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With its warm climate, fertile land and a rich history and culture in which food and wine play a central role, Sicily is paradise for the foodie in search of something special and mouth-watering. As a result, more and more people from the UK are looking for Sicily holidays that will also give them a taste of the island’s culinary delights. The good news is that, for most of the year, you’ll find a food and wine festival somewhere on the island – in fact, almost every town and village has a least one celebration devoted to a specific food that is characteristic of their area. We’ve put together a brief list of some of the treats that await you. But this is just a “taste” of what to expect. We suggest that, when you book into your hotel, you ask at reception or talk to the concierge. They’ll have all the information about the local food scene and will set you on the path to a food feast! The “Sagra del Pistacchio” October 6th – 9th is the Pistachio Festival in Bronte. Sitting on the fertile slopes of Mount Etna, this area is renowned for its pistachio nuts. During the 3-day festival, expect to taste an amazing range of foods using pistachio including ice cream, pistachio marzipan and even pistachio “Nutella”! Sagra Dell Ricotta e Del Formaggio In the town of Vizzine, between Caltagirone and Syracuse, they celebrate that great Sicilian cheese, ricotta, every April 25th. Ricotta is a very versatile cheese and here they give new meaning to the word. But you’ll experience a host of other cheeses which go well with some of the area’s fine wines as well. Sagra del Pomodoro Where would Italy be without the succulent tomato? This festival, held from the 30th of April until the 4th of May, is a celebration of this delicious red fruit of the vine. You’ll have the opportunity to try out tomatoes in hundreds of different dishes, but also enjoy fine wine, street music and Sicilian culture. Festa della Fragola Come to Cassabile and Siracusa for the first 3 days of May, when everybody digs into a fresh crop of sweet strawberries. The island’s climate means that this is usually Europe’s first crop of strawberries and it’s celebrated in dozens of ways – even used as a sausage filling! Inycon a Menfi Wine Festival Menfi is perhaps the most important wine producing town you’ll visit during your Sicily holidays. As such, it’s only fitting that this town hosts the island’s most important wine festival from the 22nd to the 24th of June each year. Taste some of Sicily’s finest wines and sample local food in one of the many bars in town. As well as wine, you can enjoy some concerts and shows alongside olive oil tasting, local delicacies and much more. Stragusto If you like street food, you mustn’t miss this festival of Sicilian, Italian and Tunisian street food, held every year between the 24th and 27th of July in Trapani. The Sicilians love to celebrate so you’ll also be feted with good music and great wine. La Sagra del Tortone Two festivals for the price of one. Try the local cake traditionally made from flour, yeast, olive oil and sugar. Then sit back and watch the colourful procession and celebration that commemorates events that took place at the town’s castle in 1282 during the Sicilian Vespers – the revolt of the Sicilians against their French rulers. Sherbeth Festival No article about Sicilian food would be complete without some ice-cream. Let’s face it: ice-cream is another of those reasons why so many people, and especially the children, enjoy their Sicily holidays so much. Sherbet (Arabic for a “slightly frozen drink”) was introduced to Sicily by the Arabs in the 9th Century A.D. and every year, from the 20th to the 24th of September, in the picturesque Medieval village of Cefalù, they host a 4 day, international ice-cream festival. Sample delicious, handmade ice-cream concoctions made especially for the festival by locals and ice-cream masters from across the world as you explore the narrow streets of this historic village. John Dixon is Managing Director of Prestige Holidays and visits Italy at least twice a year. If you’re looking for Sicily holidays with a luxurious edge, John has 30 years of experience organising some of the UK’s most well-regarded trips to this region and other destinations worldwide.
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