Cinisi, Sicily. A Small Town With A Big History

We didn’t think much of Cinisi at first.

Sure, it is a beautiful coastal town with mountain views from practically every corner. But, to be fair, there are many places like this in Sicily. So what actually makes it different? And, more importantly, why is Palermo Airport not in Palermo?

Even the first time we visited Cinisi, one thing stood out quite quickly. The streets feel just a little more organised. Straight and clean, almost too neat for a small Sicilian town like this. Around the centre, there are beautiful buildings, and just outside, you start noticing the villas. And those are... well... stunning, for lack of a better word.

So naturally, the question comes up. What makes Cinisi so different from other small towns we have seen?

I am sure it won’t take you long to guess. And yes, you would be absolutely right. Stereotype or not, when talking about Cinisi, you have to talk about the mafia.

Why is Palermo Airport not in Palermo?

Well, after reading this far, you probably already know the answer. And again, you would be right.

It is quite hard to imagine today, but there was a time when the mafia had enough influence to shape decisions on this level. And, naturally, having the airport close to their operating grounds was an absolute necessity.

Access to an airport made things like drug trafficking much easier. And with that came more money and more power.

Plus, it didn’t stop there. Their influence reached far into the surrounding infrastructure as well. Roads, highways, construction, there are even stories about highways being built with unnecessary turns just to avoid land owned by mafia families.

It sounds exaggerated until you realise how much control there actually was. But this is also where one of the most important stories of Cinisi begins. A story of resistance.

Peppino Impastato

Peppino Impastato grew up here in Cinisi. He was born into a family already connected to the mafia. That was his environment from the beginning.

But instead of accepting it, he chose to speak against it. In 1970s, he created a radio programme, Radio Aut, where he openly criticised the mafia. He used satire, names, and made it very clear who he was talking about. That included Gaetano Badalamenti, who lived extremely close to him.

In 1978, while he was running in local elections, he was murdered. His body was placed on a railway line and blown up. For years, the case was treated as a terrorist act.

His family refused to accept that version. His mother kept pushing for the truth, even when it meant going against everything around her.

It took time, but eventually the truth came out and Gaetano Badalamenti, the killer of Peppino, was convicted.

Their houses were just a hundred steps from each other. The distance between the house is called I cento passi and is marked with colourful tiles so you can walk it yourself. It takes just under a minute to walk from the house of the victim to the house of the murderer.

Today, Peppino’s house in Cinisi is a museum and the house of Gaetano Badalamenti - into a public library.

The Carnevale

If you have read about our Sicilian experiences before, you will know that they don’t mess around when it comes to celebrations. And Carnevale… well, that is absolutely legendary in Cinisi.

I will be honest with you, when we first heard about it, we thought it was a little exaggerated. I mean, I was sure it would be a wonderful celebration, but the scale of it… nothing could have prepared us for that. In the best possible way, of course.

The whole of Sicily celebrates Carnevale in February, so you can expect parades and celebrations across the island. But Cinisi… they take it to another level.

I honestly didn’t expect to see so many people here. I am sure that the number of people both participating and watching the parade and the party that followed exceeded the entire population of the town.

And believe me when I say it, it was wild.

It is said that if you don’t go to Palermo for Carnevale on this coast, you come to Cinisi. And now I truly believe that is true. And, I must say, coming to Cinisi for Carnevale will be a tradition of ours as well. Absolute legends. That’s all I can say.

And to really understand how important this tradition is, you can even see photos of Peppino Impastato participating in Carnevale. It is a strange feeling to be part of something that has been celebrated for so long.

And I am truly grateful that we got to experience it.

Daily life in Cinisi

So after wild celebrations and heavy history, how does life in Cinisi actually look today?

If you are searching for that very local Sicilian lifestyle, you will find it here. Grandpas sitting outside, playing cards or just having a cigarette. Local pastry shops and trattorias. Shops where people know each other by name.

It feels welcoming, familiar, and still very much itself. Something that is slowly disappearing in more touristic areas.

At the same time, people here are incredibly dedicated and talented. We met so many great people in the house of Peppino Impastato and beyond. What stands out is that nobody here avoids the past. People don’t whisper about it in some dark corners, they talk about it openly. Not only the history itself, but also the fight against it. Especially the fight against it.

It takes strength not to be defined by a history this heavy. Especially when it is still relatively recent. But Cinisi has managed to do exactly that.

And not only do I truly respect that, I am also glad it has. Because this town is genuinely beautiful.

You have already read about our hikes in Monte Pecoraro, but it’s worth repeating. It’s an incredible place, and it’s right there. About a 30-minute drive, or a much more serious walk if you decide to go straight up from Cinisi itself (it is 1423 meters high though).

And if mountains are not your thing, then just a short walk away is Magaggiari Beach, which you might remember from our Terrasini post.

Mountains, beach, and genuinely great people. It’s a strong combination. And if you have a car, just like from Terrasini, your beach options only expand from there. Which is particularly useful during the hot Mediterranean summers.

Final thoughts

So yes, Cinisi is a small town, but there is a lot behind it. And for us, it has become one of those places we keep coming back to. For food (especially for food), but also for atmosphere, parties and everything in between.

Mafia history or not, the proximity to the airport is also a huge advantage in daily life. And once you spend some time here, you start seeing why people stay or even relocate here specifically.

If you want to see Cinisi more closely, we already have a full video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xS1ZHiMEjjs?si=5SuunSJL1pemNYZY

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Thank you for reading, and see you in the next one.
Ciao!