On 2 July, the annual Feast of the Madonna della Visitazione begins with 101 cannon shots. This opening is one of Enna’s distinctive traditions; medieval buildings, other processions and the natural landscape around Lake Pergusa offer a variety of discoveries.

Buildings and Ancient Religious History

The Torre di Federico II is considered one of Italy’s best-preserved Swabian monuments. During his stays in Sicily, it served Frederick II as a summer residence. From its summit, you can see the Torre delle Aquile, the Castello di Lombardia, the cathedral and Mount Etna. The Castello di Lombardia is one of Italy’s largest medieval castles. Frederick II of Swabia convened the first Sicilian parliament there.

The cathedral has a basilica-style layout with three naves and a transept; Gothic and Aragonese architectural elements have been preserved. It also houses five 18th-century altarpieces attributed to the Flemish painter Guglielmo Borremans. The cathedral thus brings architectural details together with a specific collection of paintings from this period.

The Rocca di Cerere sits atop an almost isolated limestone-sandstone peak. In classical times, the peak served as a sacred temenos of Demeter and Kore. Temenos means a sacred precinct and helps explain the site’s religious role in that era. The Rocca gave its name to a geopark, which has been part of the European and Global Geoparks Networks since 2001.

Processions and Museums

The Feast of the Madonna della Visitazione includes a procession in which the patron saint’s Vara, the Nave d’Oro, is carried. Holy Week includes a traditional procession of 16 brotherhoods: from Palm Sunday until Wednesday morning, it proceeds to the cathedral at hourly intervals. During the Good Friday procession, around 2,500 hooded members of the brotherhoods carry the biers of the dead Jesus and Our Lady of Sorrows, accompanied by various funeral marches.

The Museo delle Confraternite takes a different approach to its displays: each exhibition room is dedicated to one of the five senses. The Museo del Mito is presented as Italy’s first fully multimedia museum. It conveys the myth in a contemporary way, in a form accessible to a wide audience. The museum is currently closed for renovation; check its latest status before your visit.

Lake Pergusa and Practical Information

The Riserva Naturale Lago di Pergusa nature reserve covers 402.5 hectares in the municipality of Enna and is designated as the Natura 2000 site SAC/SPA ITA060002. Lake Pergusa is a shallow, slightly brackish tectonic lake with no inflows or outflows. The area is an important stopover and wintering ground for waterbirds, and is also a breeding site for the Sicilian partridge. Its protected status, lake formation and birdlife reveal different aspects of this natural landscape.

On the Enna route, Lake Pergusa is the more distant section; it can be reached by public bus or car. Check current connections before setting out. Parco Minerario Floristella Grottacalda has visitor trails and a picnic area. Guided visits on other days and at other times must be arranged in advance. As visiting hours are subject to change, it is a good idea to check them before planning your visit.

Discover more destinations: Piazza Armerina, Pergusa, Pietraperzia, Aidone, Enna, Troina, Gagliano Castelferrato, Centuripe, Sant'anna, Nissoria, Agira, Valguarnera Caropepe, Catenanuova, Calascibetta, Regalbuto, Villarosa, Barrafranca, Assoro.

View the overview of the wider region: Sicily.