Alimena is a small Madonie village nestled in the watershed of the Salso river and its tributary Southern Imera. Its origins date back to the 17th century and are linked to the intense agricultural activities already present in the area. The first residential nucleus was built at the behest of Pietro Alimena but it was only in 1628 that the Marquis Antonio Alimena obtained the licentia populandi.
Where is Alimena located? Alimena is a municipality in the province of Palermo. It rises at 750 meters above sea level, about 60 km from the Tyrrhenian coast. It is 110 km from the city of Palermo, 120 km from the city of Catania, 60 km from the city of Cefalù and 35 km from the city of Enna. Part of its territory falls within the Parco delle Madonie.
How to reach Alimena? The simplest way to reach Alimena is to use your own car and take the A19 Palermo-Catania motorway, exit at the junction for Resuttano, and continue on the SP19 towards Alimena. Alimena is about 7 km from the motorway junction.Alimena does not have its own train station so those who want to travel by train must refer to the nearest train stations and from there take a bus or shuttle to the town. The closest train station to Alimena is Villarosa.
What is the best time to visit Alimena?
Alimena can be visited all year round: the welcome and warmth of the Sicilians will amaze you.
But for an unforgettable experience, admiring the colors, tasting the flavors and fully experiencing the traditions, it is advisable to plan a visit on the days of one of the festivals that take place in Alimena during the year.
If you want to know about upcoming festivals and events Click here and you will find a list of the most important ones.
What to see
Alimena is a place that offers cultural and natural beauty. It has a small and charming center with typical white stone buildings. Among its most notable monuments we find: the Mother Church, dedicated to the patron saint Mary Magdalene; the Church of Santa Maria di Gesù, better known as the Convent Church; the seventeenth-century Church of the Holy Souls; the Church of Carmelo, a small church, stuck between the houses along the main street; and the small Church of San Giuseppe. Outside the town center are the Church of Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori, an ancient octagonal tower created for military purposes, the Church of Calvario which is accessed via a staircase of 33 steps in memory of the years of Christ, the Church of Burgarito and the small Church of the Madonna of Pompei. In the Edera or Areddula districts, they were found traces of an ancient settlement that some scholars have identified with the city of Imachara. Of particular naturalistic interest is the Contrada Grotta dello Stretto place where the Imera river creates a rather narrow bend and from which sulphurous water flows.
Traditional Festivals, Events, Live Show, Concerts,... Alimena
Among the many religious festivals that animate Alimena, the patron saint festival in honor of Santa Maria Maddalena is of particular interest. It takes place on September 1st of each year, a date chosen to give the farmers, busy throughout the summer harvesting cereals, the opportunity to take part and includes a rich religious and recreational programme. Of great charm, for the suggestions that he manages to create are the rites of the Holy Week in Alimena. In particular, Alimena is known for the Casazza, the sacred representation of the Passion of Christ, an ancient tradition in which the local population rediscovers its cultural identity. During the Christmas period it is instead, the Living Nativity Scene of Alimena has been organized among the evocative alleys of the Anime Sante district and the avenues of the Mazza Park. Among the food and wine events of great interest is the Bread Festival, made with ancient local grains and traditional methods, and the Prickly Pear and Masticuttè Festival, traditional mustard made with prickly pears.
Typical food, local wines and drinks, traditional dish to taste in Alimena
You can obviously taste all the typical products of Sicilian cuisine, the most well-known ones, such as
cannoli,
Sicilian cassata, arancini, etc.
But there are some specialties typical of this area that are more difficult to find in other areas of Sicily.
It is an agricultural center known for the production of cereals, especially wheat, but also almonds, broad beans, olives and wines. Among the typical dishes we remember the Masticuttè, a mustard made with prickly pears, another excellent local product.
