Arts & culture Archives - Scent of Sicily

Pottery Class

scentofsicily — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 14:13:59 +0000

Our workshop in villa invites guests to immerse themselves in the world of traditional art and craftsmanship through clay modeling and ceramic decoration. This hands-on experience is not just an activity, but a journey into the rich heritage of ceramic arts. Under the guidance of our seasoned ceramists, participants will be introduced to the fundamental techniques that have been passed down through generations. They will learn how to shape, mold, and decorate clay, transforming it into beautiful ceramic pieces. The workshop spans half a day, a perfect duration to delve into the art without feeling rushed. It’s an opportunity for guests to not only learn a new skill but also to connect with the local culture and history associated with ceramic art. Each participant will have the chance to experiment with various techniques, encouraged by our expert instructors. The result is not just a unique piece of art they can take home but also a memorable experience that they carry with them long after the workshop concludes. This is an ideal way for guests to engage with the local culture and bring a piece of it back home as a tangible and personal keepsake of their visit.

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Private Chocolate Experience in Modica, make your own choco-bar

scentofsicily — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 07:29:47 +0000

A unique experienze in one of the famous sicilian place: Modica and the chocolate!

Departure for the Val di Noto to discover two wonderful Baroque towns that belong to the UNESCO heritage. All this area was badly damaged in 1693 by a strong earthquake and largely rebuilt in Sicilian Baroque style.

After around 1 hour driving through the country side you will reach Modica that is divided into two parts, the “higher” town and the “lower” town, connected by numerous flights of steps.

Palazzi and houses rise from the bottom of the gorge seemingly stacked one on top of the other. Magnificent churches, with their inspiring domes, bell towers and intricate facades, punctuate the red-tiled roofs and one is struck by the uniform beauty of the whole.
For the real chocoholic, it is included a sweet experience: put your hands on and make your own
choco-bar! A workshop aimed to introduce you to this unique tradition and to discover how home
made chocolate is still produced in the Baroque city of Modica.
Later, a short drive will lead you onto Ragusa to visit one of the most fascinating towns in Sicily.
Ragusa has caused many visitor’s jaw to drop as they first set eyes on the lower part of the town. This
afternoon return to the pick up point.

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Selinunte archeological park

scentofsicily — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 10:23:32 +0000

If you want to discover the history of Sicily, and really feel it, you just can’t miss a visit to the stunning Selinunte. Its name comes from the ancient greek selinous, the celery, which was the representative crest of the city and still grows wild in its woods today. The city has been built by the sea, by the Megarese pioneers in the seventh century BC, right where the valleys of Belice and Modione meet. It quickly became one of the most important centres of Western Mediterranean Sea, until its destruction after a long war in 409 BC against the nearby Segesta. The Carthaginians, who conquered the city, rebuilt it in the area where the former acropolis was: this is why today the archaeological remains of Selinunte show a mixed style, both punic and greek.

Selinunte holds the most stunning Archeological Park in Sicily, the largest in Europe, even bigger than the one in Athens, along with one of the most beautiful nature reserve on the Western side of Sicily: the Belice Nature Reserve, located next to the mouth of the Belice river, offers a landscape of rare beauty, made of amber-colored sand dunes and a clear blue sea.

The Acropolis of Selinunte is an ancient metropolis rising on a limestone plateau overlooking the sea, in the center of the archaeological park. Columns and ruins of colossal Greek temples are the remains of the city, together with the rests of the sanctuaries that lie all around within the area of the park, and the numerous necropolises that can be found near and far from the very center of this historical complex.

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Erice, old medieval city

scentofsicily — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 10:18:44 +0000

Erice, on top of a mountain overlooking the whole Western shore from the city of Trapani (just 15 minutes away) to the shores of Marsala (South) and San Vito Lo Capo (East). The hamlet can be reached via car or bus, but if you’re looking for a more thrilling experience we recommend you take the cableway from the city of Trapani: the panorama will make your jaw drop!
This town is rich in history and legend: its name comes from “Erix”, a mythological character, the son of Aphrodite, killed by Heracles. After the foundation, the town was occupied by the Romans and the Arabs, as well as the Normans. Nowadays, Erice is a beautiful medieval hamlet: the best thing to do to catch its dreamy atmosphere is to walk through its narrow streets filled with antique shops and pretty cafés, ending in pleasant courtyards with flowery balconies and stunning monuments. Panoramic viewpoints are almost everywhere: if you’re lucky enough to visit Erice when the sky is very clear, you’ll be able to see the islands of Ustica and Pantelleria, if not even Cape Bon in Tunisia. Two stunning castles can be visited: one, founded by the Normans upon the ruins of a former Roman temple dedicated to “Venere Ericina” (Venus), and one built during the Middle Ages. Interesting monuments and sights include the gardens of the castle, the Dome of the Assunta, the Spanish district and plenty of religious monuments (Erice was once called “Town of 100 churches”).
The hamlet is perfect for a visit both in summer, when the chilly breeze will bring some relief from the high temperatures of the coastal plain, and in winter, when the atmosphere gets a bit foggy and you’ll feel you’re being taken back to the Middle Ages. During your excursions, don’t forget to indulge yourself with a delicious local treat: “Genovesi alla crema”, pastry with custard and icing sugar, best tasted warm!

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