Santuario della Madonna di Tindari
Santuario della Madonna di Tindari
Santuario della Madonna di Tindari
4.5
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Legend has it that the Black Madonna statue fished out of the sea has healing powers; a visit to this picturesque church just may prove it to you.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
1,115 reviews
Excellent
606
Very good
376
Average
91
Poor
29
Terrible
13
Sally62
Northampton, UK5,921 contributions
Sept 2019
You can see the basilica on the top of the hill from miles around and it's well worth stopping off for a visit. You can't drive up into the town so you have to park in a large car park at the bottom of the hill and take a bus up to the top. Make sure you check the current opening times for the basilica and allow time to queue for a ticket and catch the bus although these do come frequently.
According to tradition, in C9th fishermen discovered a crate with the statue of the black Madonna inside. They put her in the abandoned ruins of the temple of Ceres and a sanctuary was built in C11th by the Benedictines. The shrine became and important place of pilgrimage and was unable to cope with the number of visitors so was rebuilt in 1970s. The Madonna is made of cedar of Lebanon and is Byzantine - it is on display under the dome and is quite beautiful.
The church has a beautiful fresco on the ceiling and lots of artwork that stands out against the dark stone. Also make sure you walk behind the altar where you can see the history of the statue in mosaics which are stunning.
Definitely worth a visit.
According to tradition, in C9th fishermen discovered a crate with the statue of the black Madonna inside. They put her in the abandoned ruins of the temple of Ceres and a sanctuary was built in C11th by the Benedictines. The shrine became and important place of pilgrimage and was unable to cope with the number of visitors so was rebuilt in 1970s. The Madonna is made of cedar of Lebanon and is Byzantine - it is on display under the dome and is quite beautiful.
The church has a beautiful fresco on the ceiling and lots of artwork that stands out against the dark stone. Also make sure you walk behind the altar where you can see the history of the statue in mosaics which are stunning.
Definitely worth a visit.
Written 30 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sydneyside
Sydney, Australia786 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
Not only is the church beautiful with its tile mosaics, but the ornate paintings, beautiful marble floor make this church a worthwhile visit.
The views over the ocean in Sicily also take your breath away in the location. I cannot believe how stunning this place is and a highlight of our Sicilian trip,
The views over the ocean in Sicily also take your breath away in the location. I cannot believe how stunning this place is and a highlight of our Sicilian trip,
Written 13 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michele Amico🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹
Caltanissetta, Italy2,967 contributions
Oct 2019 • Friends
In the northeast side of Sicily Island, in the zone of Patti, there is the beautiful 'Santuario della Madonna di Tindari', a great view.
Written 5 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michele Amico🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹
Caltanissetta, Italy2,967 contributions
May 2019 • Friends
Hello my Friends, I come back in my wonderful Sicily, with my Friends pedalling from Patti to Tindari Sanctuary. Then a great Granita.
Written 25 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
janea201
Glasgow, UK122 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
A truly beautiful church with ornate ceilings as you might expect but the mosaics and stained glass windows are a sight to behold. Tindari was quiet and it was like we had this place to ourselves. Very special and well worth a visit.
Written 2 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fr George
Lodi, NJ16 contributions
As a young man I belonged to the Society of Madonna dei Tindari in Hoboken, NJ. I always dreamed of visiting the Sanctuary. After many many years I am now 67 and a priest, I had the good fortune to be able to visit Sicily, my family there, who live only a few miles away from Tindari in Patti. It was an unbelievable trip, never to be forgotten. And the Basilica is very beautiful, the mosaics, stained glass windows, the people visiting from all over the world, and the priests there were very welcoming and made me feel at home. If you visit Sicily you must make the effort to visit the Sanctuary. Fr. George
Written 5 January 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JennMarte
54 contributions
You can see the church from far away as it is set on top of a mountain. Once you get to the top where the church is wow! The views below of the beach are amazing. The church has a magical feel to it. The Madonna, the church and the views are just absolutely beautiful.
Written 30 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Myriam K
Naples, Italy153 contributions
Aug 2014 • Friends
A beautiful church overlooking the Tindari Lagoon . Local legend tells that the lagoon was created after a man accidentally lost his sick girl and then found her playing on the sands of Marinello below which took the shape of the profile of the Madonna. Recently this has changed due to tides and sea.
The Mosaics combined with the Tinted Glass of the church are breathtaking.
