Marineo, Sicily

Marineo is a comune

Comune

In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...

(municipality) in the Province of Palermo

Province of Palermo

The Province of Palermo is a province in the autonomous region of Sicily, a major island in Southern Italy. Its capital is the city of Palermo. The Province of Palermo has 82 comuni , 1,239,272 inhabitants, and is 4,992 km² .-External links:...

 in the Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 region Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...

, located about 20 km south of Palermo

Palermo

Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...

. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,885 and an area of 33.3 km².

Marineo borders the following municipalities: Bolognetta

Bolognetta

Bolognetta is a comune in the Province of Palermo in the Italian region Sicily, located about 20 km southeast of Palermo...

, Cefalà Diana

Cefalà Diana

Cefalà Diana is a comune in the Province of Palermo in the Italian region Sicily, located about 25 km southeast of Palermo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 991 and an area of 9.0 km².Cefalà Diana borders the following municipalities: Marineo, Mezzojuso, Villafrati....

, Godrano

Godrano

Godrano is a comune in the Province of Palermo in the Italian region Sicily, located about 25 km south of Palermo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,164 and an area of 38.9 km²....

, Mezzojuso

Mezzojuso

Mezzojuso is a comune in the Province of Palermo in the Italian region Sicily, located about 34 km southeast of Palermo...

, Misilmeri

Misilmeri

Misilmeri is a town and comune in the province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy. It is located approximately from Palermo and its name means "the resting place or the messuage of the Emir", and dates from when the Saracens ruled Sicily and named it Manzil-Al-Emir.The population is approximately 24,000...

, Monreale

Monreale

Monreale is a town and comune in the province of Palermo, in Sicily, Italy, on the slope of Monte Caputo, overlooking the very fertile valley called "La Conca d'oro" , famed for its orange, olive and almond trees, the produce of which is exported in large quantities...

, Santa Cristina Gela

Santa Cristina Gela

Santa Cristina Gela is an Arbëreshë village in the province of Palermo in Sicily.The country, along with Contessa Entellina and Piana degli Albanesi, is one of three ethnic Albanian community in Sicily, where the old Albanian language is still spoken...

, Villafrati

Villafrati

Villafrati is a comune in the Province of Palermo in the Italian region Sicily, located about 25 km southeast of Palermo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,350 and an area of 25.6 km²....

.

The town of Marineo lies in the Eleuterio river valley, at the foot of a rock, just outside the Ficuzza wood. The 17th century Mother church of San Ciro (featuring an outstanding shrine containing the remains of the patron saint), the Madonna Dajna Sanctuary (1583) and the remains of the Castle, from which you can enjoy a spectacular view. The Archeological Museum contains findings from the Eleuterio valley. You can go further down the Scanzano valley, and move along the edge of the Cappelliere wood and the shore of the Scanzano artificial lake, all the way to the amazing natural ramparts of Rocca Busambra, rising out of a vast oak wood. Major events include the Dimostranza di San Ciro, a folk pantomime taking place every four years in August, and the Cunnutta, a parade of pious people on horseback to celebrate the patron saint. In September, an important international poetry contest takes place.