Mt. Etna volcano and its perennial plume
Sicily Best – Its people and Its Traditions
2,500 Years of History
This tour is open to everyone who is fascinated with Sicily – photography lovers from beginners to experts as well as food and wine lovers. Bring your camera, even an old Instamatic will do, and follow me on the paths that were previously stomped by Greek settlers when they arrived on the shores of the island in 600 BC.
This tour is not a contest, there are no lectures planned; it’s a special tour for a small group of people willing to share a unique travel experience. We will visit many of the least visited historical locations of the island, an area rich with ancient architecture and unspoiled landscapes.
We will visit wineries that produce wines that will knock your socks off; you will enjoy food that you will rave about for the rest of your life, we will taste still warm Ricotta cheese and superbly made wines.
A cooking class is scheduled for those who like hands-on cooking, and we’ll also take an excursion with SUVs to reach some points whose beauty you cannot even imagine.
We will participate in the olive harvest and learn the secrets of oil making. We’ll visit a small well-known chocolate factory in Modica, the capital of Sicilian Baroque and a famous chocolate producing city. Chocolate produced in Modica is one of the highest qualities you can find. They have been practicing their craft since the Bourbon domination, when Spanish navigators brought back cocoa from South America.
Group size is limited to 8 participants. This tour is available for a minimum of two people, please, feel free to ask for the price.
Typical Itinerary
- Day 1 – Welcome in Sicily (D.)
- Arrival at Catania/Palermo airport. Meet our private bus and transfer to the area of Agrigento. Accommodation at Baglio San Nicola. Welcome dinner and overnight stay.
- Day 2 – Temples Valley and Sciacca (B. D.)Day 2 Title
- Breakfast at the farm. Today we depart towards Agrigento to visit the beautiful Valley of the Temples, one of the most representative sites of Greek civilization in the Mediterranean area. A local guide will enrih our appreciation of the Temple of Hercules, the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Castor and Pollux, the wonderful Temple of Concord and finally the beautiful Garden of Kolymbetra. Lunch at leisure. During the afternoon we will visit Sciacca ”Town of Sicilian Ceramics” where you can enjoy shopping and visit the historical centre. Return to the farm. Dinner and overnight stay.
- Day 3 – The True Sicily: Sant’Angelo Muxaro (B. D.)
- Breakfast at the farm. Then a visit to the small village of Sant’Angelo Muxaro where we will enjoy a walking itinerary that takes us far from the classic tourist routes. Our local Tour Guide will take us through the countryside to savour its magnificent natural beauty and to visit the largest and oldest Tholos Tomb in Sicily (300 B.C.). This whole area is connected by the myth of Dedalus and IKarus and the Minotaur labyrinth. Our guide will then take us to a bakery to taste biscuits and home made cookies; followed by a visit to a shepherd’s house to taste soft fresh pecorino and ricotta cheese while still warm. Finally, enjoy a cooking class in a typical private country house to learn how to prepare Sicilian bread and pizza (sfincione) with traditional ingredients like pecorino cheese, olive oil and sardines. Lunch with pizza and hot bread slathered with olive oil and oregano! Return to the farm by way of Naro, famous for its baroque style and Medieval Castle. Return to the farm. Dinner and overnight stay.
- Day 4 – Olive Harvest (B. L. D.)
- Breakfast with traditional foods. Drive to Palma di Montechiaro to visit the Mandranova Estate, which stands out among the colors and fragrances of the immense olive groves which surround it. Visit the farm, the olive groves, and the oil press. Meet with the owners Silvia and Giuseppe. In Sicily, the olive harvest begins in late autumn when the olives are mature, but still green. They are picked by hand or with the aid of a baton. This is a very characteristic scene that will take you back to ancient times. Nets are placed under the trees, and baskets are brought to collect the olives using traditional techniques. Light lunch at the farm. *In the afternoon you will bring the olives to the oil press where you can see how oil is produced. Your work is rewarded with a tasting of oil with bread, garlic and oregano. Free time to visit Palma di Montechiaro and its wonderful castles. Return to the farm for dinner and overnight stay.
- Day 5 – Scicli – Photo opportunities will abound (B. D.)
- Breakfast and departure towards the Baroque area of Sicily, whose significance, both historical and for its beauty, has been declared World Heritage by UNESCO. Arrival in Scicli and visit of GLI AROMI Farm with the owner Enrico. For over 10 years “GLI AROMI” has produced and marketed officinal plants and aromatic herbs, focusing on endemic species of the Sicilian coast, and in particular, from the Iblean area. The firm produces more than 120 different varieties using traditional methods; the workmanship of the herbs is still done manually, all in a unique context.
The tour includes a ride around the firm illustrating all the varieties of the herbs and their possible uses. Tasting at the farm. During the afternoon you will visit Scicli, to take in its characteristic baroque architecture. Lunch at leisure in a restaurant with a view of the sea. Accommodation at Torre Marabino Relais and dinner. - Day 6 – Wilderness & Baroque Tour (B. L.)
- Breakfast at the Relais. Departure for a tour by Land Rover! We will enjoy a fantastic tour of Ragusa, Modica and its wonderful naturalistic area including the Cava della Misericordia and its XIII century Convent, and the Cava Chiaramidi and 32 Arab watermills. Picnic lunch on the Santa Rosalia Lake.*
Then we drive to Modica through the Irminio valley; stopping at one of the famous pastry shops to taste Modica’s hand-made chocolate. Visit of the Polara Palace and the St. George’s Cathedral, then stop at “La Ciacera” to taste the biscuit ice cream. From Modica you will continue to Scicli through the Fiumara Cave; sightseeing of Scicli from a panoramic view, visit of S. Bartolomeo’s church, St. Domenico’s Convent, Beneventano Palace, stop at “Café della Piazza” to taste granitas. Return and overnight stay. Dinner not included. - Day 7 – Marzamemi and Siracusa (B. D.)
- Breakfast at Relais and drive to Siracusa. Until the Arab conquest of 878, Siracusa was the capital of Sicily. It was by far the most important city on the island. We will stop in the wonderful historical centre of Siracusa on the Ortigia Island to admire the Cathedral, constructed over the ancient Temple of Athena (still visible), the Aretusa fountain surrounded by giant Papyrus plants and the ancient streets. Finally you will visit the Fish and Vegetable market with your guide! Lunch at leisure. During the afternoon you will enjoy the little fishing village of Marzamemi for an aperitif by the sea (not included). Return at the Relais and farewell dinner. Overnight stay.
- Day 8 – Ciao Ciao Sicilia! (B.)
- After breakfast transfer to Catania airport and departure for your next generation.
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- Private Bus for all the tour
- LOCAL professional English speaking guide for the excursions
- Entrance fees as required
- Breakfast daily
- 4 dinners at Baglio San Nicola wine included
- 2 dinners ta Torre Marabino
- Wilderness & Baroque tour with lunch and beverages
- Wine tasting
- 1 cooking class
- Olive oil tasting at Mandranova Estate
Accommodations Torre Marabino & Baglio San Nicola
PACKAGE PRICE:
- €1808, per person, based on double occupancy.
- €150, single room supplement.
* Seasonal air and land supplements apply. Please, feel free to ask for details at time of booking. Additional supplements and restrictions may apply over local holidays. Package prices are subject to change without notice. Please, request airfare updated price before making the final payment. Prices are per person, sharing a room. Package booking code: FVA/01
Departure date March 24/2012
