THE ANCIENT HEART OF THE ISLAND AMONG LEGENDS, SAFFRON AND ANCESTRAL OLIVE TREES
Experience the island at the centre of the Ancient World, where Time seems to have stopped. Here the goddess Kore was kidnapped to become Lady of the Underworld, bringing with her absence winter and the alternation of the seasons. Her mother Demeter, like a torch in the anguished search for her daughter, lit torches from the lava of the Etna Volcano. The people of these places still pass on the reverential tradition of this powerful myth, in a harmonious dialogue with the succession of the seasons. Discover how with the first cold the weather slows down, timed by an ancient ritual in which you will take part. Collect the saffron flower that blooms imperviously in the November frost, preparing the welcoming blanket of the soil that nourished it for rest.
Savour the rich taste of olive oil from centuries-old mills, of the products of the land, transformed into arancini and of the cheeses that the master cheesemakers prepare by pampering the milk with the heat of the fire in the same pots of their ancestors. Holed up with the restorer artisans in the small shops with soft light and witness how, in an intimate dialogue with matter and time, the furniture comes back to life, just as nature will do with the return of the Goddess to the earth. Join us for an unforgettable adventure in the heart of Sicily, where the myth of Kore still dances in the shadows of time and envelops this island in an eternal and seductive mystery.
Crafted with meticulous attention, this trip is designed specifically for you.
We understand the immense value you place on your travel experiences —that’s why we dedicated ourselves tirelessly to crafting each aspect of your journey with precision and passion.
We deeply immerse in each destination. We take the time to uncover the best experiences, connecting you with locals who reveal the true secrets of their homeland—secrets known only to those who live there.
We meticulously select the most knowledgeable guides who can dive deep into the heart of each piece.
We choose only the most authentic experiences, accommodations, and culinary delights, carefully avoiding anything staged or inauthentic that could detract from the genuine essence of your trip.
Like master artisans, we refined every detail of your travel experience, ensuring that each element is flawlessly executed. So that you’ll look back with your heart full of enthusiasm and new perspectives once back home.
We’ll accompany you on a journey made of knowledge, unusual sensory experiences and extraordinary changes in perspective.
You’ll participe in experiential workshops and tastings that allow you to experience what would otherwise have been just a story, living what’s happening with intensity. Imagine getting to know and chatting with local artisans, testing your senses, and discovering, through direct experience, skills you didn’t think you had.
We chose destinations that have something authentic and profound to tell, far from traditional and overcrowded tourist routes. Being in contact with local communities, the peculiarities of each destination really come to light, from its history, art, food and wine, to the traditions and crafts
Transformative travel is more than just doing things; it’s about internalizing new sensations, thoughts, or behaviors.
To migrate to a higher level status, because when you travel consciously the journey itself transforms your existence.
You could live your trip by doing 100 things in 10 days, or live it dedicating attention, sensitivity and feeling.
Transfer and check in at the B&B.
Gourmet dinner at Tommy’s Wine
A cozy place where you can taste emotions. A small living room that welcomes you, as you once did when you received important guests, with a refined atmosphere. At Tommy’s Wine, you can savor the modern taste of vintage, traditional dishes from the Sicilian hinterland, which satisfy even the most refined palates. You can sip Sicilian, Italian wines for unconventional aperitifs.
Return to the B&B and overnight stay.
Breakfast with Kore Siciliae products.
Saffron harvest and a sensory visit to a historic family dairy with Nino
Immerse yourself in Sicilian rural life with a visit to a historic farm where the passion for the land and genuine products has been handed down for generations. Wake up early in the morning, among the light frost like a veil on the hills, and patiently participate in the harvest of saffron, the red gold of this land. Participate in the milking of the sheep, a ritual that deeply connects to tradition and the territory. Discover the art of making traditional cheeses, from breaking the rennet to maturing in the warmth of the fire. End your morning with a sensory tasting of artisanal cheeses, ice cream, and saffron-based herbal teas. Savor a fresh egg cooked with saffron, a true tribute to the authentic flavors of the earth. In this natural context, the needs of man and animals deeply respect each other, creating perfect harmony.
Visit the Floristella Mining Park.
