I'll show you a town that you can't refuse!
The Corleone name was immortalized in Mario Puzo'sbook and the subsequent hit 1972 film 'The Godfather.' In the movie, young Vito was given the surname of Corleone, his place of origin, on Ellis Island when he could not produce his real name for the immigration agents. The rest is history.
During my time in Sicily, I had to make Corleone a priority, so off we went in our tiny rental car and circled the island until we found the windy mountain road that would lead us to Corleone.
Thanks to the Godfather movies, and the town's own history, Corleone will forever be linked to the Mafia. In 2006, Bernardo Provenzano was arrested in Corleone after 40 years of hiding. Don't let these interpretations sway your view of this glorious piece of Sicily.
Traveling into Corleone, I got the impression that the place means something pretty big to someone, as every road on Sicily is bumpy, unkept or deteriating.....except for the road into Corleone. The road is paved flawlessly and offers some impressive views of the countryside. A beautiful sight. Coming up into the town, you'll notice all the new developments sprouting up on the outskirts, but Corleone's historic charm engulfs you as you enter the city.
I'm convinced Corleone has more churches per capita than anywhere else on the planet, and each church is worth the time to stop and admire, especially the Chiesa Madre, or Mother Church.
The street is lined with cafes, bakeries and small, central park. Old men sitting in groups populate the areas outside of the local cafe-bars, all lost in conversation, but obviously taking note of everything and everyone around them. Some of the streets seem too narrow even to walk. The hike down to the bottom of the town provides a little glimpse of how people live in these remote mountain towns, you get the impression nothing has really changed in the last 100 years.
Walking the streets of Corleone is a throwback in time, you feel as if you're in a movie yourself.
Another can't miss attraction of the town is the watch tower. The tower was built between the 11th and 12th centuries and offers fantastic views of the town, the surrounding area and the steep drop into the Corleone River.
Corleone is not a vacation destination and not somewhere to spend a whole lot of time, but it is well worth a day trip from your vacation location on the Island of Sicily.
You won't be disappointed with the splendor of the town of Corleone.
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