Hidden Italian village that's 'frozen in time' named one of the most beautiful places to visit in 2024

Gangi in the mountains of Sicily has been voted one of the most beautiful places in the entire country

The never-ending rain means many of us are considering our next holiday. Summer 2024 cannot come soon enough, with many travel experts picking out the best places to visit, including some places that probably aren’t on your radar, the Mirror reports.

That might include some in the UK, or some, like this place named the Maldives of Europe, a little further afield. One place that absolutely should be on your radar though is Gangi, in Sicily.

The ancient Italian village that appears to have been frozen in time has just been voted one of the country’s most beautiful places. Gangi is one of the most striking settlements in a country that is known for its beauty.

The town is well off the beaten path and owes its formation to Creton warriors back in 1200BC, or so the legend goes. It is said that after losing their ships and their warlord, the Cretans came to Sicily by following Minosse, the son of Zeus.

The town they founded was so beautiful and rich with treasures that it was taken over by the jealous Romans. Whether or not this is true is a little hard to say for sure, as the bulk of the town was raised during the ferocious wars of 1300. What stands there now is a Medieval town that has grown over 700 years.

While its godly origins may be in doubt, its beauty is not. The Italian town is nestled in spectacular mountain terrain. Few tourists make it down as far as Gangi, sitting as it does 80km to the nearest airport and along a series of tricky-to-navigate roads.

As a result, it is free from much of the hustle and bustle that dominates Italy’s other towns and cities, allowing it to retain its charm and win a nomination in an official, government-run competition to determine which is the prettiest town in the country.

“Gangi rises amidst the fresh air of the Madonie Mounts, with its coloured stone narrow houses, close to each other, and the majestic Etna in the background that, due to optical deception, seems very close,” the competition’s judges wrote of Gangi.

“A great architectural and artistic heritage is preserved in this hamlet, among the medieval alleys of the old town centre in the upper side, such as the castle, the mansions and the convent of the Frati Minori, the Ventimiglia tower and the church with its dome.”

As with many parts of Sicily, Gangi has suffered from a modern history of Mafia violence. This came to a head in 1926 when Cesare Mori – a fascist prefect decided to occupy the town to flush the mobsters out.

Using carabinieri and police forces he ordered house-to-house searches, picking up bandits, small-time Mafia members and various suspects who were on the run. Many of those who got away fled to the US and Argentina.

If you do visit or decide to make a home for yourself there, you’ll find plenty to keep you entertained. Gangi is home to a gorgeous hilltop castle, as well as medieval and baroque churches, while you can also go down the spectacular underground passages to see the tomb of Chiesa Madre Gangi, where mummified priests line the crypt walls.

Situated 1,000 metres above sea level, tourists can regularly see sensational views of Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano.