On Easter Sunday, in Prizzi, the devils come out: tin masks and red robes running through the streets with Death, dressed in yellow and carrying a crossbow, trying to prevent the meeting of the risen Christ and the Madonna. In the end the angels strike them down, and the two meet three times.
The town stands at 966 metres, one of the highest in Sicily, and is said to have been born from the survivors of the Sicanian city of Hippana, who fled to the mountain opposite after a Roman assault. In 1155 Matteo Bonello — the same man behind the conspiracy against William I — broke up the territory and gave part of it to the monasteries: from that donation today's comune was born. There are 5,055 residents.
Sfincione · Arancina · Pasta alla Norma
10 places to stay · top rated: Corleone GUESTHOUSE 9.3 · DREAM CORLEONE ONE 9.1
Next up: Saint George and the Dance of the Devils, Friday 23 April
Nearest airport: Palermo Falcone-Borsellino, 59 km away
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📅 Every year, on 23 April; the Dance of the Devils at Easter
The patron of Prizzi is Saint George, on 23 April; but the tradition the town carries in its name belongs to Easter, when two devils and Death roam the streets until they meet the angels.
Tall, soft bread dough, tomato, onion, anchovies, oregano and caciocavallo: sfincione is Palermo's focaccia, cut into squares.
Read more →Saffron rice, ragù with peas and caciocavallo cheese inside a golden crust. Round and feminine in Palermo, pointed and called arancino in Catania: the quarrel is serious.
Read more →Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
Outside Prizzi, but an easy day trip away.
