a day at Agriturismo Il Giardino del Sole
Nothing beats the rewarding feeling of a holiday in the countryside and Sicily is the perfect destination for a gastronomic farm holiday.
Last year I received a lovely email from best selling and award winning British author Jo Thomas who was planning a trip to Sicily with her family for a holiday and also to undertake research for her summer book "My Lemon Grove Summer" which was to be set in Sicily among the lemon groves. One of her questions was, could I recommend an Agriturismo near Catania for her families first night in Sicily, preferably one with citrus trees and where she could take a cooking class to get a feel for Sicilian cuisine. One immediately came to mind about a 20 minute drive from Catania airport.
Whilst in London a couple of years ago attending the World Travel Market I had the pleasure of meeting Marco from "Il Giardino del Sole", a biological farm with rooms and cabins boasting a sparkling swimming pool and they also did cooking classes and horse riding. He explained that it was an oasis of peace and tranquillity in the Sicilian countryside.
We spoke for a while and Marco showed me a slide show of his delightful farm which included photos of cute farm animals of all kinds. Definitely my kind of place. After a lovely chat Marco invited us to visit him at his farm on our return to Sicily. Marco was so friendly and a very sunny happy person. It was evident that he was so passionate about his farm and these are always the things that help you keep wonderful people and places in your mind.
I love an agriturismo, they are the perfect place for a gastronomic lunch.
To put you in the picture of where Agriturismo Il Giardino del Sole is located as you fly into Catania airport, and if you are lucky enough to have a window seat, as your plane starts its descent you will get a remarkable view of Piana di Catania (the plain of Catania) which is completely covered in citrus groves like a fertile carpet at the foot of Mount Etna. It is a beautiful part of Sicily.
An agriturismo is primarily a farm with a number of rooms for guests where you can enjoy the taste of local produce, wine and local dishes and be made to feel part of the family. They are usually restored farm houses located on quiet beautiful terrain.
When we arrived home in Sicily earlier this year one of the first things I did was to email Marco to arrange our visit to Il Giardno del Sole, and he sent the most wonderful reply:
"Hi Sarah, we are all good, work and family full of happiness. Happy return to Sicily".
A date was set and last month we set off from home with Daisy our dog .....
The drive from our home in Giardini Naxos took just under one hour. The farm is located in tranquil countryside near the small town of Carlentini, a lovely Sicilian blood orange producing town that boasts beautiful mosaics that can be seen located around the town.
On arrival we were greeted by Marco and his lovely family and also by Otto, the families dog who Marco explained that he rescued from the streets just like Daisy was in London. Daisy and Otto immediately made friends.
After a cup of coffee Marco, together with his cute little girl in her push chair and also Otto the dog, took us on a tour of the farm whilst telling us the history of the farm and the area along the way.
Il Giardino del Sole means The Garden of the Sun.
We began our tour walking through the abundant orange groves. Marco explained that the land, comprising 20 hectares, has been in the Ferrante family for three generations when his great grandfather at the end of the 1800's bought the land which at the time was covered in rock. His great grandfather broke down the hard rock by hand and with gunpowder in order to be able to cultivate citrus and olive groves and to create plots of fields and pasture for farm animals. He also created a grain deposit, stables and he built stone cottages for his family and workers to live in, also a gentleman's hall which is now the restaurant.
In the 1990's the buildings became abandoned and sadly quickly deteriorated.
Today aided by a European grant, Marco and his family have lovingly brought the structures back to their ancient splendour which now have all modern comforts whilst retaining the flavour of their rural past.
Through the orange groves we all headed off towards the fattoria (farm) to meet the animals.
Our first new friends to greet us were the horses which Marco knows the name and character of every single one. Horse riding is available for children, adults and people with disabilities. Next up was the coups with chickens, huge turkeys and a handsome peacock who proudly spread his colourful feathers to show us his beauty. One chicken seemed very pleased with themself sitting in their tub of poultry food. See if you can spot it in my photo album below.
Daisy was loving meeting all the farm animals and next up was her favourite animals, the pigs.
Daisy has a pig friend called Anita who lives in some stables on Mount Etna with our lovely friends at Sicily Horse Riding. Anita was bought as a pet but she did not stop growing, it was love at first sight for Daisy and Anita. The pigs here at the farm are the breed of the indigenous black skinned pig called suino nero. The black pigs of Sicily are usually found in the Nedbrodi Mountains in the north eastern corner of Sicily. We waited to see Daisy's reaction on seeing the pigs, it was not what we expected.
