Sweet Sicilian traditions in Castelbuono

The district of Castelbuono, in Sicily's Palermo province, has little more than 9,000 inhabitants yet they guard an important Sicilian custom - the cultivation of manna, a natural sweetener abundantly used in local pastries. But Castelbuono also boasts more modern and ecologically friendly practices: In Castelbuono donkeys are used to collect the town's rubbish door-to-door.

Found in the heart of Sicily's Madonia parkland, the history of Castelbuono has deep roots. It was only from the beginning of the 1300s, however, that the Ventimiglia family enlarged the existing rural manor to include three churches and a castle, as well as a theatre in which Torquato Tasso, Italian poet and author of Jerusalem Delivered, worked.

Today the Ventimiglia castle is a civic museum that regularly hosts contemporary art shows, while the centre of town grabs attention for its traditional window displays of sweets, biscuits and cakes alla manna.

Extracted from a particular species of ash tree, manna is crystallised sap, similar to a small stalactite. Use and cultivation of manna is a legacy from Sicily's Arab rulers. Carefully collected and processed from July to September, this prized sap has a delicate, subtle flavour and Sicily is now internationally famous for its Christmas and Easter cakes sweetened in this unusual way.

Castelbuono itself is a haven of genuine wholesomeness and many aspects of local life reflect the town's emphasis on health and respect for the environment. Every year the town hosts a running race through its ancient streets, the Giro Podistico, or what was called Castelbuono's 10-lap short marathon when it first began in 1912. It is one of the oldest races in Europe and was considered too important to stop even during the Second World War.

In a context of rich history and tradition, a visit to Castelbuono during race-time is well worth while, especially for sports and outdoor enthusiasts.
Another point of local novelty lies in Castelbuono's strange garbage collections. It is the only place in Italy where donkeys are officially employed by the local council to collect the town's recyclable and waste garbage.

Each of these points of history, custom and behaviour make Castelbuono a curious Italian town and an interesting one to visit along Sicily's traveller trail.