With donkeys to discover the old mine of Floristella-Grottacalda
  • Travelling time: 6 hours
  • Difficulty: Family
  • Why we love it: you can discover more about the history of this Region, just walking through hills and woods
  • Length: 13 km
  • Total Elevation Gain: 100 m
  • Way to travel: by bike, on foot, with donkeys or horses
  • Cost: 0 €
  • Our Advice: take some time to listen to the stories of people living in these places!

The mine of  Floristella is one of the most expressive settlements of industrial archeology of southern Italy, It is now surrounded by green woods.

an old palace made of stones
Rest of the mine - picture by guidasicilia.it

Still well visible are the ancient wells, calcheroni, gill ovens and shafts where you can still imagine to hear the echo of the voices of the " carusi ", children working in mines, protagonist of the rich, but tragic epic of the "Yellow Gold", as Sulfur was once called. 

a picture of sulfur, the yellow gold, along the streets of a village
Sulfur, "the yellow Gold" - picture by saimzolfi.it

Almost entirely accessible is the palace of Pennisi, the residence of the owner family and now houses the Museum of Work. After the tour across the mine, the itinerary continues through the woods to reach the village of Grottacalda, where miners used to live.

rest of houses made of stones surrounded by the forest
Remains of the village - picture by guidasicilia.it

The itinerary can be enriched with a genuine picnic and\or tasting of typical products, also with the possibility of participation in their preparation.

 

Author: Carmen Menzo, "Share your green Adventure" prize

Cover image: countryside around Enna - Andy Nelson via Flickr

Eco-friendly accommodations
AgriCasaVacanza Cafeci

Enna (Italy)

Accoglienza amichevole e genuina sui monti erei, con vista indimenticabile sull'etna. intera casa...

Starting from €40.00