Discover one of the most expressive industrial archaeology settlements existing in southern Italy. Once the beating heart of sulfur extraction in Italy, today this mining park is transformed into an open door onto a forgotten world, where the silence of the old tunnels mixes with the song of the lush nature that has regained its spaces. Like a large open-air museum, the circular furnaces for melting and separating sulfur, the tunnels, and the vertical wells are still clearly visible and dramatically evocative. Here, every stone, every path, speaks of the lives of those who have left their mark in these mines, between aspirations and sacrifices, telling a story of suffering, but also of hope and change.
Rest of the afternoon at leisure, return to the B&B, dinner, and overnight stay.
Breakfast with Kore Siciliae products
Visit to Cozzomatrice and Rocca di Cerere
On the heights of Cozzo Matrice, surrounded by mystery and history, stands a place suspended between myth and reality. The first Hellenic settlement of Enna was located here, a sacred and cult place. The remains of a vast sacred temenos dominate a breathtaking landscape that encompasses much of the island. Ancient sources tell of Kore, daughter of the goddess Demeter, kidnapped by Hades in the nearby lake of Pergusa and transported to the world of the Underworld through a legendary mouth located right here. Having become Persephone, lady of the afterlife, she embodied the eternal cycle of death and rebirth. Kore was believed to alternate her stay between Earth and the Underworld every six months, bringing spring with her upon her return. This place, imbued with the power and importance of myth, tells stories of different civilizations that have left indelible traces of their presence, making it of exceptional archaeological and cultural value. The cult of Kore was subsequently transferred to modern Enna, on the fascinating Rocca di Cerere.
Guided tour of the Cathedral of Enna and ancient wood gilding workshop with Angelo Scalzo.
The master restorer Angelo Scalzo welcomes you into his studio, which is the result of professional experience developed through practices in different laboratories. Let him reveal the secrets of wood restoration and ancient techniques since the time of the Egyptians and experiment with his support on how to use them. This experience will allow you to learn the importance of preserving and enhancing works of art and ancient objects.
Return to the B&B, dinner and overnight stay.
Breakfast with Kore Siciliae products
Guided tour of Morgantina and Aidone Museum
Explore the archaeological site of Morgantina, one of the most influential city-states of ancient Sicily. Admire up close the remains of homes, temples, and theatres that narrate daily life and religious ceremonies from millennia ago. Continue your visit to the Aidone Museum, where the discovered treasures are kept, including the famous Venus of Morgantina, a symbol of beauty and charm of antiquity.
Lunch in a selected restaurant
Guided tour of Villa Romana del Casale
Imagine a vast expanse of stone floors transformed into a mesmerizing tapestry of images, each tile a masterpiece crafted by skilled Roman hands. Let the gentle sunlight filter through the ancient walls, illuminating the mosaics and casting a warm light on the figures depicted inside. As you wander the halls of the villa, let your imagination transport you back in time to a world of emperors, gladiators, and enduring beauty.
Return to the B&B, free dinner and overnight stay.
Excursion to Etna with an alpine guide and lunch in the cellar with wine-tasting
After breakfast at the hotel, depart for Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world and the highest in Europe. Let yourself be enchanted by the mystical beauty of the forces of nature. With your mountain guide, walk through the Martian-like landscape, where the sulfurous smell and soft crunch of volcanic debris under your boots evoke an ancient and powerful world. According to legend, mother Demeter, desperate for her daughter’s disappearance Kore, lit torches from the eternal fire of Etna in the anguished search and abandoning the earth to a freezing winter. Free time in the center of Catania for walks through the characteristic streets full of craft and souvenir shops.
Return to hotel, dinner and overnight.
Excursion to Etna with an alpine guide and lunch in the cellar with wine-tasting
After breakfast at the hotel, depart for Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world and the highest in Europe. Let yourself be enchanted by the mystical beauty of the forces of nature. With your mountain guide, walk through the Martian-like landscape, where the sulfurous smell and soft crunch of volcanic debris under your boots evoke an ancient and powerful world. According to legend, mother Demeter, desperate for her daughter’s disappearance Kore, lit torches from the eternal fire of Etna in the anguished search and abandoning the earth to a freezing winter. Free time in the center of Catania for walks through the characteristic streets full of craft and souvenir shops.