Today Daisy was not interested in the pigs themselves, oh no, Daisy was more interested in their poo and Daisy loved the smell of the pig poo so much that she decided that she had to roll in it. I have since been told that pig poo is one of the most smelliest poos in the world. But Daisy thought she smelt great.
On that note we set off with a very smelly Daisy to meet our next new friends, my favourites, the donkeys. I love donkeys and there was a baby donkey too, so cute.
Marco explained the wonderful character of the donkey comparing it to that of either owning a cat or a dog. Horses are more like cats, they like to have attention then do their own thing and can be independent. Donkeys are more like dogs, they listen to every word you say and will follow you to the end of the earth. Reluctantly we had to leave the donkeys. "Surely we could fit one in our car?" I asked.
Next we headed for the reservoir, which irrigates the farm with water, passing olives trees and aromatic herbs that lined the path, here we met some lovely cows taking a drink, some ducks having a swim and some wild birds who come to visit and join in the fun. I don't blame them it is like farm animal paradise here.
Up next were the sheep, cows and goats. The cows were of the Modican breed which are reared in the province of Ragusa and in particular the town of Modica. They can withstand Sicily's hot climate and rocky terrain. The goats were Girgentana, a breed indigenous to the province of Agrigento which is thought to have originally come from Africa. Ricotta cheese is made from these guys fresh on the farm. The cows and goats seemed fascinated by Daisy, maybe it was her perfume.
Along our tour and through out the day we fell in love with pretty cats with their gorgeous kittens.
Last and not least Marco showed us the accommodation available on the farm.The rooms are found in two different styles of buildings surrounded by orange trees.
The standard stone rooms are located within the original farm buildings which have been renovated in a rustic style. Then there are also wooden cabins independent to the original buildings which have private verandas where you can enjoy the view of the surrounding countryside full of smells and the sounds of nature. The furniture has been reproduced in the style of that which would be found in a old hamlet with some of the furniture being stunningly handcrafted by Marco's talented brother in law.
There is a large sparkling swimming pool with sunbeds and a playground area for children and as is always the way in Eastern Sicily the ever present Mount Etna can be seen keeping an watchful eye on her land.
At the end of our tour it was time for lunch, looking at our watches we were amazed to see that we had been walking around the farm for an incredible one and a half hours. We had certainly built up an appetite.
Marco showed us to the restaurant which is located in the old gentleman's hall. The restaurant can accommodate up to 160 guests which also makes it an ideal venue for weddings and special occasions. It specialises in typical Sicilian dishes and the farms own homemade produce. Food at the farm is a very serious business providing the basis for traditional and quality cuisine.
In the evenings you can eat a wonderful pizza made using 'mother yeast' which guarantees a slow rising of the pizza dough and using only Sicilian grain but today we were going to enjoy a traditional Sicilian lunch.
So I know you are all dying to know what we ate;
First came a basket heaving with freshly made bread and local Sicilian red wine. Next came the antipasti and there was loads of it ...
Dishes of local salami and cheese accompanied by a delicious marmalade made with oranges grown on the farm, my favourite caponata, marinated olives grown on the farm, carpaccio of veal with mushrooms, deep fried mozzarella, arancini balls and parmigiana melanzane, which my husband had to have more of as it was so yummy even though I warned him that there would be two more courses.
Next came our first course, a delicious pasta dish with Sicilian pistachio pesto and prosciutto, this was like an explosion of flavours in our mouths. After this came our second course, lamb with roasted rosemary potatoes on a bed of rocket and if you thought that we could not eat any more food you would be wrong because after all this delicious food came dessert, my favourite cannoli. The cannoli had been deconstructed and the sweetened ricotta cream was just perfectly decorated with the farms own orange zest and chocolate, yummy.
I have recently been told that I need to visit a 'Cannoli Therapist' and yes one really does exist in Sicily, but more about that another time, my appointment has been booked.
Soon it was time to leave with our heaving waistlines (we did not eat for the rest of the day!!!)
I would definitely recommend a farm holiday here, Il Giardini del Sole offers a wonderful opportunity to experience a slower pace of rural Sicilian life whilst staying in a rustic cottage or cabin. Or even if you just want to pop in for a traditional lunch, an evening pizza or combine with a stay at other destinations on the island. Marco and his family are the perfect friendly hosts and their food is outstanding. Cooking classes are available on request.
The farm is ideally located to explore the eastern side of the island and Mount Etna is approximately a 45 minute drive away.
Finally we left Il Giardino del Sole after having a wonderful fun day and we look forward to returning again soon to try that delicious pizza that Marco mouth wateringly tempted us with.
