Sicily private tour
PRIVATE TOURS IN SICILY
Rental car with driver in Sicily and rental buses with driver in Sicily
with my private bus company in Sicily
Dear ladies and gentlemen,Our company offers tours and
excursions with private and personalized cars and minibus all around Italy.
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Tour 1:
Baroque area, Ragusa Ibla, Castello of the Donnafugata, Modica and Scicli.
Tour 2:
Siracusa Archeologic Parck and Ortigia Vintage Village and Noto with visit Cathedral,
Palazzo Nicolaci inside and Villa of the Tellaro with Art of the Mosaic and Ceramic.
Tour 3:
Taormina Greek Theatre , Castelmola and Etna Vulcan.
Tour 4:
Agrigento Temple Valley and Piazza Armerina with the Villa Romana of Casale, museum
Art of Mosaic.
Tour 5:
Palermo centre city with Normanni Place, Cathedral and Mercato:A Vucciria. Monreale and
Cathedral and Chiostro with Mosaic art in garden. Cefalù centre city and Cathedral.
Tour 6:
Erice, Selinunte, Segesta and the Saline of the Trapani.
Special Tours:
Wine and teasting tour, Nero D'Avola, Cerasuolo of the Vittoria, Wine in cellars of the Shyrà, Donnafugata Duca di Salaparuta, Florio, Planeta,Moscato of the Noto and Malvasia of the Lipari.
We offer tours of the Sicilian coast. These tours are relaxing and romantic. Our drivers will accompany you to visit the ancient fishing villages, the most beautiful scenery in the world and advise you on restaurants and beautiful beach hotels.
We also have tours by boat on the beach with tourist guide.
To see all the sites you see on our tours, linked button: Citys top of the homepage and you will also find all the information and details
News 2010:
Tonnara di Marzamemi is unique in the World.Visit these ancient places IN VAL DI NOTO AND MARZAMEMI, between wines, almonds, extra virgin olive oil and tuna, The Wine and Fish tour, La Tonnara di Marzamemi is unique in the World. There i san Ancient laboratory of tuna fish with the same system since 1600.
To link: http://www.chauffeurs-italy.com/italy-tours/59
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Have a nice trip!
Agrigento Valley of the Temples - Piazza Armerina
Private Excursion in Sicily
THE SICILY FROM GREEKS TO ROMANS
Excursions Agrigento Piazza Armerina
AGRIGENTO EXCURSION– Valley of the Temples.
PIAZZA ARMERINA EXCURSION
Mosaic Art of the Roman “Villa del Casale” tour
Sicily, land of many people, have seen the presence of Old Greeks and Romans too. In this tour we will visit the most beautiful places that these two people left us in this land: Agrigento and Piazza Armerina.
In Agrigento we will see the famous Valley of the Temples, Unesco world heritage site. Improperly said valley, in this area, during the V century BC,
numerous temples were built, which we can admire only the ruins because unfortunately the only remained intact until our days is the ConcordiaTemple.
Built in "limestone-tufo", the Temples offer a view particularly evocative in the dawn but especially in the sunset because they assume an hot golden
coloration.
In Piazza Armerina we will see the Roman "Villa del Casale", Unesco world heritage site too. Built between the end of III century CE and the beginning of IV century CE, we suppose that it was belonged to a roman Consul or to Emperator M. Valerio Massimiano, said Herculeos Victor. Greatest example of the refined mosaic art in all the world, the roman "Villa del Casale" gives us an idea of the luxury and magnificence of the Old Romans' World.
Also travel service: Sicily private transfers, Sicily shore excursions, Sicily rental car with driver
ONLY PRIVATE GROUPS
Max 25 pax private bus charters in Sicily
Sicily Romantic Tour of the Gattopardo Luchino Visconti
Private Excursion in Sicily - Castle Donnafugata
"THE GATTOPARDO" TOUR
Donnafugata Castle with visit guide
Chiaramonte Gulfi tour and oil tasting
Our tour begins with the visit of Donnafugata Castle.
