhill, with a few ups and downs and then one final steep climb to Prizzi.
Along the way there are a few options to take the normal route or winter routes. We opted for the winter route every time as we had experienced recent rain.
On one stretch of the route (around 6 miles in), we found that a farmer had fenced off the way – this appeared to be because of cattle grazing. Luckily they were not in the field as we crossed, but I expect they could be at other times. Exercise caution when you reach this area.
Just short of Prizzi appeared to be a dog refuge or similar, most dogs were fenced in, but one had broken free and was roaming on the path. After a few barks, he wasn’t particularly aggressive, but we were concerned that others could get out.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Beautiful scenery throughout the day, including some spectacular rock formations.
- Ending the climb in Prizzi was a highlight, after climbing 1,300fit over a couple of miles.
AMENITIES
After Corleone nothing is found on route. We stocked up at a cafe in Corleone before leaving.
ACCOMMODATION
We stayed at B&B Prixis, which is the only place in town and luckily is brilliant. Rooms are clean and spacious and excellent value for money. There’s also a wonderful restaurant downstairs, where we had one of the best meals in Sicily.
Magna Via Francigena Stage Four: Prizzi to Castronovo di Sicilia
KEY DETAILS: 14.6miles/ 24kms, 1,900ft elevation gain, 6-7 hours.
ROUTE
A day with a few hills, beautiful vistas and pine tree forests.
The day starts by descending out of Prizzi and then into the Monte Caraci national park, to start a gentle climb through park area. The trees provide welcome shade from the sun as you walk up the wide gravel pathway.
A steady climb leads to the peak of the park where you reach a nice rest area with benches and shade.
After this, a gentle climb down follows and then the route is flat for a few miles, before meeting quite a fast road. Luckily you remain on the fast road for only about 500m before turning onto a quieter track, with fewer cars.
After about 1.5 miles further you will reach the second park area. Here you’ll find a welcome shaded area under pine trees with picnic tables.
After the rest area, you’ll follow tracks surrounded by farm land. We encountered a farmer with another pack of aggressive dogs which were not under control.
Around the Kassar Panormaic view point, there’s a sharp left-hand turn that is easy to miss, especially when distracted by the wonderful vistas. There’s a final short climb through woodland before reaching town.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Monte Caraci National Park offered very enjoyable walking and scenery.
- Incredible panoramic views from the top of the hill before climbing down to Castronovo.
- Enjoyable to have two rest areas to stop and refresh or eat lunch.
AMENITIES
Prizzi has a supermarket and cafes to buy anything you need before leaving. There is nowhere on route offering the chance to buy refreshments but there are some pleasant rest areas on route.
ACCOMMODATION
There are three places in Castronovo di Sicilia to choose from. You can find the details of these in our accommodation guide here.
The town has only two restaurants and one or two bars, these are open on different days but you can normally find somewhere serving food. Just note that opening hours are a little unreliable.
Magna Francigena Stage Five: Castronovo to San Giovanni Gemini
KEY DETAILS: 7.6miles/ 12.5kms, 1,600ft elevation gain, 3-4hours.
ROUTE
A fairly straightforward day of walking with a variety of scenery making things constantly interesting.
The route starts with approximately 2.5 miles downhill out of Castronovo, followed by two smaller climbs in the middle and ending with a 1.5 mile hill ascent. The climb has a few very steep sections. Lastly, there is a short burst of a hill into town.
We were fortunate to encounter no wild dogs on the route today, but did see plenty chained up or fenced in.
The end of the stage is either Cammarata or San Giovvanni Gemini. The two towns are connected, so you can choose to stay in either one.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Walking through beautiful olive orchards
- Street art welcoming us when we arrive to Cammarata
AMENITIES
Finding somewhere open for coffee and breakfast in the morning can be a challenge. We found that opening hours are not so reliable in Castronovo. In the end we settled for coffee in the Piazza Bar and some takeaway bakes from the bakery (found here.)
