Isnello is a quaint Sicilian village located in the Madonie Mountains of north-central Sicily. Isnello clings to a large rock in the middle of a gorge surrounded by high limestone walls. Its narrow streets reveal a medieval layout, typical of Sicily's history.
 

The caves around Isnello have been inhabited since prehistoric times. The name is said to be a derivation of the Arabic 'Hassin', meaning cold water, and the name given by the Arabs to the local river, now known as the Asine. The original nucleus of the town is the site on which now stand the ruins of the castle. The castle, standing above Piazza Mazzini dates from the 13th century, however it had previously been a Greek and Arabic settlement. Records have been found of an Arabic settlement here called Menzil Al Hamar. From the 15th century, the town began to expand towards the east and south east along what is now known as Corso Vittorio Emanuele III.
 

The heart of the little village is Piazza Mazzini just below the castle and where the Mother Church, dedicated to St Nicholas, the patron saint of Isnello, was founded in 14th century.