As for Daisy we spent a very aromatic drive home in our car with our windows wound down and she was put straight in the bath tub and came out smelling refreshed and ready for her next adventure.
We would like to say a big GRAZIE to Marco and his beautiful family and animals for a very special day.
Last year I received a lovely email from best selling and award winning British author Jo Thomas who was planning a trip to Sicily with her family for a holiday and also to undertake research for her summer book "My Lemon Grove Summer" which was to be set in Sicily among the lemon groves. One of her questions was, could I recommend an Agriturismo near Catania for her families first night in Sicily, preferably one with citrus trees and where she could take a cooking class to get a feel for Sicilian cuisine. One immediately came to mind about a 20 minute drive from Catania airport.
Whilst in London a couple of years ago attending the World Travel Market I had the pleasure of meeting Marco from "Il Giardino del Sole", a biological farm with rooms and cabins boasting a sparkling swimming pool and they also did cooking classes and horse riding. He explained that it was an oasis of peace and tranquillity in the Sicilian countryside.
We spoke for a while and Marco showed me a slide show of his delightful farm which included photos of cute farm animals of all kinds. Definitely my kind of place. After a lovely chat Marco invited us to visit him at his farm on our return to Sicily. Marco was so friendly and a very sunny happy person. It was evident that he was so passionate about his farm and these are always the things that help you keep wonderful people and places in your mind.
I love an agriturismo, they are the perfect place for a gastronomic lunch.
To put you in the picture of where Agriturismo Il Giardino del Sole is located as you fly into Catania airport, and if you are lucky enough to have a window seat, as your plane starts its descent you will get a remarkable view of Piana di Catania (the plain of Catania) which is completely covered in citrus groves like a fertile carpet at the foot of Mount Etna. It is a beautiful part of Sicily.
An agriturismo is primarily a farm with a number of rooms for guests where you can enjoy the taste of local produce, wine and local dishes and be made to feel part of the family. They are usually restored farm houses located on quiet beautiful terrain.
When we arrived home in Sicily earlier this year one of the first things I did was to email Marco to arrange our visit to Il Giardno del Sole, and he sent the most wonderful reply:
"Hi Sarah, we are all good, work and family full of happiness. Happy return to Sicily".
A date was set and last month we set off from home with Daisy our dog .....
The drive from our home in Giardini Naxos took just under one hour. The farm is located in tranquil countryside near the small town of Carlentini, a lovely Sicilian blood orange producing town that boasts beautiful mosaics that can be seen located around the town.
On arrival we were greeted by Marco and his lovely family and also by Otto, the families dog who Marco explained that he rescued from the streets just like Daisy was in London. Daisy and Otto immediately made friends.
After a cup of coffee Marco, together with his cute little girl in her push chair and also Otto the dog, took us on a tour of the farm whilst telling us the history of the farm and the area along the way.
Il Giardino del Sole means The Garden of the Sun.
We began our tour walking through the abundant orange groves. Marco explained that the land, comprising 20 hectares, has been in the Ferrante family for three generations when his great grandfather at the end of the 1800's bought the land which at the time was covered in rock. His great grandfather broke down the hard rock by hand and with gunpowder in order to be able to cultivate citrus and olive groves and to create plots of fields and pasture for farm animals. He also created a grain deposit, stables and he built stone cottages for his family and workers to live in, also a gentleman's hall which is now the restaurant.
In the 1990's the buildings became abandoned and sadly quickly deteriorated.
Today aided by a European grant, Marco and his family have lovingly brought the structures back to their ancient splendour which now have all modern comforts whilst retaining the flavour of their rural past.
Through the orange groves we all headed off towards the fattoria (farm) to meet the animals.
Our first new friends to greet us were the horses which Marco knows the name and character of every single one. Horse riding is available for children, adults and people with disabilities. Next up was the coups with chickens, huge turkeys and a handsome peacock who proudly spread his colourful feathers to show us his beauty. One chicken seemed very pleased with themself sitting in their tub of poultry food. See if you can spot it in my photo album below.
Daisy was loving meeting all the farm animals and next up was her favourite animals, the pigs.
Daisy has a pig friend called Anita who lives in some stables on Mount Etna with our lovely friends at Sicily Horse Riding. Anita was bought as a pet but she did not stop growing, it was love at first sight for Daisy and Anita. The pigs here at the farm are the breed of the indigenous black skinned pig called suino nero. The black pigs of Sicily are usually found in the Nedbrodi Mountains in the north eastern corner of Sicily. We waited to see Daisy's reaction on seeing the pigs, it was not what we expected.