After this point, no amenities until reaching the end of the stage.
ACCOMMODATION
We picked a small room in San Giovanni Gemini La Tana del Lupo. There are a few different choices in San Giovanni Gemini, or Cammarata. You can find our guide to the best ones here.
The town itself felt more upmarket than than others we had stayed in. There’s a buzzing nightlife with many options for bars and restaurants.
Magna Via Francigena Day Six: San Giovanni Gemini to Sutera
KEY DETAILS: 11.5miles/ 18.5kms, 2,300ft elevation gain, 5-6 hours.
ROUTE
Today is an interesting and varied day of walking, with some of the most incredible scenery on the Magna Via Francigena as you approach the end of the stage. The goal is to reach Sutera, a beautiful town that wraps around the The Mountain of San Paolino. Sutera has been awarded the “bandiere arancioni” – an accolade given to Italian tourist sites, of which Sutera is the only one in Sicily. Suffice to say, it is a special place.
From San Givonanni Gemini is a long stretch down a hill, until reaching the flat ground of a trail for a couple of miles. There’s a train line and an abandoned train (this is the train line taking people back from Agrigento to Palermo – as we passed we made a mental note to take the bus back to Palermo and not rely on the train!)
The trail crosses a busy road and climbs up and over. The hill lasts for a couple of miles and ascends about 1,000 ft. Eventually reaching the quite lovely village of Acquaviva Platani (the name quite magically means Living Water). This is one of the places in Sicily that famously sold houses for 1 Euro to attract international buyers. As a result, the village has an eclectic feel – a friendly bar is run by a Sicilian (who proudly tells us that he was born in England.)
After Acquaviva, the scenery opens up and becomes quite magical. There’s a fantastic bit of ridge walking, a pathway that snakes towards Sutera in the distance. Quite fittingly, this was the first day when we spotted an actual snake on the path.
After a climb, you reach Sutera. The village wraps around the rock, so it is sort of split into two sections. You’ll enter to one side, but leave the next day via the other. So when you get into accommodation, you don’t need to worry about exploring the entire village and it’s maze-like streets.
We’ve written a longer guide to Sutera – you can find it here.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Acquaviva Platani is a highlight – it’s so nice to have a stop mid-way to grab a drink and take a rest. Take time to visit the church and enjoy the view back down the hill.
- Throughout the day we seemed to meet a series of people with connections to England, as well as friendly locals – one man pulled over on his motorbike just to wish us well.
- The village of Sutera is unique and a stand out from the whole trip. As well as the scenery leading to the village.
AMENITIES
There are lots of amenities in San Giovanni Gemini before leaving town. After this, 10km into the route you’ll find the small village of Acquaviva Platani, where there is a bar, snack shop and bakery. Although do note that the bakery closes early.
In Sutera, there are two bars and a couple of restaurants. But keep in mind that these may be closed when you arrive to town. Later in the evening, we recommend the delightful restaurant Sambriglia.
ACCOMMODATION
There is only one place to stay in Sutera – B&B Poggio. A quaint place ideal for pilgrims, that offers breakfast as part of the room rate. We loved our room with a huge terrace and vast views.
You can contact the host via email or Whatsapp to book.
Magna Via Francigena Day Seven: Sutera to Grotte
KEY DETAILS: 15miles/ 24kms, 2,700ft elevation gain, 7-8 hours.
ROUTE
Day Seven is one of the most difficult days so far in our opinion. A longer distance – 15 miles, coupled with some of the longest climbs. A few villages/ towns break it up, but there are some difficult decisions to make about the route (see more below.)
Starting in Sutera, you get time to explore the town a little as the route winds through the streets (stopping at a café if you wish to – the Kaleidescope Cafe opens early in the morning). Then the road winds down out of town, it can be a little difficult not to get lost as you leave Sutera – but All Trails helped us out.
For about 5km, the road continues to Campofranco – a small village with some very pretty parts and the option to pause for coffee.
