King Frederick III of Sicily chose Montalbano Elicona as his summer residence, taking refuge inside the stone fortress built in 1233 by Emperor Frederick II.
With a population of 2,420, this mountain settlement in the Metropolitan City of Messina sits where the Nebrodi range meets the Peloritani mountains, roughly 50 kilometres southwest of Messina. Crowned Italy's "Borgo dei borghi" in 2015, the municipality combines well-preserved medieval streetscapes with notable natural landmarks, including the ancient Megaliths of Argimusco and the native forest of Malabotta.
The Montalbano Elicona guide
Near Montalbano Elicona
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
