Big shout out to Towns of Italy here in Palermo. We have completed two tours with them and their guides are superb and loaded with knowledge.
Yesterday’s Guide & Driver were Renate and Francesco, who both, from the off, greeted us very warmly and treated us as though we were friends who had know each other for many years - we were a small group of four, the other couple were American who have relocated to Edinburgh 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️- they love it and wouldn’t make any changes.
Anyway, getting back on track - the first stop of the tour was to the mountain town/village of Erice - absolutely beautiful, quiet and serene. In its day it boasted approx 100 churches but now there are only around 5/6 in regular use, some only available for Weddings, Christenings and other holy celebrations. We visited the oldest bakery and were greeted by Grammarica Maria herself. She is around 80 years old and she started the bakery. We were served 2 x speciality pasties and coffee - delicious.
Our next stop was the Salt Pans of Marsala - quite beautiful. The windmills are no longer working due to technology advances but they still looked very attractive.
Of course, we couldn’t visit Marsala without having wine tasting and a Sicilian Lunch at the famous winery of the Florio family. A prominent entrepreneurial Italian family who started making and selling and exporting the world famous Marsala wine in the nineteenth century. Almost everything the winery produces is home grown and organic including the pasta served. The exception to this was the sheep’s cheese. The sheep however are from a neighbouring farm and are also organically raised!
The winery guide Petro was very informative and loved answering our many questions. The wine tasting was part of our lunch experience with Petro explaining the dishes, the order in which to eat them and the wine being served with each of the courses. Fabulous experience and delicious food.
Following lunch which finished around 3:00ish, we travelled back to Palermo to conclude our tour!