ITALY, Sicily.
Via Francigena Normanna II.
A six-days hike from Gangi to Maniace and then to Catania.
03/May/2023 to 09/May/2023.
![]() |
| This six-days hike continues along the Via Normanna (green) to Maniace, then deviates to Catania along the Via Fabaria (blue). |
![]() |
| Gangi, starting place for this six-day hike. In the background the snow covered Mount Etna, 3400m (picture stolen from the internet). |
CLICK HERE for the earlier eight-days hike from Palermo to Gangi (Jan 2023)
Monday/01/May/2023.
Home to Palermo journey.
Transportation:
---- DB train RE11 from Lippstadt to Dusseldorf airport, 13:26-15:15, 1h49. 22€.
---- 2h30 transit at Dusseldorf airport.
---- ITA flight AZ417 from Dusseldorf (DUS) to Milan-Linate (LIN), Sunday 31/Apr/2023 17:45-19:15, 1h30, 352€ (all four flights).
Gangi.
---- ITA flight AZ417 from Dusseldorf (DUS) to Milan-Linate (LIN), Sunday 31/Apr/2023 17:45-19:15, 1h30, 352€ (all four flights).
---- ITA flight AZ1793 from Milan-Linate (LIN) to Palermo (PMO), 18:55-20:30, 1h35.
---- Train from the airport to Palermo Palazzo Reale Orleans, 0h47, 21:20-22:07, 6.50€.
|---| Hotel Orleans, Palermo, 50€ incl breakfast.
Tuesday 02/May/2023.
Palermo to Gangi journey.
Palermo.
Tuesday 02/May/2023.
Palermo to Gangi journey.
Palermo.
![]() |
| San Giovanni degli Eremiti. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Giovanni_degli_Eremiti |
![]() |
| Norman Castle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_dei_Normanni |
![]() |
| Cathedral. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palermo_Cathedral |
![]() |
| Where Libero Grassi was shot in 1991. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libero_Grassi |
Transportation:
---- SAIS bus from Palermo Station to Gangi, 12:20-14:40 & 14h20-16:40, 2h30, 11.30€.
|---| Casa Il vicolo dei Tetti, Gangi, 40€.
|---| B&B San Francesco, Nicosia, 27€ incl breakfast.
Thursday 04/May/2023.
HIKE 2 - Nicosia to Troina (22.2km).
(Hike #10 of the Via Normanna).
|---| Hotel dei Nebrodi, Cesaro, 40€ incl breakfast.
Today, at Nelson's Castle in Maniace, I will deviate from the Via Normanna (Palermo-Messina), taking the Via Fabaria towards Catania.
|---| B&B Terebinto, Bronte, 60€.
Sunday 07/May/2023.
HIKE 5 - Bronte to Adrano (20.1km).
|---| B&B Patty's House (Hostel), private room, Adrano, 48€ without breakfast.
Monday 08/May/2023.
HIKE 6 - Adrano to Paterno (15.6km).
Transportation:
---- Ciurcumetnea train from Paterno to Catania.
|---| Home, Milano.
Wednesday 03/May/2023.
HIKE 1 - Gangi to Nicosia (22.6km, 7h45).
(Hike #9 of the Via Normanna).
HIKE 1 - Gangi to Nicosia (22.6km, 7h45).
(Hike #9 of the Via Normanna).
Nicosia.
![]() |
| Nice end of the day. |
|---| B&B San Francesco, Nicosia, 27€ incl breakfast.
Thursday 04/May/2023.
HIKE 2 - Nicosia to Troina (22.2km).
(Hike #10 of the Via Normanna).
![]() |
| Approaching Troina.. |
![]() |
| Operation Hushki 1943. |
![]() |
| Peasant showing how the Germans have gone. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peasant_Telling... |
![]() |
| Sicilian hospitality. |
![]() |
| Troina one euro project. |
![]() |
| Mmmmm pizza con Burrata. |
Idria14 B&B (Idria14@hotmail.it.), 40€.
Friday 05/May/2023.
HIKE 3 - Troina to Cesaro (20km).
Friday 05/May/2023.
HIKE 3 - Troina to Cesaro (20km).
(Hike #11 of the Via Normanna).
![]() |
| Ponte Faidda over the river Fiume di Troina. |
![]() |
| Arrived at Cesaro. |
|---| Hotel dei Nebrodi, Cesaro, 40€ incl breakfast.
Today, at Nelson's Castle in Maniace, I will deviate from the Via Normanna (Palermo-Messina), taking the Via Fabaria towards Catania.
Saturday 06/May/2023.
HIKE 4 - Cesaro to Maniace and then to Bronte (25km).
HIKE 4 - Cesaro to Maniace and then to Bronte (25km).
(Hike #12 of the Via Normanna).
![]() |
| Leaving Cesaro. |
![]() |
| The Etna volcano. |
Maniace.
![]() |
| Maniace, Nelson Castle. |
![]() |
| Maniace, Nelson Castle. |
May 2023 I deviated here from the Via Normanna onto the Via Fabaria towards Catania.
This blogpost furtheron describes that road.
![]() |
| Bronte, restaurant Pepe Rosa for tonight. |
![]() |
| Bedroom for tonight. |
Sunday 07/May/2023.
HIKE 5 - Bronte to Adrano (20.1km).
![]() |
| Bedroom for tonight. |
|---| B&B Patty's House (Hostel), private room, Adrano, 48€ without breakfast.
Monday 08/May/2023.
HIKE 6 - Adrano to Paterno (15.6km).
![]() |
| Salinelle di Paterno, mud volcano. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salinelle_di_Paterno |
MOVIE
Paterno.
![]() |
| Paterno railway station. |
![]() |
| Catania Metro. |
![]() |
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giselle |
![]() |
| Fortunate to have catched a seat for the ballet. |
Transportation:
---- Ciurcumetnea train from Paterno to Catania.
---- Catania Metro.
|---| Hotel Centrale Europa, Catania, 44€.
Tuesday 09/May/2023..
Catania.
|---| Hotel Centrale Europa, Catania, 44€.
Tuesday 09/May/2023..
Catania.
MOVIE
|---| Hotel Centrale Europa, Catania, 44€.
Wednesday 10/May/2023.
Return Home journey.
Transportation:
---- Shuttle bus from Catania city center to the airport.
---- ITA flight AZ1714 from Catania-Fontanarossa (CTA) to Milan-Linate, 12:25-14:15, 1h50.
Wednesday 10/May/2023.
Return Home journey.
Transportation:
---- Shuttle bus from Catania city center to the airport.
---- ITA flight AZ1714 from Catania-Fontanarossa (CTA) to Milan-Linate, 12:25-14:15, 1h50.
---- Transit at Linate airport 1h05.
---- ITA flight AZ414 from Milan-Linate (LIN) to Dusseldorf (DUS), 15:20-16:50, 1h30.
---- Train from the airport.
|---| Home, Milano.
Thanks for having watched this blog post.

































































































