Treasures of Western Sicily
2 April 2021
Nature and Traditions around Cefalù
The Madonie and the Nebrodi Natural Parks, along the northern coast of Sicily, protect the largest and highest mountain ranges of Sicily with beautiful forests, medieval villages, castles nested on high rocks, amazing sea-views and fantastic hiking opportunities. In these territories, normally neglected by mass tourism, each village shelters typical dairy, charcuterie and agricultural produces, old local recipes and a century lasting tradition of confectionary and handcraft.
Click on tabs below to choose your excursion.
Excursion 1
FROM COLLESANO TO CASTELBUONO: HANDICRAFT, DAIRIES, WINES AND BAKING TRADITIONS AROUND CEFALÙ
Highlights
- Visit and lunch at an organic provola dairy farm
- Traditional pottery workshop
- Confectionary tasting in Castelbuono
- The medieval town and castle of Castelbuono
- Amazing landscapes
The Madonie mountains are the cradle for centuries-old crafts and tastes. From stretched curd cheeses to local unique pottery, from artistic carved wood to cosy old bakeries, several charming medieval towns are full of hidden treasures to be discovered and tasted. Driving along the northern slopes, through a lush landscape with olive trees, cork oak forests and green pastures you will visit one of the areas in Sicily where traditions and genuine food are still flourishing. You will meet local resilient entrepreneurs, little heroes who make these rural areas still alive and productive. The visit of the charming town centres and monuments in Collesano and Castelbuono will beautifully frame this rural experience.
Duration: full day
Group size: min 2 – max 16
Suitable for families: yes. Children will enjoy the meeting with cows, the ceramic workshop and a delicious ice cream.
Days: this tour can be booked every except for Sundays and special holidays. We need anyway to confirm the availability with the local providers.
To book this excursion or receive more info please use our form or send us an email to info@paesaggiosicilia.com
Excursion 2
HIKING, CHEESE AND VILLAGES IN THE MADONIE NATURAL PARK
Highlights
- Hiking trail in the Madonie Natural Park
- Visit of a mountain dairy and lunch
- Confectionary tasting
- The historical town of Petralia
- Ralaxing aperitivo
- Amazing landscapes
The Madonie Natural Park protects the highest and most spectacular mountain range of Sicily offering the opportunity to discover landscapes that could be unexpected on a Mediterranean island. We have selected some of the most beautiful trails that you can experience in company of our nature guide. Our walks are for everybody and have been chosen for a relaxing and healthy day in the nature. A day in the mountains is not complete without a lunch to experience the atmosphere of a real Sicilian mountain hut and taste the local cheese and ricotta. During the afternoon we will visit the beautiful medieval centre of Petralia, have a taste of local confectionary and finish the day with a relaxing aperitivo.
Excursion duration and difficulty: all our trails are very accessible and do not require a special fitness level. We can offer from 1 hour to 5 hour trails. Just contact us to customise your own excursion. Comfortable clothes and good walking shoes are required. In case of bad weather, we will offer other options of walks or interesting visits.
Duration: full day
Group size: min 2 – max 22
Suitable for families: yes. An easy trail is always available and children will enjoy seeing cows and, likely, wild deer and boars.
Days: this tour can be booked every. We need anyway to confirm the availability with the local providers.
To book this excursion or receive more info please use our form or send us an email to info@paesaggiosicilia.com
Excursion 3
CASTLES, BREATH-TAKING VIEWS AND MANNA EXPERIENCE IN POLLINA AND CASTELBUONO
Highlights
- The medieval town and castle of Castelbuono
- Coffee break and traditional confectionary tasting
- Visit to an organic manna farm and lunch
- Visit and aperitivo on the rock of Pollina
- Amazing landscapes
The charming medieval towns of Pollina and Castelbuono built with the local dark orange sandstone, have been for many centuries the core of the production of the manna ash sap that in the past was largely used for medical purposes.
