Madonie National Park immersion in Nature

The Madonie National Park is an Italian national park located in Sicily, between Palermo and Cefalù and covers 39,972 acres (161.76 km2; 62.46 sq mi). It includes the Madonie mountain range and some of the highest mountains in Sicily. The park has six mountains that are over 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) and many more that are over 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). The highest is Pizzo Carbonara at 1,979 metres (6,493 ft), second in height only to Mount Etna.

As well as being a nature reserve, the park is an inhabited area with dozens of little villages and small towns many of which trace their origins to medieval times. The park is also home to a number of castles and numerous ancient churches. The wild mountainous slopes are inhabited by wolves, wildcats and eagles as well as being a habitat to the rare, nearly-extinct Nebrodi fir tree.

The national park was officially created on 9 November 1989. Within the park area there are outcrops of rocks which have been dated at over a 200-million-year period and represent all aspects of the geology of Sicily apart from the current volcanic activity. The collaboration of the Madonie Park authorities and the European Geoparks Network has allowed the research of students and lecturers of University of Palermo Department of Geology and Geodesy. Studies have been made, papers published and educational paths mapped out with signs erected with information on the ground. Madonie Geopark is a member of the European Geoparks Network and the UNESCO Global Network of National Geoparks.

Thanks to the unique topography of the Park you can go skiing,cycling,horseback riding,hiking and exploring the hills and valleys, the park's mountains are the oldest known sedimentary rocks in Sicily, along the paths are visible many fossils like sponges and even reefs from the Jurassic period.