CONFUSION AFTER CAMPOFRANCO
After Campofranco, things got a little confusing for us on the trail. In the village, a friendly older gent stopped us to offer directions. He said (we think) “go right and don’t take the Invierno route” (meaning do not take the winter route). We trotted off thinking this was completely clear, but when we reached a crossroads we found that the right hand route is also the invierno, and then we were immediately confused.
Having researched the route on All Trails we noticed that some people say don’t take the left route and others saying don’t take the right. We started by taking the route to the right of the crossroads (the winter route), then we saw that it was 8.5km to Melina and not 7km as expected, so we decided to go back to what we think is the shorter route. We also noted that there is a bridge on the winter route, called the Ponte Romano that we think is currently broken. Fearful of trying to cross the river without a bridge, we turned back and took the left route. Subsequently, we cannot fully confirm if we should have taken the right hand/ winter route or not.
TO THE LEFT
The left route is very enjoyable, but we do think it would not be passable in rain. The steep climbs on muddy tracks would be very difficult, if not impossible.
The route also includes crossing a small creek. There are stepping stones, but if it has rained a lot these would be of no help. One of us (the taller one) crossed with relative ease, but the other (5ft3 being) found it quite tricky. The river is very deep in places and whilst it is not possible to cross without getting your feet a little wet, the worst case scenario would be sinking mud in a deep river.
All in all, it wasn’t too bad as a route. But, we can’t say if it was the correct choice.
AFTER THIS
Later, we see saw a second snake on the way to Melina.
Melina is a small village with two supermarkets and cafes. After Melina the route continues to Racalmuto, and the walking is beautiful. Pure and stunning countryside. We saw a bonfire and think it’s a wild fire, but thankfully it was not!
The road from Racalmuto to Grotte isn’t the best walking, mainly on road and through the residential area of Confine. But Grotte is friendly and charming at the end of the road.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Throughout the day you’ll see a series of quite entertaining signposts for pilgrims – we think these were created by a local in Melina.
- Numerous incredible views after climbing one of the most tricky hills on the route.
- The church in Racalmuto is stunning inside – be sure to drop in.
- Grotte is a thriving town with various bars and restaurants. We had a few drinks in bars around the church, then enjoyed take out pizza from Pizza Flash (highly recommended.)
AMENITIES
There are lots of towns on route – Campofranco has coffee shops and Melina has supermarkets. By the time we reached Racalmuto everything was closed but there are plenty of bars and restaurants there.
Grotte has numerous bars and restaurants with a great atmosphere in the evening.
ACCOMMODATION
We stayed at Palazzo Montagne, which offers beautiful rooms with terraces and a central location. There are a few other choices in Grotte, find out more here.
It would be possible to also stay in Racalmuto, a few kms before Grotte. Find our guide to accommodation here.
Magna Via Francigena Stage 8: Grotte to Joppolo Giancaxio
KEY DETAILS: 12miles/ 19.5kms, 1,900ft elevation gain, 5-6 hours.
ROUTE
Compared to the previous day, today feels much easier. For us, it took around 5hours including three long breaks. We walked this day on a Sunday and it felt that there was a lot of local life happening around us, which was very pleasant. We saw people out tending to olive groves, children playing in gardens and lots of folk drinking coffee in the villages.
The route starts with a gentle downhill stretch from Grotte, before arriving at the first steep climb of the day. Before climbing, take time to visit The Rocca Petra Stone – an impressive structure.
Once at the top of the hill, the views are incredible. We could see the sea and we think Mount Etna in the distance.
The route leads down to Comitini. Then once out of the village, a climb awaits to Aragona. The route into and around Aragon is a bit convoluted, but we recommend sticking with it as it gives the best chance to see the sights of the town – such as Chiesa Madonna del Rosario.
You may want to set aside some time to explore the town, or take a break in a cafe. We paused at Calogero Latino Shop – a coffee shop famous for all things Pistachio.
