Maniace

Nestled in a lush valley bathed by the Simeto river, Maniace is bordered by a natural setting of striking beauty among the shores of the Simeto springs, the final slopes of the Nebrodi and the towering Etna mass. Its name is connected to the character of the Byzantine general Giorgio Maniace who, having defeated the Arabs, decided to build a monastery here housing an icon portraying the Madonna. Later, at the request of Queen Margaret of Navarra, a castle was built next to the monastery, which gave impetus to the foundation of the town.

The Bourbons donated the settlement to Admiral Horatio Nelson following his naval victory over the French fleet in 1798 on the River Nile, and it was not until 1981 that the municipality acquired autonomy.