It is a church that honors a Black Madonna statue found in the seas of Sicily (probably from Africa)
Worth a visit
The Mosaics combined with the Tinted Glass of the church are breathtaking.
It is a church that honors a Black Madonna statue found in the seas of Sicily (probably from Africa)
Worth a visit
Written 25 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lhottenst
Sicily, Italy5 contributions
Jan 2012
Having lived in Sicily for four years, we've become pretty jaded about visiting the scores of churches throughout Italy and the rest of Europe. We made our first visit to the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna di Tindari on a gorgeous Friday afternoon in January 2012 and couldn't help but love the town of Tindari and the Black Madonna church, however! Normally, you have to park in one of the lots down the hill from the town piazza, but we were able to park in a closer lot (and could have driven all the way up and parked in the piazza as it turns out!) and enjoy a picnic lunch that we had packed. The church was closed until 2:30PM, so we were in no hurry and were able to enjoy the stunning scenery and browse the small shops that were open. We even enjoyed a great espresso and ciocolato caldo (reasonably priced, too!) at the restaurant off the piazza - where another family and a group of priests were doing the same thing. When we finally were able to enter the church, there was one of the most elaborate and best precipe (manger scene) that we've seen in Sicily, or anywhere. Running water, animation, and sounds were combined with obviously handpainted and meticulously made pieces. Once we entered the sanctuary itself, we were immediately drawn to the Black Madonna and the altar. Stunning! (And again, I say that I'm jaded after seeing literally hundreds of European churches over the years.) But the rest of the church was just as beautiful, from the stained glass over the entrance to the mosaic scenes from the lives of Mary and Jesus that were on either side of the church. It was a very spiritual and rewarding experience, even for our 10 and eight year old boys. I highly recommend that if you're driving along the north coast of Sicily that you take two hours to visit Tindari and the Black Madonna church!
Written 20 January 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Finata
Amsterdam, The Netherlands46 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
Beautiful church. Make sure you walk also behind the Black Madonna to see the history of the statue in mosaics.
Written 16 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Il parcheggio è custodito ??? E se lasciando la macchina in parcheggio si può essere relativamente tranquilli??
Grazie
Written 12 September 2020
scozia75
Monreale, Italy
Il parcheggio è a pagamento e non custodito però abbiamo lasciato l’auto in tutta tranquillità salendo e scendendo a piedi.
Written 15 September 2020
C'è un navetta che mi porta ai laghetti? Se sì a che prezzo?
Written 22 August 2020
ciao la navetta è soltanto per salire dal parcheggio al santuario e costa 1 euro , se non ricordo male. per andare ai laghetti devi provvedere tu, in ogni caso informati alla biglietteria per la navetta per il santuario, magari hanno info da darti.
Written 12 September 2020
Da Capo d'Orlando come posso raggiungere con i mezzi pubblici il Santuario e il parco? Grazie.
Written 4 July 2020
Ciao Marzia, anch'io sono andato in macchina, comunque se non sbaglio da Capo d'Orlando a Tindari si può andare in treno, non mi sembra ci siano collegamenti con i pullman. Ciao
Written 6 July 2020
Delfina d
Italy
Quanto tempo occorre per visitare la basilica nuova, antica e gli scavi archeologici?
Written 5 August 2019
Qnt costa il biglietto della navetta a/r parcheggio/santuario tindari?come si fa x usufruire dei locali sotto il santuario x consumare pranzo a sacco?
Written 5 August 2019
Prova a vedere se c'è qualcosa a Falcone o altrimenti ti consiglio Milazzo.
Written 1 November 2017
Si può arrivare in auto fino al Santuario ?
Mi dicono che si deve fermare l'auto al parcheggio sottostante, posto all'inizio di una lunga e proibitiva salita.
Written 7 September 2017
C'è un bus navetta che dal parcheggio porta davanti al Santuario
Written 7 September 2017
Si può arrivare in auto fino al santuario ? Mi dicono che ci si deve fermare al pareggio posto all'inizio di una lunga e faticosa salita
Written 7 September 2017
Da che ora a che ora c'è il servizio navetta per salire al santuario di Tindari. E in che ora si può salire con il proprio mezzo
Written 7 July 2021
What are the hours for visiting the sanctuary at Tindari?
Written 2 August 2017
Their website says the sanctuary is closed from 12:30 to 14:30 for the mid-day break, and at 19:00 for the night, although it stays open until 20:00 in July and August. It opens every day at 6:45.
Written 3 August 2017
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