Inland Sicily: mosaics, majolica and the Madonie
Through the island’s high interior: a tiled staircase, Roman floor mosaics, the belvedere city of Enna and mountain villages above Cefalù.
- Distance
- 221 km (137 mi)
- Driving
- 3 h 03 min
- Suggested days
- 4
- Stops
- 8
- Countries
- Italy
- Updated
- September 8, 2026
At a glance: 4-day road trip of about 221 km (137 mi) with 8 stops, from Catania to Cefalù. About 3 h 03 min of driving in total.
Route description
Leave Catania south-west across the plain of oranges to Caltagirone, a town of ceramic workshops whose majolica staircase climbs through the centre. Then take the country roads north to Aidone and the ruins of Morgantina.
Piazza Armerina’s Villa Romana del Casale, a few kilometres away, has some of the most extensive Roman mosaics anywhere; allow two hours and arrive at opening time in summer. The town itself has a hilltop cathedral and a pleasant old centre.
Enna, at nearly 1,000 m, is one of Italy’s highest provincial capitals, with a medieval castle and views across the island to Etna. The A19 (E932) leads west, and from the Madonie exit a mountain road climbs to Petralia Soprana, one of Sicily’s highest villages.
Cross the Madonie park by Piano Battaglia, on narrow roads through beech woods, and descend to Cefalù on the coast. These roads can see snow in winter; from spring to autumn the interior is quiet and green compared with the busy coast.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Catania
Italy - 273 km
Santa Maria del Monte staircase
HistoryCaltagirone, ItalyA staircase of 142 steps, each riser faced with painted majolica, climbing through Sicily’s ceramics town. In late July it is lit with thousands of oil lamps.
- 327 km
Morgantina
HistoryAidone, ItalyThe quiet ruins of a Greek and Sikel town on a ridge, with an agora and a theatre. Its famous goddess statue is in the museum in nearby Aidone.
- 418 km
Villa Romana del Casale
HistoryPiazza Armerina, ItalyA late Roman villa with some of the richest floor mosaics in the world, from hunting scenes to the ‘bikini girls’. Walkways let you look down on every room.
- 529 km
Enna
Italy - 638 km
Petralia Soprana
Italy - 713 km
Piano Battaglia
NaturePetralia Sottana, ItalyA high upland in the Madonie mountains at about 1,600 m, with beech woods, walks and a small ski area. The roads up are narrow and twisty.
- 823 km
Cefalù
Italy