Return to hotel, dinner and overnight.
Taormina and cooking lesson
After breakfast at the hotel, depart for Taormina, a jewel renowned throughout the world for its enveloping charm that has enchanted celebrities and artists for centuries with its Mediterranean charm. Here, perched high above the Ionian Sea, you can enjoy breathtaking views and visit Palazzo Corvaia, a stunning aristocratic villa, as well as numerous outdoor cafés.
Enjoy free time to explore the picturesque streets filled with artisan shops and souvenir boutiques. Next, head to Castelmola, a charming village located just above Taormina.
Here, take part in a cooking class where you will discover local cuisine, followed by a coffee break offering sublime views of the surrounding landscapes.
Relaxing walk along the Taormina seafront, admiring the landscape of the gulf and enjoying the sea breeze.
Return to hotel, dinner and overnight.
Transfer to the airport of Palermo.
The travel itinerary may be subject to small variations based on causes of force majeure, climate or organizational adjustments.
When confirming the trip – once the minimum number of participants is reached – any relevant changes and/or updates will be communicated.
WINE TASTING IN A CELLAR NEAR MOUNT ETNA
A VISIT TO A TRADITIONAL CHEESE DAIRY AND CHEESE TASTING.
BREAKFAST WITH KORE SICILIAE PRIDUCTS
8 DAYS- 7 NIGHT
4* HOTEL oR SIMILAR with BREAKFAST
PARTICIPANTS FROM 6 TO 12
4 nights at a charming B&B in the center of Enna with Kore Siciliae breakfast
3 nights at a 3-star hotel with breakfast in the center of Catania
5 dinners featuring traditional Sicilian dishes
1 tasting dinner at a selected local restaurant
2 tasting lunches
1 lunch at a winery
1 cooking lesson
1 lunch at a selected local restaurant
1 visit to a farm with a tasting
1 workshop in an artisan workshop
Tourist/environmental guides for each visit indicated in the program
Admission tickets to attractions included in the tour itinerary (Floristella Mining Park; Casa Caripa; Rocca di Cerere; Enna Cathedral; Morgantina Archaeological Park; Aidone Museum; Villa Romana del Casale; Museum of Myth; Tower of Frederick)
1 tour leader (speaking Italian and English) will accompany you for the entire duration of the trip
24/7 agency assistance
Tourist tax – mandatory to be paid on site
Single room supplement
Arrival and departure flights from Italy
Internal transfers will be quoted at the time of booking
Possible recommended activities during free time
Wine and alcoholic beverages during lunches and dinners
Other meals not indicated in the program
Personal expenses (e.g., bar service, concierge, laundry, tips, etc.)
“All Risks” travel insurance (to be requested as an extra at the time of booking)
Tourist tax – mandatory to be paid on site
All additional costs due to unforeseen circumstances not attributable to our organization (e.g., flight cancellations, fare increases, strikes or other events and natural disasters, emergency evacuations, etc.)
Everything not specifically included in the clause “The offer includes.”
The reservation must be made at least 15 days before the departure date of the trip
Payment must be made by bank transfer in the following ways:
20% Deposit upon booking confirmation (30% for countries outside the European Union)
80% balance 30 days before (70% for countries outside the European Union)
by Openmind Travel Srl
Sede legale
Via Esperanto 2 – 11100 Aosta
Sede operativa
Via Bassi 60 – 35131 Padova
Ph. +39.0498256495
welcome@openmindtravel.it
P.IVA 05236340286
PEC:pec@pec.openmindtravel.it
Kamelion by Openmind Travel partecipa a:
Progetto finanziato con il POC
Regione del Veneto
Kamelion è un progetto
Openmind Travel Srl
Sede legale
Via Esperanto 2 – 11100 Aosta
Sede operativa
Via Bassi 60 – 35131 Padova
Ph. +39.0498256495
welcome@openmindtravel.it
P.IVA 05236340286
PEC:pec@pec.openmindtravel.it
Kamelion by Openmind Travel
partecipa a:
Progetto finanziato con il POC
Regione del Veneto
