Castroreale is a medieval hill town in the Peloritani area of northern Sicily, set on Colle Torace above the territory around Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto. Its steep stone-paved lanes, compact squares and high viewpoints give it a strongly vertical character, with the surrounding hills and woods opening toward the inland, Mount Etna and the coast near Milazzo.
The town’s identity is rooted in the Middle Ages. Its first historical nucleus is linked to an Arab fortification, while in the 14th century Federico II d’Aragona expanded the settlement and granted it the title of royal city, reflected in the historical name “Catrum Regale”. Older legendary traditions even connect its beginnings with a city called Artemisia, though Castroreale’s clearest profile is medieval and royal.
Today, Castroreale is defined by that layered hilltop setting: a scenic, devotional and traditional town where religious memory, stone streets and a former royal status combine to create one of the Peloritani’s most distinctive historic villages.
Patron Saint:
Saint Silvester (San Silvestro) – 31 December
Nearest Airport:
Catania (Fontanarossa) – (171 km, 02:16)
Neighboring Cities:
Antillo, Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, Casalvecchio Siculo, Rodì Milici, Santa Lucia del Mela, Terme Vigliatore
