Monte Pellegrino Hike: Visit the Mountain’s Nature Reserve

Monte Pellegrino (AKA Mount Pellegrino) is a small mountain located next to Palermo, the capital city of Sicily. From Palermo, it’s possible to hike up Monte Pellegrino to the mountain’s main attraction, Santuario di Santa Rosalia (Sanctuary of Saint Rosalia) – an astounding church located inside a cave.

This walk is also known as l’Acchianata (The Climb), a traditional pilgrimage completed on 3rd–4th September to honour Palermo’s patron saint.

It’s also possible to do a circular hike atop the Monte Pellegrino Nature Reserve, which leads to an epic viewpoint overlooking Mondello Beach.

Personally, Beck and I didn’t do the hike from Palermo to Monte Pellegrino. Instead, we drove to Belvedere di Monte Pellegrino (an epic viewpoint) and then did the circular hike around the nature reserve. After that, we drove to and visited Santuario di Santa Rosalia.

In this guide, we’ll share our experience hiking around the Monte Pellegrino Nature Reserve and visiting Santuario di Santa Rosalia thereafter. For completeness, we’ll also provide details about the walk from Palermo to Monte Pellegrino.

Monte Pellegrino (Mount Pellegrino), Palermo

Monte Pellegrino, also known as Mount Pellegrino, is located right next to the city of Palermo. At 606 metres above sea level, the mountain imposes itself over the densely populated city.

It’s a mountain that’s easily accessible by car. Many people either drive to Santuario di Santa Rosalia or Belvedere di Monte Pellegrino to admire views over Palermo. From Belvedere di Monte Pellegrino, you can easily access Monte Pellegrino Nature Reserve (Riserva Naturale Orientata Monte Pellegrino).

The nature reserve has two mountain bike trails (Costa Finocchiaro and Cozzo dello Mandra), which also serve as walking trails.

By combining the two trails, you can do an approx. 9km circular walk, taking around 2–3 hours. That’s exactly what Beck and I did. Along this walk, you’ll enjoy amazing views of Palermo and the surrounding coastline.

Below, we’ll discuss this Monte Pellegrino Hike in more detail.

Monte Pellegrino Hike Details

• Type: Loop
• Distance: 9km
• Time: 2.5–3 hours
• Accumulated elevation gain: 245m
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trailhead: Monte Pellegrino Nature Reserve Southern Entrance
• Map: Wikiloc

Monte Pellegrino Hike: Our Experience

Here, we’ll talk about the circular hike we did around the Monte Pellegrino Nature Reserve. As mentioned, we parked at Belvedere di Monte Pellegrino. From there, we headed a short distance down the road, soon arriving at the southern entrance of the nature reserve.

From there, you’ll follow Costa Finocchiaro (red route) northwards into the nature reserve. During the early stages of the walk, you’ll get to enjoy the magnificent local flora. With no other people around, we found the walk very relaxing and peaceful.

Punto Panoramico

After approx. 2.5km, we reached a sign labelled ‘Punto Panoramico’. This sign leads to a small side trail that passes a picnic bench and reaches an awesome viewpoint offering stellar views of Mondello Beach and Capo Gallo.

We decided at this point of the walk to fly our drone. From the sky, we captured some breathtaking photos of the picturesque scenery surrounding the mountain.

From this vantage point on Monte Pellegrino, you’ll get a brilliant view of Mondello Beach and Mondello, a neighbourhood of Palermo. Further in the distance, you’ll see Mount Gallo, which sits in the Cappo Gallo Nature Reserve.

Not far from Punto Panoramico, there is a similar viewpoint. Essentially, you’ll rejoin the Costa Finocchiaro trail, and then, a short distance later, there is another side trail leading to another rocky outcrop, offering near-identical views.

Exploring the Monte Pellegrino Nature Reserve

After visiting Punto Panoramico and the other viewpoint, you’ll rejoin Costa Finocchiaro, venturing eastwardly across the nature reserve.

On the eastern side of the reserve, there are some other side trails you can take to other outcrops that offer views over Palermo. Admittedly, these other short detours can be overgrown. Personally, we avoided them and continued to a maze called Labirinto di Monte Pellegrino.

Exploring the maze was a fun part of the walk. The maze is also the location of a junction in trails. To continue on this circular hike, you’ll then join Cozzo dello Mandra (blue route), which winds its way through the belly of the nature reserve.

This part of the reserve has denser pockets of trees and plants, making you feel enclosed in a natural haven. You’ll feel like you’re millions of miles away from any civilisation, despite Palemo being right next door.

Eventually, Cozzo dello Mandra rejoins Costa Finocchiaro. At this point, you’ll turn right and retrace your steps back to the southern entrance to complete the walk.

Palermo to Monte Pellegrino Hike (l’Acchianata)

The other well-known option for hiking on Monte Pellegrino is the steep and winding cobbled (mule) track that leads you from Palermo to Santuario di Santa Rosalia. Bear in mind, the path crosses the mountain road several times. This route doesn’t involve exploring the nature reserve.

For your convenience, here are the trail specs for this route option.

• Type: Out & Back
• Distance: 7.7km
• Time: 3–4 hours
• Accumulated elevation gain: 420m
• Difficulty: Hard
• Trailhead: Scala Vecchia (Old Stairway)
• Map: AllTrails

Given the arduous, tedious nature of the ascent, few visitors will do this walk. But, of course, it’s an option! Along the route, you’ll be treated to sweeping views over Palermo.

More commonly, the walk is completed by locals for religious reasons. Typically, locals will commence the walk on the evening of the 3rd of September and arrive very early on the morning of the 4th of September.