Situated among centuries-hold Carobtrees and surrounded by an immense park, Donnafugata Castle fascinated,with the beauties of its inside, also the great director Luchino Visconti, that chose the Castle like location for one of his more famous movie: "The Leopard" ("Il Gattopardo").
There are 122 rooms in the Castle but during our visit we will see only the first floor because here there are nobiliary rooms with the most interestingly furnished; our visit continues outside to admire the majestic park, rich not only a refined fauna, but also particular constructions like the Coffee-House and the labyrinth.
Finished the visit of Donnafugata Castle, we transfer us in Chiaramonte Gulfi. Little town in the province of Ragusa,
Chiaramonte Gulfi, famous for a very good oliva oil produced in its land, offers an evocative landscape thanks to the many farms that we find in its outskirts, but especially the characteristic "Drystone walls", particular walls built only with stones, without cement or other, that you can admire only and exclusively in the province of Ragusa.
Only private groups max 25 pax private bus charter in Sicily and individual people
with private car charter with driver in Sicily
Also services: Sicily private transfers, Sicily private shore excursions, Sicily rental car with driver,
Sicily rental bus with driver.
Sicily tasting tour Sicilian cooking
Sicily private excursion and tastes tour
SICILY'S TASTES TOUR
(around 8 hours) Sicilian cooking
In the world everybody known the very good italian cooking. One of the greatest expression of this it is the sicilian cooking. In this tour you will try with your eyes but especially with your mouth that it is really like this.
We will lead you to see and taste the very good oliva-oil produced in sicilian lands, particularly in the south-eastern zone of the island. We will lead you in an ancient estate property of one of the most famous family in Italy for production of wine. Here, besides the fantastic landscape, you will be fascinated by the vineyards and the cellars and, if this isn't enough, ready for you there is a rich tasting of the best sicilian wines: Merlot,Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Insolia, Riesi, Nero D'Avola and Syrah. You will discover the sicilian cooking, particularly the cooking of the province of Ragusa, with its typical products: the "Ricotta" (very good cheese that you will eat just made), the "Ragusano DOP" (other very good cheese),the "Focacce" from Ragusa (dough of flour, stuffing of tomato, vegetables or other, and cooked in oven), the bread made in home (bread kneaded with flour of hard wheat, that you will find only in Sicily), the sausage and many others very taste typical products of sicilian cooking. In the end, we will lead you in Ragusa Ibla, pearl of sicilian baroque, to cool your day with a very good ice-cream.
Our promise, as we say in Italy: "You will lick your mustache!!!"
Only private groups with Personal Driver in Sicily and Tour Escort
Private bus companie in Sicily
Private car companie in Sicily and personal driver in Sicily
Also services: Sicily private transfers, Sicily private shore excursions, Sicily rental car with driver,
Sicily rental bus with driver.
Sicily Barocco tour Commissario Montalbano
Private Excursion in Sicily
EXURSION IN RAGUSA AND BAROCCO AREA. UNDER THE BAROQUE SUN TOUR RAGUSA IBLA-MODICA-NOTO-SCICLI
In this tour we will see the south-eastern zone of the Sicily, well-known as Noto Valley, whose the main characteristic is, certainly, the Baroque Art.
Our tour begins with the beautiful Ragusa, particularly its old part:
Ragusa Ibla. Reconstructed nearly completely following the earthquake of 1693, Ragusa Ibla will excite you in all its corner. With its little streets and its evocative monuments, Ibla boasts 18 Unesco world heritage sites like, for example, the amazing Cathedral of St. George, with an organ that is one of
the most complete and magnificent in the world, and the Cathedral of St. Giovanni, situated in the new part of Ragusa.
Our tour will continue in the town of Modica, famous for its chocolate too.
Here, after a walk in the main street, Corso Umberto, we will see, among other sites, the Cathedral of St.George, splendid example of baroque art, and the Cathedral of St. Peter, both Unesco world heritage sites.
After Modica we will see the evocative town of Noto. This town, Unesco world heritage site too, will offer you everywhere elements of the baroque art like capitals, churches and nobiliary buildings. The third weekend of May you will be able to see the famous "Infiorata" of Noto: scenographic carpet of flowers, with motives that change from year to year, organized in the choreographic Via Nicolaci.
After which, the last town of our tour is Scicli. Here we will see, among other sites, Italy Square with the Church of St. Matteo, Via Mormino Penna and the Church of St. Bartolomeo. (around 8 hours) Only private groups max 25 pax and individual people.
with Personal Driver and Tour Escort.
Travel in Sicily -
Also services: Sicily private transfers, Sicily private shore excursions, Sicily rental car with driver,
Sicily rental bus with driver.
In lingua Italiana:
Il Commissario Montalbano e i luoghi del Commissario Montalbano.
In un tour di 5/6 ore Vi portiamo a visitare tutti i luoghi del Commissario più famoso d'Italia, tutti luoghi dove sono state girate le scene delFilm, spaziando dalla casa al mare a Punta Secca e quella a Donnalucata, dai Commissariati di Scicli e di Ragusa Ibla per poi andare al Castello di Donnafugata e alla vecchia Fornace di Sampieri dove sono stati raffigurati molti degli omicidi della serie televisiva. Nel tour possiamo anche fermarci per un buonissimo pranzo a base di pesce freschissimo come faceva il Commissario. Tutti questi luoghi sono nella Provincia di Ragusa.
SYRACUSE Archeologic tour
ON THE PAPYRUS' WAYS PRIVATE TOUR (around 8 hours)
WITH PRIVATE DRIVER IN SICILY
SIRACUSA EXCURSION PRIVATE TOUR
ORTIGIA EXCURSION PRIVATE TOUR
In this tour you will discover the beautiful city of Siracusa, included the little island of Ortigia, old zone of the city. Famous land for the cultivation and processing of papyrus, Siracusa is, of course, one of the most evocative places of the Sicily for the wealth of the archaeological finds that tell its story. We will visit, among other sites, the Archaeological Park of the "Neapolis" where we will see the famous Greek Theatre, the biggest greek theatre equipped by an excellent acoustics, the "Latomie", ancient quarry of stone used like prisons too, and the Dionisio's Ear, the most famous artificial cave of this park with an interesting acoustics. Our tour will continue with the Catacombs of St. Giovanni, big sign of the roman presence, the Aretusa Spring, the Cathedral and the Maniace's Castle, situated in the extreme end of Ortigia.
Then, fundamental stage is the imposing Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Tears. Sign of deep piety and faith, place of pilgrimage by very numerous faithful, the Sanctuary was built in memory of the miraculous event, happened in an home nearby, that saw a statue of plaster of Our Lady to water, tears that after numerous checks resulted such human tears.
Our tour is nearly ended, but first to say goodbye we want offer you the last experience: the processing of papyrus. We will go in a factory of papyrus where experts of the sector will explain you the processing of papyrus and where, if you will want, you can buy a precious drawing on papyrus like souvenir of your trip in the beautiful Siracusa.around 8 hours)
Only private groups for our private company the Syracuse rental car with driver and Syracuse rental bus with driver.
Service: Syracuse transfer and Syracuse Taxi Service
Also services: Sicily private transfers, Sicily private shore excursions, Sicily rental car with driver,
Sicily rental bus with driver.
Sicily Mosaic ceramics tour - Piazza Armerina Caltagirone
Private Tour in Sicily
Sicily Mosaics Tour Piazza Armerina
THE SICILY BETWEEN MOSAICS AND CERAMICS TOUR IN PIAZZA ARMERINA-CALTAGIRONE
PIAZZA ARMERINA PRIVATE EXCURSION -
Roman "Villa del Casale"
CALTAGIRONE PRIVATE EXCURSION
In this tour we will discover, through the places more representative, two famous sicilian arts: the Mosaics of Piazza Armerina and the Ceramics of Caltagirone.
In Piazza Armerina we will see the Roman "Villa del Casale". Proclaimed from Unesco world heritage site, the Roman "Villa del Casale" can be considered the greatest masterpiece of roman art for the rich of the finds that the time has preserved complete.