Out of Aragona, you have to walk on a road. Thankfully this is quiet. Eventually a track is reached and you follow this to the end of the stage. When we walked, we noticed quite a bit of litter and bonfire remnants, which blighted the scenery somewhat.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The town of Comitini, with a pretty square and church. We paused for coffee and enjoyed seeing the village coming alive on a Sunday morning.
- Aragona – a second lovely square, palace, churches – pistachio place
AMENITIES
A good day for amenities – the two towns on route mean there are options to stop. We walked on a Sunday so no supermarkets were open but thankfully, we stocked up on water the night before.
ACCOMMODATION
We stayed in the one available room in Joppolo – find details here. We enjoyed staying here as this was the smallest village we had spent the night in on route. It would also be possible to stay in Aragona (around 5km before) if you’d rather a bigger town. Find out more here.
Magna Via Francigena stage 9: Joppolo Giancaxio to Agrigento
KEY DETAILS: 10.5miles/ 17kms, 900ft elevation gain, 4-5 hours.
ROUTE
Sadly, the last day of walking on the Magna Via Francigena is not the best day. This was a day filled with confusion about the route for us. The maps we had on All Trails did not match up with signage, and sign posts seemed to be old and no longer relevant in many places.
The first 5 miles are sign posted well and match with the All Trails route. This was easy walking, mostly down hill from Joppolo Giancaxio.
After this, there is supposed to be a trail coming off the road to the left, but there is now a barrier preventing access. We could see that trying to use the trail would mean walking through overgrown grass, then crossing a creek with a steep bank and surrounded by reeds.
At this point, we decided that it was best to follow google maps instructions and not attempt the trail – this adds on an extra 1km or so. After a while, we saw the red and white markers and realised that the route must have changed and you are now supposed to follow the road. We walked for a few kms on road, then reached a trail, which was sign posted off the road.
We followed the trail markings for a while, but then realised that this was fruitless, because it was taking us to the wrong side of Agrigento and not in the direction of the Cathedral. So, we chose to resume with Google Maps directions, which took us to the Cathedral on a pavement next to a road.
We saw a few stray dogs on route today – none presented a problem. But towards Agrigento John was bitten by an unfenced domestic/ farm dog.
Overall, a confusing and a little frustrating day of walking. The route should be 13km but for us was closer to 17km.
HIGHLIGHTS
- This is perhaps not the best day of walking, so highlights were limited. But the intial walk out of Joppolo is pleasant.
- The Cathedral in Agrigento is a beautiful way to end the walk.
AMENITIES
Lots of choice in Joppolo before you leave – mini-market and various cafes. Then nothing until reaching Agrigento.
ACCOMMODATION
Agrigento has a lot of accommodation choices. It’s worth noting that the Cathedral (where you’ll finish the walk) is in the higher part Agrigento. The main thoroughfare of restaurants is found about 10 minutes walk down the steps from the Cathedral.
We opted to stay close to the Cathedral at the Duomo Rooms B&B, simply so we could head straight to our accommodation after finishing the walk.
In retorpsect, I would instead recommend staying close to restaurants and bars in the centre of town. Sogni D’Oro and Città Dei Templi GuestHouse are both in ideal central locations.
Magna Via Francigena Guide Book
If you’d like all the information about the Magna Via Francigena in one place, you can find our e-book available for only $5.99.
More information on the Magna Via Francigena
You can find further guides on the Magna Via Francigena below:
- A guide to Palermo
- Packing for the Magna Via Francigena
- Accommodation on the Magna Via Francigena
- All your questions about the Magna Via Francigena answered
- A guide to Agrigento (published soon).
Interested in more long-distance hikes in Europe?
Here’s a selection of walks that we love.
- Highlights of the Lycian Way in Turkey
- The GR131 in Gran Canaria
- The Camino de Santiago – The Coastal Route
- The Via Francigena from Lucca to Rome – Tuscany and Lazzio
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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