Castelbuono is a small town in the mountains near Palermo. Now – full disclosure time – the only reason we went there was to go to a restaurant of which I’d read great reviews. (Yes, I am totally becoming Sicilian: it was a three hour drive there, and more than four back once we’d been diverted multiple times off the road we wanted; these are the things you do for good food.) We stayed, though, because the town itself was as delicious to the eyes as was the meal we’d just eaten to our stomachs.

The unexpected things you see when you look up – like Arabic-inspired towers with shimmering blue fish-scale tiling …

… or the problems of first floor apartment living: where to keep your moped? On your balcony, of course.

Latin inscription over the gate to the 14th century Sicilian castle which gives the town its name. (The castle was originally called Castello del buon aere – the good air castle – owing to its breezy position at the top of a hill.)

 Belltower and blue sky

 The beauty of simplicity: terracotta roof tiles held in place with rocks

… which turn to burnished gold in the late afternoon sunlight.

The view from the castle over the town, to the hills beyond

While the rest of the town punctuated their Sunday afternoon passeggiata with cake and ice cream in the piazza, he sat on the church steps, and watched, and waited ..

Manna! It might not be the stuff from heaven, but apparently it’s good for all manner (ha!) of ailments, and is a speciality of the Castelbuono region

Manna Conoscenti: they know a thing or two about manna, they do …

A wellspring; a fountain; most importantly a meeting point

Two and a half wise men above a grand but battered doorway