The main characteristic of this Villa is the floor richly decorated with mosaics.
The tesseras of mosaics can be small and irregular or regular by 1 cm. In the floors of the most nobiliary rooms are represented scenes of hunt with local or exotic animals, female and male characters with the clothes of the period and mythological characters, while in the rooms of the domestic staff we find only geometrical figures.Our tour continues in Caltagirone,famous town in the world for the art
of its wonderful ceramics. Particularly beautiful and symbol of the town is the flight of steps of Santa Maria del Monte, composed by 142 steps everyone decorated by precious maiolica.
Advice of the day: forbidden come back home without buy a typical Ceramic of Caltagirone!!!
Only private groups FOR 8 HOURS
with Personal Driver and Tour Escort
For it's tour:
Sicily personal driver with car private company
Sicily charter bus private company
Sicily Tours Ragusa Modica Noto
PRIVATE TOUR IN SICILY
CHARTER BUS PRIVATE BUS COMPANY IN SICILY
PRIVATE TOUR RAGUSA IBLA MODICA NOTO UNESCO'S WORLD HERITAGE (around 8 hours)
In this tour we will discover the wonderful Barocco art and, particularly,its historic centre: Ragusa Ibla,Modica and Noto
RAGUSA IBLA host a wide array of baroque architecture, including several stunning palaces and churches.
Noto Valley. This is a very rich area of culture, tradition and hold towns defined "Gardens of stone", for its very high concentration of buildingsin Baroque style.
Service Rental Car, Van and Minibus with Personal Chauffeur in Sicily
Whether you are looking for a sightseeing tour through the splendid countryside of Sicily or a visit to one of our many art towns, whether you are in the mood for some wine tasting in one of the many renowned wineries followed by a delicious meal in a local trattoria, or if you need a transfer to or from an airport, a port or a railway station.
We are experts in arranging daily personal tour for people cruising on Mediterraneum and stopping at the harbour of Messina, Taormina, Palermo, Catania and Messina.
Our driver in Sicily will pick you up at the arrival of you ship and will take you to discover the beauties of Sicily. Bisides the scheduled itineraries, if you have other wisches and needs we will be glad to organize you personal tour in Sicily.
Have a nice trip!
Montalbano in Sicily tour of the Commissario
Commissario Montalbano
from Camilleri short story in Sicily, book and film.
The Montalbano Tour for individual and small private groups.
Tour locations Montalbano film:
Ragusa Ibla ( Vigata in film ), Modica, Scicli, Punta
secca ( Marinella in film ),
Tonnara of the Marzamemi ( Tonnarella in film ),
Sampieri the Fornace,
Marina di Ragusa, Castello of the Donnafugata and Donnalucata river shore.
Tour in 3 day.
Advice Hotel for Montalbano tour:
Hotel il Barocco, my booking with discount for you.
In tour: Cioccolate tasting, Wine tasting, ricotta cheese tasting
The Montalbano tour will be made in Van 5 pax,
Multivan 8 pax, Minibus 20 pax with driver and tour escort english speaker.
More price tour of the Montalbano in
e-mail:info@chauffeurs-italy.com
I Luoghi del Commissario Montalbano
Il Commissario Montalbano.
Il film tratto dai racconti di Camilleri, viene prevalentemente realizzato nella Provincia di Ragusa,toccando Ragusa Ibla, che nel film si chiama
Vigata, Donnalucata si chiama Marina di Vigata, Punta Secca si chiama Marinella, la Fornace Penna a Sampieri si chiama La Mannara.
Quì siamo nel cuore della Sicilia Meridionale. Il Commissario ha scelto un posto pieno di Palazzi Barocchi, Ville nobili antiche e spiagge sabbiose
con scorci di scogliere ed antiche Tonnare, come quella di Marzamemi.
Se volete fare il giro dei luoghi del Commissario Montalbano, senza correre troppo, fermandosi per passeggiare dove lo faceva lui, Vi consigliamo di trattenervi almeno 3 giorni.
