Exactly 64 houses and 185 residents comprised Belmonte Mezzagno during its first census in 1752. Established by Prince Ventimiglia near the Spatola torrent, the settlement has since grown to a population of 11,149. Today, the local economy leans on an enduring agricultural tradition, notably producing olive oil and goat's milk cheese.
Though situated just 15 kilometers south of Palermo, the physical barrier of Monte Grifone completely separates the town from the capital's sprawl. This quiet geography masks a dramatic history: on May 8, 1849, Bourbon troops burned much of Belmonte to the ground to punish its involvement in the Sicilian revolution. The community subsequently recovered around the 1776 Chiesa Madre del SS. Crocifisso.
Near Belmonte Mezzagno
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
