Gibellina and the Cretto di Burri day trip from Palermo or Marsala and the Salt Road or Sciacca
A day trip to Gibellina and the Cretto di Burri from Palermo, Marsala and the Salt Road, or Sciacca: the new town built after the 1968 Belice earthquake as an open-air museum of modern art, with its Museum of Contemporary Art, Quaroni's Chiesa Madre, Consagra's Star at the entrance and the Museo delle Trame Mediterranee by Paladino's Montagna di Sale, then the Cretto, Alberto Burri's white concrete field over the ruins of the old town, and the abandoned old Poggioreale. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Gibellina and the Cretto di Burri in 1 day
Day 1
Gibellina Museum of Contemporary Art
The new town's civic museum of contemporary art, holding works given by the artists who came to rebuild Gibellina after the 1968 earthquake.
Chiesa Madre of Gibellina (Quaroni)
Ludovico Quaroni's white modern church for the rebuilt town, a block of bare white walls crowned by a great sphere.
Stella del Belice (Consagra's Star)
Pietro Consagra's huge steel star over the road into new Gibellina, the gateway to the town rebuilt after the earthquake.
Museo delle Trame Mediterranee (Fondazione Orestiadi)
Orestiadi foundation museum at the Baglio Di Stefano, with Mediterranean textiles, ceramics and jewellery, and Mimmo Paladino's Montagna di Sale at the same baglio.
Cretto di Burri
Alberto Burri's vast field of white concrete poured over the ruins of old Gibellina, its cracks following the old streets; finished in 2015.
Poggioreale ghost town
The old hill town abandoned after the 1968 earthquake, with its empty square, church fronts and lanes slowly returning to nature.
Watch: Gibellina and the Cretto di Burri
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
A car is needed. Gibellina is about an hour and a quarter from Palermo on the A29 towards Mazara del Vallo (Gibellina exit), and under an hour from Marsala and Sciacca. The Cretto is about 20 minutes' drive from the new town, and old Poggioreale a short drive from the Cretto.
Staying in Palermo or Marsala and the Salt Road or Sciacca? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Gibellina and the Cretto di Burri
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, mild and bright for walking the Cretto and the ruins. Summer is very hot and shadeless, but the Orestiadi festival brings theatre and music to Gibellina in summer. Mid-January marks the anniversary of the 1968 earthquake.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Gibellina and the Cretto di Burri on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Gibellina and the Cretto di Burri on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Gibellina and the Cretto di Burri on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Gibellina and the Cretto di Burri
- Gibellina's Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museo delle Trame Mediterranee are closed on Mondays, and the art museum usually on Sunday afternoons: plan the day from Tuesday to Saturday.
- There is no shade at the Cretto and nothing to buy nearby: bring water, a hat and good shoes for walking its concrete lanes.
- Walk old Poggioreale carefully: the houses are ruins, so stay out of fenced areas and off unstable walls.
- Remember that this was a disaster: in January 1968 the Belice earthquake destroyed these towns and killed hundreds of people; the art here is a memorial.
- The new town is spread out, built round cars and wide streets: drive between its artworks and stop at each.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Chiesa Madre of Gibellina (Quaroni): Davide Mauro, CC BY 4.0
- Cretto di Burri: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Poggioreale ghost town: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