A Ragusa Vi consigliamo l'hotel Il Barocco, situato al centro storico di Ragusa Ibla, in modo che anche a piedi potete girare facilmente tutti gli scorci del Paese, vedere tutto il Barocco della Cittadina e gli antichi Palazzi storici e il Duomo di San Giorgio, opera incredibilmente bella e da poco restaurata.
Nel tour di 3 giorni visiteremo anche Modica e Scicli, sede del commissariato della prima serie televisiva.
Inoltre nel tour è compreso: la degustazione della Cioccolata di Modica, del Formaggio Ragusano Dop, dell'Olio di Chiaramonte Gulfi extravergine pluripremiato a Flowfood, la Ricotta calda in fattoria dove si assiste alla sua realizzazione e il Vino Siciliano. Nero D'Avola e Cerasuolo di Vittoria con visita cantine.
Chiedeteci un preventivo per trascorrere 3 giorni indimenticabili ad un prezzo molto interessante.
Sicily Ragusa Ibla in tour
Baroque excursion in Sicily:
Tour of the Noto, Modica, Ragusa and Scicli:
Private tour in Car and Minibus max 25 pax with
driver and Professional Guides only Private Groups
and Individuals.
Poss. Wine and Cioccolat tasting in booking
Ragusa Ibla:It is built on a wide limestone hill between two deep valleys, "Cava San Leonardo" and "Cava Santa Domenica". In 1693 the city was destroyed by a huge earthquake, which killed some 5000 inhabitants. Following this catastrophe the city was largely rebuilt, many Baroque buildings date from this period. Most of the population moved to a new settlement, calling the new municipality "Ragusa Superiore" (High Ragusa) and the ancient city "Ragusa Ibla". Together with other seven cities in the Val di Noto, it is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Only the town of Ragusa can count 18 monuments listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Ragusa is also famous to be a natural set of various movies and Italian fictions as "Il Commissario Montalbano" (Montalbano Commissioner) by Andrea Camilleri.
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Noto Valley. This is a very rich area of culture, tradition and hold towns defined "Gardens of stone", for its very high concentration of buildingsin Baroque style. The excursion begins in Modica, famous for its chocolate too! After we will see the evocative town of Noto, Unesco's World Heritage Site, that will offer you everywhere capitals, churches and nobiliary buildings in baroque style. The third weekend of May you will be able to see the famous "Infiorata" of Noto: scenographic carpet of flowers organized in the choreographic Via Nicolaci. Last Baroque pearl of our excursion will be Scicli.
Modica is a town in the Province of Ragusa. The town was founded in 1360 BC or 1031 BC and was inhabited by the Sicels around the VII century BC. A typical product of this town is its particular chocolate, made with and ancient Aztec recipe. In spring, in fact, there is an event called "Eurochocolate" (like the most famous in Perugia), where the streets of Modica smell of chocolate. Modica, as other towns in Val di Noto, was rebuilt after the terrible earthquake of 1693 and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites thanks to many Late-Baroque monuments.
Scicli is a little town in the Province of Ragusa, in the south east of Sicily. It is an elegant town situated on a wide plain set among three valleys named "Cave" (Modica, Santa Maria La Nova and San Bartolomeo's valley). Settlements of the area of Scicli date back to the Copper and Early Bronze Ages (III millenium BC to the XV century BC). Scicli was founded by the Sicels (whence probably the name) around 300 BC. In the Middle Ages, like all of Sicily, Scicli was ruled by the Arabs and then by the Normans. Following the various dynasties ruling the Kingdome of Sicily, it was a Spanish possession before being united in the Kingdome of Italy in the mid XIX century. Following a catastrophic earthquake in 1693, much of the town was rebuilt in the Sicilian Baroque style, which today gives the town the elegant appearance which draws many tourists to visit the city. For this reason, alongside seven other cities in the Val di Noto, it has been listed as one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.
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CHAUFFEURS IN ITALY, we have a proven record of safety and courtesy but we also put our extensive knowledge about RAGUSA at your disposal.
