A document dated 1176 proves the existence, during the Arab domination, of a town called "Yale" and abandoned in 1222. Another document dated 1296 mentions the "Lalia" fief, which belonged to Crispo family and its offsprings until 1557, when the fief was bought by the Spanish noble Luca Cifuentes, which gave it as dowry to his daughter Francesca.

Her husband, Pietro Celestri, Santa Croce marquis, in 1615 asked to the king of Spain Filippo III the license to populate the fief, but his request was rejected; the marquis died soon after.

Thanks to the tenacity of "donna" Francesca Cifuentes Imbarbara, the granting decree became enforceable 8 years later, in 10 October 1623. This is the municipality birth act, which from half of XVIII century took the name of Alia. When the Santa Croce family line extincted, the Sant'Elia princes became lords of Alia until the abolition of feudal privileges.

The place where "Lalia" baroness chose to settle the new city center was the hill where the Chiesa Madre and Palazzo Guccione currently rise, in the Rapatello district.

Adjacent municipalities
Caccamo, Castronovo di Sicilia, Montemaggiore Belsito, Roccapalumba, Sclafani Bagni, Caltavuturo, Valledolmo