Nebrodi Mountains

Address: Nebrodi Mountains, northeastern Sicily, Italy

Website: https://www.parconebrodi.it/

Admission: Regional parks and access generally free; specific sites, trails or visitor centres may charge small fees

Nebrodi refers to a mountainous area in northeastern Sicily that forms part of the Sicilian Apennines and includes extensive forests, pastures and small agricultural villages. The area is notable for its upland woodlands and natural diversity.

The landscape includes beech and oak forests, upland pastures, small natural lakes and panoramic ridgelines suited to hiking and wildlife observation; trails link summits, forest roads and traditional villages. Monte Soro is the highest mass in the range and is a common destination for ridge walks and viewpoints.

Protected areas within the Nebrodi support mixed woodland, endemic species and pastoral landscapes, and the region is often visited for outdoor recreation, rural tourism and local gastronomy. Lakes such as Lago Maulazzo are focal points for shorter excursions and nature photography.

Human settlement and pastoral land use have shaped the Nebrodi’s cultural landscape for centuries, with traditional villages and transhumance practices still evident in parts of the range. Conservation initiatives in the late 20th century established protected areas to preserve forests and biodiversity.

Located in northeastern Sicily between the Tyrrhenian coast and the inland highlands, the Nebrodi occupy a central position on the island and are accessible from towns such as Messina and the provincial centres on the northern coast.

• Scale and landscape: The Nebrodi are part of northeastern Sicily’s mountainous interior and form Sicily’s most extensive area of upland woodland, with elevations reaching around 1,800 metres at the highest peaks.

What to See#

• Monte Soro: Monte Soro, the range’s highest massif and a common trailhead for longer ridge hikes.
• Lago Maulazzo and mountain lakes: Lago Maulazzo and several small mountain lakes situated within beech and oak woodlands that characterise the upper slopes.

By car: from Messina or Palermo follow regional roads (SS113 and SP routes) toward the Nebrodi park towns such as Floresta or Troina. Public transport exists but is limited; driving offers the most flexibility.

• Explore small mountain villages for authentic Sicilian food rather than tourist restaurants.
• Drive the SP road network slowly - narrow mountain roads offer dramatic outlooks but can be tight.
• Hike early in the morning to avoid summer heat and to see the islands' silhouettes across the Tyrrhenian Sea.