Raffadali is a small inland town in the Province of Agrigento, set about 420 metres above sea level amid the firm, pale landscape of Sicily’s gypsum hills. Its position in the Agrigento countryside, along ancient routes of communication, gives it the character of a compact historic settlement rather than a coastal resort, with an old urban fabric still associated with an Islamic imprint.
The town’s identity reaches back to Arab-Norman origins, and its name may derive from the Arabic *Rahl-Afdal*, often interpreted as “most excellent village”. Raffadali later developed under Norman rule and became closely tied to the Montaperto family: in 1507 Pietro Montaperto obtained the licence to populate the borgo, and the family’s feudal influence lasted until the abolition of feudal rights in 1812.
Today Raffadali is defined by this layered inland heritage: Arab memory in its layout, Norman and feudal phases in its history, and a strong community identity linked to devotion to the Madonna degli Infermi, rooted in the town’s memory of plague deliverance. This combination makes Raffadali distinctive within the Agrigento hinterland.
Patron Saint:
Madonna degli Infermi – 8 July
Nearest Airport:
Comiso (Pio La Torre) – (131 km, 02:04)
Neighboring Cities:
