Santuario di Gibilmanna

Tyrrhenian Coast


Sicilians regularly make pilgrimages to pray at this elaborately decorated baroque shrine to the Virgin Mary. During the church's consecration on 17 August 1760, the Virgin is supposed to have shown signs of life, namely restoring sight to two blind worshippers and speech to a mute. The miracle was later confirmed by the Vatican and, consequently, the church has become one of Sicily's most important shrines. The Tyrrhenian Sea views from the belvedere out front are spectacular in clear weather.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Tyrrhenian Coast attractions

1. Spiaggia di Cefalù

3.34 MILES

Cefalù's crescent-shaped beach is one of the most popular along the whole Sicilian coast. In summer it is packed, so be sure to arrive early to get a good…

2. Salita Saraceni

3.49 MILES

An enormous staircase, the Salita Saraceni, winds up through three tiers of city walls in a 30- to 45-minute climb to the summit of La Rocca. From here…

3. Il Castello

3.51 MILES

Apart from a few loose rocks and low crenellated walls, there is nothing left of Il Castello, a Norman castle built atop the old Arab citadel that once…

4. Tempio di Diana

3.53 MILES

Built of massive limestone blocks quarried directly from the mountainside, the megalithic Tempio di Diana dates back to the 4th or 5th century BC. On the…

5. Lavatoio

3.61 MILES

Descend the curving stone steps to this picturesque cluster of 16th-century wash basins, built over a spring that was well known in antiquity.

6. Museo Mandralisca

3.63 MILES

This small, privately owned museum showcases a collection amassed by parliamentarian, archaeologist and natural-history buff, Baron Mandralisca (1809–64)…

7. Duomo di Cefalù

3.68 MILES

Cefalù's cathedral is one of the jewels in Sicily's Arab-Norman crown, only equalled in magnificence by the Cattedrale di Monreale and Palermo's Cappella…

8. Bastione Capo Marchiafava

3.74 MILES

For fabulous sea views in the heart of Cefalù, make your way to this 17th-century fortification, off Via Bordonaro. Crowds gather here to watch the sunset…