ARTS & CRAFTS
Traditions of Sicily
FOOD & WINE
To the roots
5-12 June 2021
Be one of the six Digging Deep Voyagers who will have the unique opportunity to explore Sicily through A Sicilian Journey, at a very special reduced price for a one and only experience.
Connect with locals discovering Sicilian traditions, with the craftsmen in their workshops, making your own piece of ceramic, attending the Teatro dei Pupi show and visiting the workshop where the marionettes are crafted.
Explore the nature and feel overwhelmed by the dramatic landscape of the Etna volcano or by the luxuriant Cava Carosello natural reserve where you can have a swim in one of the deep freshwater plunge pools.
Imagine the scent of wild herbs and inebriating orange blossom, while indulging in a delicious meal served at a farmer’s table or prepared by you at a special hands-on cooking class. Make Ricotta cheese in the traditional way with a local shepherd and rejoice in a tasting of splendid wines on the slopes of Etna.
Receive your Emotional Sicily Welcome Pack and a personalised digital photobook which we will carefully prepare for you.
Our Experiences
Have a taste of an Emotional Sicily Journey through an experience while exploring our land and our culture accompanied by our people.
Visit Unesco World Heritage towns of Ragusa, Siracusa, Catania, Noto and Palazzolo Acreide.
Enjoy of hands-on cooking classes, visits of vineyards, farms and food markets; off-the-beaten-track itineraries, unspoiled nature and active volcanoes; workshops with craftsmen, traditional arts and modern artisans.
Ancient Crafts and the hidden gems of Palazzolo Acreide
Participate in an amazing hands-on workshop side by side with expert craftsmen.
You’ll be impressed by traditional basketry or refined Baroque engraving techniques.
Get off the beaten path exploring Palazzolo Acreide, the uncovered gem of the Syracusan Hyblaean Plateau. Take a step back in time immersing yourself into local traditions at the Antonino Uccello Ethnographic Museum (an incredible cross-section of Sicilian traditional arts and crafts), visiting ancient Akrai (founded by the Greeks of Syracuse in 663 BC), and strolling through the Medieval and Baroque old town where you’ll feel the rhythm of authentic Sicilian life.
The unspoiled nature of Noto countryside and the Almond Farm
The nature excursion starts on Mount Alveria, where the ruins of ancient Noto are located. The hike will descend to Cava del Carosello and along the Asinaro River valley. Untouched nature awaits you at every step until arriving at the Urvu, a spectacular perfectly round plunge pool, where you'll take a rest while dipping into its refreshing clear waters. Back from the hike, a short drive will take you to the farm. You’ll feel warmly welcomed by the genuine hospitality of the owners with whom you will enjoy an authentic peasant lunch. Visit the farm and learn about the precious Mandorla di Noto, a Slow Food presidium.
This day tour is available in June/July and September
In June it is possible to experience traditional cheese-making at the farm (fresh Tuma and Ricotta cheese from sheep milk) and in August you can participate in the almond harvesting.
Sicilian Cuisine at the ancient water-mill and the Art of Sicilian Carts - Ragusa
Visit an ancient water mill, recently restored and in use again. Learn about the different antique Sicilian grains, facts about their history and recent recovery. The hands-on cooking class, which is based on the use of flours milled by the water-mill and cultivated in the lands that surround Ragusa, will culminate with a shared lunch. The experience will take place in a special location, a wonderful ancient cave with a very charming atmosphere. Afterwards, you'll meet your guide who will accompany you on your visit to Ragusa. On your tour, you’ll meet two local artists who have recovered the traditional decoration of the Carretto Siciliano, the old ornate and coloured carts drawn by horses or donkeys. It is possible to arrange a private workshop of traditional decoration led by one of the artists
The Glorious Greek Past of Siracusa.
Wine experience, and traditional Teatro dei Pupi
Take a step back in time on your guided tour of the Neapolis archaeological area, which hosts the most important ruins of the old Greek-Roman city of Siracusa, the Greek theatre, and the Roman amphitheater. Head to the outskirts of Siracusa to a prestigious winery and farm where you'll enjoy a superlative wine tasting. On the estate, visit the vineyard, the Palmento (where wine was originally made), the splendid Frederician castle (XIII century) as well as the ancient enclosed botanical garden. Drive back to Siracusa and have lunch at the traditional food market in Ortygia. Explore the island by your own or together with our guide who will show you the highlights of the island. Attend the traditional Teatro dei Pupi show after which you’ll visit the workshop of Master Puparo, where the puppets are made
Baroque Siracusa, Ortygia Food Market and the Olive Oil Experience
Meet your guide on Ortygia island, and unlock its beauty, strolling through its alleys and enjoying the breeze of the sea that surrounds the island. The tour will finish at the bustling Mercato del Pesce (the local food market) where you will enjoy an informal lunch. Visiting the market is a delight for the eye. The exuberant exhibition of fruits and vegetables, their intense colours and smell together with the way the vendors call the attention of the passerby is a unique experience that involves all your senses. After lunch a 30-minute ride leads you through the countryside of Syracuse to an amazing Olive Farm where you’ll learn about the Olive Oil making process. Visit the olive grove and the eighteenth-century farm. Then learn about the entire production process in the Olive Oil Room before tasting their excellent oils.
The majestic Mount Etna and its wines
Feel fascinated by the majestic Etna: the highest active volcano in Europe.
Explore the wildest part of the mountain with a 2-hours hike among the Sartorius Craters, a button-line of seven extinct craters, and the lava flow that originated during the eruption of 1865. Observe the endemic species, local wildlife, and the volcanic bombs.
After a short drive, join the winery situated on the Etna slopes, with a breathtaking view of the Ionian sea. You'll visit the vineyard, and you'll have an exquisite lunch paired with wine from the estate.
An optional extra for the late afternoon would be to visit Catania accompanied by a local guide who'll unlock for you the secrets of the “black city”.
Baroque Noto, Sweet Delicacies and Noto Doc Wine Experience
Discover Noto, one of the gems of the Late Baroque Towns of Val di Noto (Unesco Heritage). Admire Baroque churches, the amazing cathedral, palaces with pompous balconies with wrought iron railings, and grotesque figures that decorate the facades.
Have a tasting of a selection of sweet delicacies at the 129-year-old Caffé Sicilia, the temple of Sicilian Pastry.
Move to the country-side and join a winery of Noto Doc region where to enjoy lunch and a tasting of the exquisite wines of the estate
The beauty of the south-east coast and Noto Doc wine experience
Visit the coastal Nature Reserve of Vendicari with its exceptional biodiversity and the charming antique Tonnara, where tuna fish were captured. Together with your nature guide, take an easy hike along the coast from the beach of Eloro to the Tonnara of Vendicari, passing by the beaches of Marianelli and Calamosche. Prepare your swimwear because it will be impossible to resist swimming in crystalline water.
Join a winery of the Noto Doc region and enjoy a tasting of the exquisite wines of the estate. For more than 6 people, lunch will be served at the winery.
This one-day experience is available in June, September, and October. In July and August, the excursion is replaced by a guided visit to Baroque Noto (see "Baroque Noto, Sweet Delicacies and Noto Doc Wine Experience")
Details of the experiences
All One-day Experiences are private and include lunch, tastings/activities/workshops, private guide service for cultural and/or nature visits mentioned in each description.
Ask for availability and personalized quotation by filling out the Request Form, sending an e-mail to info@emotionalsicily.com or calling +393248739248
This is a selection of experiences but we have other activities throughout Sicily. Ask for more information through the form