The pilgrimage walk honours the city’s patron saint, so it’s no surprise it ascends to Santuario di Santa Rosalia.

Santuario di Santa Rosalia (Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia)

As mentioned, Beck and I didn’t walk from Palermo to Santuario di Santa Rosalia. We simply drove there after doing the circular Monte Pellegrino Hike around the nature reserve.

Certainly, Santuario di Santa Rosalia is the main attraction of Monte Pellegrino. From the outside, you’ll see a church built incredibly into the side of a cliff wall.

But, perhaps, it’s what you’ll see on the inside that’s even more amazing. By entering Santuario di Santa Rosalia, you’ll get to see the impressive church built around 25 metres deep inside a cave.

By the way, it’s free to enter!

As mentioned, Santa Rosalia is the patron saint of Palermo. Not only does the pilgrimage walk take place annually, but the Festa di Santa Rosalia (Feast of Saint Rosalia) is celebrated every July. So, who was Santa Rosalia and how did she become Palermo’s patron saint?

Long story short, Santa Rosalia was born in Palermo in 1130 into a noble, aristocratic Norman family. After learning about her proposed arranged marriage, she immediately became a nun, fled and took refuge elsewhere. She would eventually relocate to Monte Pellegrino, where she died in 1170.

Fast forward to 1624, and the plague is starting to wreak havoc in Palermo. Its people are praying to their four patron saints, but to no avail.

As legend has it, Vincenzo Bonelli, a soap maker, had a vision on Mount Pellegrino of Santa Rosalia, who guided him to her bones in the cave where the Santuario di Santa Rosalia now stands. After parading the bones through the streets of Palermo during a procession, the plague immediately stopped spreading.

Afterwards, the four previous patron saints were replaced by Santa Rosalia. Santuario di Santa Rosalia was then built around the cave where the bones were found in 1625.

Other Things to Do at Monte Pellegrino

Other than doing a Monte Pellegrino hike and visiting Santuario di Santa Rosalia, there are other things to do on the mountain. Next, we’ll talk about the best lookout – Belvedere di Monte Pellegrino. Then, we’ll cover some tour options, including the popular Mountain Bike Tour From Palermo.

Sunset at Belvedere di Monte Pellegrino

You’ll find many fantastic viewpoints at Mount Pellegrino. There are several lay-bys along the main road, which winds through the mountainside, where you can stop and enjoy views of Palermo.

Otherwise, by far, the best lookout is Belvedere di Monte Pellegrino. You’ll find the lookout at the end of the mountain road, with ample parking. In particular, visiting Belvedere di Monte Pellegrino for sunset is a memorable experience.

Visit Statua di Santa Rosalia

Other than outstanding views of Palermo and the coastline, you’ll find Statua di Santa Rosalia (Statue of Saint Rosalia) located at Belvedere di Monte Pellegrino. From the parking area, it’s only a short walk up to the statue.

Monte Pellegrino and Santuario di Santa Rosalia Tours

Many people choose to explore the mountain and Santuario di Santa Rosalia by doing an organised tour from Palermo. GetYourGuide offers two main tours to Monte Pellegrino from Palermo.

The Panoramic Cruiser Car Tour From Palermo is a great way to enjoy viewpoints along the mountain road and learn more about the history of the area.

Although the Mountain Bike Tour From Palermo is the more popular option. Beck and I saw plenty of people participating in this tour. Of course, keep in mind, that the bike tour is fairly physically demanding, given the elevation profile of the mountain and the typical hot weather in Sicily.

Click below to find out more about these two awesome tours.

How to Get to Monte Pellegrino

The easiest and quickest way to get to Monte Pellegrino is to drive there yourself. You’ll find free parking at both Santuario di Santa Rosalia and Belvedere di Monte Pellegrino.

We recommend hiring a car. Personally, Beck and I picked up our car hire from Catania International Airport. For an automatic car, we only paid around €7 ($7USD) per day!

To find out more about renting a car with Discover Cars, read our Discover Cars review and Discover Cars Insurance review.

As mentioned, it’s also possible to hike to the top of Monte Pellegrino from Palermo!

Monte Pellegrino Bus

If you don’t have your own vehicle and don’t wish to walk up, you can catch a bus from Palermo to Monte Pellegrino.

From the northern end of Palermo, you can catch the local 812 AST bus to Santuario di Santa Rosalia. Unfortunately, the AST bus website is insecure, so we don’t want to send you there. But, we’ve been advised that this website would be the best place to check the timetable.

Otherwise, use Google Maps to help figure out the best stop to access to catch the 812 bus.

What to Wear and Pack

Whether you’re hiking up the mountain from Palermo or exploring the nature reserve, make sure to pack plenty of water to help stay hydrated. For either option, make sure to wear sturdy walking shoes. Make sure to wear sunscreen as well, especially if you visit in the summer, to avoid sunburn.

The nature reserve has no shops or amenities, so pack snacks if you’re doing the circular walk described above.

Bonus Tips

• The mountain road is narrow and winding: despite the nice views en route, make sure to concentrate on the road. It’s not uncommon for local drivers to drive dangerously, with plenty of speeding and weaving. Indeed, it’s more the drivers to worry about than the road itself!
• Arrive at Santuario di Santa Rosalia early: tour groups start arriving around 10am. The church usually opens at 9am. So, for a quieter visit, try to arrive for the opening.
• Visit other natural areas near Palermo: if you’re looking for other great day trips from Palermo, then visit Mondello Beach, the Capo Gallo Nature Reserve, Capo Zafferano and Monte Grifone.

Please leave us a comment below if you have any questions about the Monte Pellegrino Hike.