Sicily Romantic tour Cefalù Palermo
Sicily Rental Vintage Storic Cars, Luxory Cars,Minibus and Bus for Transporter you Private groups with personal driver.
Transfer service Sicily Airport with car,minibus and bus.
Romantic wedding tour in Sicily, Palermo, Mondello, Monreale, Cefalù.
Welcome to Chauffeurs-italy.com, where booking your holiday transfers has never been this easy! We offer resort transfers in Italy, Tuscany, Rome, Milan, Sicily and Naples, airport transfers and city transfers ( Florence, Pisa, Siena, Lucca, Milan, Rome, Naples, Positano, Sorrento, Catania, Ragusa, Taormina, Palermo, Messina, Milazzo, Pozzallo and soon golf transfers and Shore excursions in Tuscany, Shore excursions in Sicily, Shore excursions in Rome, Shore excursions in Amalfi coast. Whether you need to get from airport to hotel or hotel to airport or a pick-up after you get off your cruise ship, we can help with any resort transfer, airport transfer and city transfer you need.
We offer various methods of resort transfers in Italy, airport transfers in Italy ( airport of the Rome, Milan, Pisa, Florence, Palermo, Catania and city transfers in all Italy to and from airports, harbours, train stations, bus depots, hotels and more. Also offered is unbeatable resort transfer in Italy all, airport transfer in Italy and city transfer in Italy all rates in Tuscany, Sicily, Rome, Milan and Naples with Amalfi coast.
More destinations to be added soon in both resort and city destinations and also airports in Italy.
Chauffeurs-italy it is the best private company for Rental car with driver in Italy and rental bus with driver in Italy. Specialist in personal driver in Tuscany, personal driver in Sicily and personal driver in Rome.
Travel to Sicily, for tours focused on Romantic. Chauffeurs Italy Specialty Travel offers many exciting attractions and vacation opportunities for Romantic travel in Sicily.
This place is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in the Sicily.
informations: info@chauffeurs-italy.cm
Art and culture between sun and sea
The identity of a land born of the waves.
What is the identity of this land born of the waves?
You may find yourself asking this question after your first encounter. Indeed it may well happen. For it is not easy to grasp the meaning of this island, which is itself a continent.
But don't despair - that's how it always is: at first sight you may well not fully understand.
It is not easy to understand Sicily.
Just like a beautiful woman, Sicily needs a certain type of approach and cannot be easily won. All you can do is to let yourself be seduced. Just as the first Mycenaeans were seduced when they came this way to buy obsidian and pumice-stone in the Aeolian Islands, when nothing else was known for cutting and polishing. Just like the Phoenicians, who along these very coasts set up their trading stations and left them in the charge of people taken on in every corner of the Mediterranean, people who lived in peace, trading with Siculs, Sicans, and Elymians.
Why were they called Elymians? Ex limen, in Latin means refugee, driven from home. This gives an immediate picture of the ancient island civilization. Everyone was always welcome. Just like the Greeks, seeking somewhere to live in peace, and hosts of others. As happens today to many other unfortunates who escape to these shores, fleeing from poverty, war, famine, and oppression.
Are Sicilians religious? They must certainly be cautious, if you consider there are almost seven hundred patron saints looking after the 389 Sicilian towns! Palermo alone has twenty "ordinary saints", fifteen "principal saints", four female "patron saints" who can be seen at the Quattro Canti, and one "patron to watch over all", Santa Rosalia. Why so many saints? Perhaps because, unlike God, they too were once mortals on this earth and were considered to be the only ones capable of understanding and providing for human needs. And then, after all, it's the saints who perform miracles…The festivities in their honour originate from ancient pagan cults, rites linked to the solstice and the seasons, while others may strictly speaking have little to do with religion. From the tenth to the fifteenth of July, in the sweltering heat of summer, the inhabitants of Palermo are in a state of frenzy: it's Festino time.
The Festino is hard to explain.