Nowadays a few resilient farmers keep in life this tradition: we will meet one of them in his organic farm and discover all the secrets of this ancestral production. The manna farmer is always very inspired when cooking local organic vegetables and wild herbs and this is why lunch at his property will be another beautiful surprise.
The rest of the day will be spent strolling along the cobble streets of the lively centre of Castelbuono, take a look at its mighty 14th centuries castle, taste local delicious confectionary and enjoy the magnificent sea-views of the Aeolian Islands from the tiny but gorgeous village of Pollina.
Duration: full day
Group size: min 2 – max 16
Suitable for families: yes.
Days: this tour can be booked every day. We need anyway to confirm the availability with the local providers.
To book this excursion or receive more info please use our form or send us an email to info@paesaggiosicilia.com
Excursion 4
FROM POLIZZI GENEROSA TO GERACI SICULO. FIFES, FLEMISH ART, HISTORY, FRESH RICOTTA AND VILLAGES
Highlights
- Traditional music instruments workshop
- Flemish painting and the town of Polizzi Generosa
- “Traditional sfogghiu” tasting
- Mountain dairy hut, lunch and fresh ricotta tasting
- The castle ruins in Geraci Siculo
The Madonie mountains are not just an uncontaminated beautiful area where local farmers produce organic milk, great cheeses and vegetables but they are also the cradle of several centuries of history, art and handicraft. Each town hosts amazing artistic treasures and fascinating workshops. With a relaxing drive through the park you will discover a lush nature and enjoy some of the best and unexpected landscapes of Sicily.
In Polizzi Generosa we will meet an enthusiastic musician that produces fifes and bagpipes used for Sicilian traditional music and visit the beautiful medieval town where even the Emperor Charles V was hosted in the 16th century. This is also the town to taste the delicious “sfogghiu”, a local cheesecake made only in a few villages in the area
Up in the mountains we will later meet the dairy makers in their traditional mountain hut, taste their fresh ricotta and cheeses and enjoy a meal with them.
The final stop is Geraci Siculo, a small mountain town where the time stays still. With a little walk we will visit the ruins of the mighty castle with breath-taking views, drink the famous spring-water, explore a bit this charming village and finish our day with a coffee in the main square with the locals.
Duration: full day
Group size: min 2 – max 16
Suitable for families: yes.
Days: this tour can be booked every day except for Sundays and special holidays. We need anyway to confirm the availability with the local providers.
To book this excursion or receive more info please use our form or send us an email to info@paesaggiosicilia.com
Excursion 5
NOVARA DI SICILIA, THE TOWN OF ROLLING CHEESE AND WATERMILLS
Highlights
- The charming historical town of Novara di Sicilia
- Dairy farm, baked ricotta, traditional maiorchino cheese and lunch
- Coffee break and traditional granite
- Experience of the 17th century watermill
- Amazing landscape and sea-view
Novara di Sicilia is a pretty village in the mountains of the northern coast of Sicily where time has stayed still. Surrounded by lush vegetable gardens and green pastures, this town is known for a special winter race, when local teams run around rolling downhill large wheels of cheese. This rare delicious cheese, listed by Slow Food, is called maiorchino and it is still made by a handful of resilient cheesemakers. The other amazing attraction of Novara is an historical watermill where father and son are still bravely grinding wheat as their ancestors did in the 17th century.
With the owner of the watermill and a young cheesemaker we will discover all this fascinating local culture, see the mill working, watch the dairy in action and taste all the excellent local cheese, sausages, bread and vegetables at the dairy garden.
While strolling around the town you will enjoy the magnificent view of the Tyrrhenian Sea with the Aeolian Islands and taste the traditional “granita messinese”.
If you are interested in pottery and kitchenware we can stop for a short visit at a traditional workshop where you can buy pots that we still use in the preparation of many Sicilian dishes.
Duration: full day
Group size: min 2 – max 16
Suitable for families: yes.
Days: this tour can be booked every day. We need anyway to confirm the availability with the local providers.
To book this excursion or receive more info please use our form or send us an email to info@paesaggiosicilia.com
