Palazzolo Acreide

Member of I Borghi più belli d'Italia

Syracuse founded the colony of Akrai here around 664 BC, and its small Greek theatre still sits on the hill above the modern town in the Hyblean Mountains. Below, the town was rebuilt in baroque style after the 1693 earthquake, and its basilicas of San Sebastiano and San Paolo are on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Winding lanes, stairways and viewpoints make it a place to explore on foot.

Highlights

The Greek theatre and ruins of ancient Akrai on the hill above town
Chiesa dell'Immacolata, with a convex façade and Francesco Laurana's marble Madonna
Antonino Uccello's house museum of Sicilian peasant life, tools and glass paintings
The feast of San Sebastiano on 10 August at his basilica
The rock-cut grotto of San Corrado, where the hermit lived in the 14th century

Text adapted from Wikipedia (Palazzolo Acreide (IT), Palazzolo Acreide (EN)), Wikivoyage (Palazzolo Acreide, Palazzolo). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Population: 8,101

Things to see

Chiesa di San Paolo
Santoni
Chiesa dell'Annunziata (IT)
Greek theatre of Akrai (IT)
Museo archeologico di Palazzo Cappellani (IT)
Museo dei viaggiatori in Sicilia (IT)
chiesa di San Nicolò Vescovo (IT)

Events through the year

Festa di San Paolo Religious · 25 January and 28-29 JuneStatue carried out at noon amid confetti and thousands of firecrackers
Carnevale palazzolese Seasonal · CarnivalParades of allegorical floats; among the oldest carnivals in Sicily
Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows Religious · Third Sunday of September and Good Friday
Feast of Saint Michael Religious · 8 May and the Sunday after 29 September
INDA Youth Classical Theatre Festival Music and arts · May to JuneSchool groups from across Europe stage plays in the Greek theatre of Akrai
Festa di San Sebastiano Religious · 20 January and 8-10 AugustSaint carried barefoot by devotees, with bands, fireworks and concerts
Agrimontana Food and wine · Last weekend of OctoberLocal produce and crafts
Feast of the Immaculate Conception Religious · 8 DecemberProcession revived in recent years

Dates follow the traditional patterns in our sources: check locally before you travel.

Adapted from Wikipedia (Palazzolo Acreide), Wikivoyage (Palazzolo Acreide). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Local food & wine

Salsiccia di PalazzoloCured meatTraditional sausage, a Slow Food Presidium
Monti Iblei PDO olive oil (IT)Olive oilExtra virgin oil from the Anapo valley area
Andy LiAlmond Danish - Jacob's Bakery + Cafe 2025-09-10 CC0
Almond pastriesSweet

Adapted from Wikipedia (Palazzolo Acreide). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to sleep

7 places to stay within 3 km

B&Bs and guest houses 4
Hotels 2
Campsites 1

Nearby member villages

Ferla · 7.4 km
Buccheri · 8.4 km
Monterosso Almo · 15 km
Militello in Val di Catania · 26 km
Agira · 74 km