It is most certainly the peak moment of city life, a gigantic popular ex-voto dedicated to Santa Rosalia as a thanksgiving. She it was who saved the people of Palermo from the plague in 1624. This is the last surviving example of the "baroque festivals" of Europe, with a triumphal chariot, huge enough to transport a band of musicians. It is a symbol of the city, unique in Europe, demonstrating the wealth and splendour of Palermo. An act of municipal pride, to remind people - spectators and participants alike - of the City's regal dignity! Still today, for many, Santa Rosalia remains the Great Hope.
The sea and the islands.
Gems set in a sea of sapphire.
Tears of lava, limestone plains swept by the wind, sunny lands the colour of bronze: one by one the islands decorate the Sicilian coast like a string of pearls on the neck of a beautiful woman. There are fourteen of these daughters of Sicily, not including Motya, which at low tide is sometimes linked to the coast of Marsala. Fourteen paradises of untouched beauty. Some have an African charm, such as the Pelagie, in the province of Agrigento, and Pantelleria in the province of Trapani. Others, the uncontested mistresses of the sea and its secrets, Levanzo, Favignana, and Marettimo, form the archipelago of the Egadi in the sea off Trapani. Further north, in splendid isolation, is Ustica, the island of Circe, with its unspoilt marine reserve. And in the Aeolian islands, in the province of Messina, water meets fire. Here nature still dictates. Its rhythms, and travellers can let themselves be enchanted by the magic spell of the fishermen and farmers who inhabit these isles, the last custodians of the ancient Mediterranean traditions. The choice is yours - between the lively throngs on the Aeolian Islands, the peace and quiet Pelagie, and the perfumes of the Egadi.
The sea is perennially the colour of sapphire, the domain of dolphins and swordfish. And so it has been since the dawn of time.
Sicily at table.
Un viaggio all’insegna dei sapori e delle tradizioni popolari.
Our cuisine is a perfect blend of all the influences of the various cultures that have followed each other in the island.
Rather than a cultural residue, it is the most resistant trait of a whole culture. The dining-table is the place of introspection of all the different civilizations that have passed through the island. An ancient pleasure indeed, if it is true that Plato, once visiting Syracuse, criticized its citizens for "sitting down at table several times a day".
Sicilian cuisine? There are three sorts: the patrician or baronial cuisine, that of the ordinary people with all its lively inventiveness, and street cuisine, i.e. that of the "buffittieri", as they used to be called, a term originally derived from the French buffet.
An immense wealth and variety of dishes, since every city, town, and family has always had its own version of each recipe, reflecting the island's strong sense of individuality. While the Monsù, the chef to the great aristocratic families, produced in the palaces celebrated dishes of soles and groupers, hares and capons, the people down below could enjoy the aromas and the fantastic descriptions made by the servants. With great imagination and skill these dishes were reinvented using ingredients that were often quite basic. De-boned sardines were promoted to the rank of soles: "lenguado", in the Spanish of the nobles, meant "sole", and thus sardines a linguata were created. A certain small bird similar to the blackcap, when skilfully prepared, became the beccafico that the Monsù proudly served in jelly with pickles. Aubergines were thus disguised as "quails" and even as "parmiciana", which is a dialect word meaning simply a shutter. Nothing to do with Parma and its parmesan cheese. And from the aubergine also came the queen of popular cuisine, caponata, the aubergine appetizer served as a sweet and sour sauce and originally created in the kitchens of the courts of pre-Islamic Persia.
ARTS AND POPULAR TRADITIONS ITINERARY
Sicily is not just a land of myths, history, and nature. To love Sicily, it is not enough to discover its art treasures or the monuments of its past in Greek, Roman, Arab, and Norman style.
Another itinerary of knowledge passes through the testimonies of tradition. It is the memory of the trades of the past, in close contact with the sea, such as that of the salter or the tuna fisherman, and the arduous work of the miners in the heartland of the island, far from the dazzling light of the sun, that recall to us aspects of the island that are perhaps less well known but none the less indispensable for a full understanding of the soul of this land. For this is a land that does not forget but jealously conserves in special ethnographic museums the tools and implements of everyday life related to popular traditions, together with veritable works of art, such as the puppets and marionettes used for centuries to celebrate the legendary tales of epic events.
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