Swap Cefalu's buzzy seaside scene for the simple pleasures of hill-top towns and farm estates in the Madonie Mountains. The beaches and coastline blur into olive groves and rural valleys as your bus makes the scenic journey to Castelbuono in the late afternoon.
You'll have around an hour and a half to wander the narrow stone streets, where every archway frames another impressive view of this Medieval town. Among the Baroque chapel and historic churches, though, the crowning glory of Castelbuono has to be the 14th-century fortress, Castello dei Ventimiglia. It's now open as a museum, so as well as taking time to appreciate the slower pace of the town and perhaps grabbing a gelato, you can take a look around the castle's exhibits of archaeological treasures and contemporary art collection.
In the evening, you'll head to Tenuta Luogo Marcese, a rural, agritourism-style farm estate. Sit on the terracotta-tiled terrace and enjoy a relaxed three-course dinner of seasonal Sicilian dishes, all prepared with local ingredients. Best of all, dinner comes with views of the sun setting over the Madonie hills.
