Calatafimi: Behind the Stone Walls of a Sicilian Town

The first major battle fought by Garibaldi during the liberation of Italy took place in 1860 at Calatafimi, a small township in the western mountains on the island of Sicily. But Calatafimi is much more than just a historic site. This lush guide examines every aspect of the town, including its long and eventful history, its architecture and geology, and its rich customs, traditions, and religious festivals. The proud spirit of independence among the townspeople is captured by both contemporary interviews and the accounts of numerous foreign visitors over the centuries, among them te 19th-century author Samuel Butler. This is an enchanting history and cultural study of a town rife with eccentricity, respectability, and charm.