Today Daisy was not interested in the pigs themselves, oh no, Daisy was more interested in their poo and Daisy loved the smell of the pig poo so much that she decided that she had to roll in it. I have since been told that pig poo is one of the most smelliest poos in the world. But Daisy thought she smelt great.
On that note we set off with a very smelly Daisy to meet our next new friends, my favourites, the donkeys. I love donkeys and there was a baby donkey too, so cute.
Marco explained the wonderful character of the donkey comparing it to that of either owning a cat or a dog. Horses are more like cats, they like to have attention then do their own thing and can be independent. Donkeys are more like dogs, they listen to every word you say and will follow you to the end of the earth. Reluctantly we had to leave the donkeys. "Surely we could fit one in our car?" I asked.
Next we headed for the reservoir, which irrigates the farm with water, passing olives trees and aromatic herbs that lined the path, here we met some lovely cows taking a drink, some ducks having a swim and some wild birds who come to visit and join in the fun. I don't blame them it is like farm animal paradise here.
Up next were the sheep, cows and goats. The cows were of the Modican breed which are reared in the province of Ragusa and in particular the town of Modica. They can withstand Sicily's hot climate and rocky terrain. The goats were Girgentana, a breed indigenous to the province of Agrigento which is thought to have originally come from Africa. Ricotta cheese is made from these guys fresh on the farm. The cows and goats seemed fascinated by Daisy, maybe it was her perfume.
Along our tour and through out the day we fell in love with pretty cats with their gorgeous kittens.
Last and not least Marco showed us the accommodation available on the farm.The rooms are found in two different styles of buildings surrounded by orange trees.
The standard stone rooms are located within the original farm buildings which have been renovated in a rustic style. Then there are also wooden cabins independent to the original buildings which have private verandas where you can enjoy the view of the surrounding countryside full of smells and the sounds of nature. The furniture has been reproduced in the style of that which would be found in a old hamlet with some of the furniture being stunningly handcrafted by Marco's talented brother in law.
There is a large sparkling swimming pool with sunbeds and a playground area for children and as is always the way in Eastern Sicily the ever present Mount Etna can be seen keeping an watchful eye on her land.
At the end of our tour it was time for lunch, looking at our watches we were amazed to see that we had been walking around the farm for an incredible one and a half hours. We had certainly built up an appetite.
Marco showed us to the restaurant which is located in the old gentleman's hall. The restaurant can accommodate up to 160 guests which also makes it an ideal venue for weddings and special occasions. It specialises in typical Sicilian dishes and the farms own homemade produce. Food at the farm is a very serious business providing the basis for traditional and quality cuisine.
In the evenings you can eat a wonderful pizza made using 'mother yeast' which guarantees a slow rising of the pizza dough and using only Sicilian grain but today we were going to enjoy a traditional Sicilian lunch.
So I know you are all dying to know what we ate;
First came a basket heaving with freshly made bread and local Sicilian red wine. Next came the antipasti and there was loads of it ...
Dishes of local salami and cheese accompanied by a delicious marmalade made with oranges grown on the farm, my favourite caponata, marinated olives grown on the farm, carpaccio of veal with mushrooms, deep fried mozzarella, arancini balls and parmigiana melanzane, which my husband had to have more of as it was so yummy even though I warned him that there would be two more courses.
Next came our first course, a delicious pasta dish with Sicilian pistachio pesto and prosciutto, this was like an explosion of flavours in our mouths. After this came our second course, lamb with roasted rosemary potatoes on a bed of rocket and if you thought that we could not eat any more food you would be wrong because after all this delicious food came dessert, my favourite cannoli. The cannoli had been deconstructed and the sweetened ricotta cream was just perfectly decorated with the farms own orange zest and chocolate, yummy.
I have recently been told that I need to visit a 'Cannoli Therapist' and yes one really does exist in Sicily, but more about that another time, my appointment has been booked.
Soon it was time to leave with our heaving waistlines (we did not eat for the rest of the day!!!)
I would definitely recommend a farm holiday here, Il Giardini del Sole offers a wonderful opportunity to experience a slower pace of rural Sicilian life whilst staying in a rustic cottage or cabin. Or even if you just want to pop in for a traditional lunch, an evening pizza or combine with a stay at other destinations on the island. Marco and his family are the perfect friendly hosts and their food is outstanding. Cooking classes are available on request.
The farm is ideally located to explore the eastern side of the island and Mount Etna is approximately a 45 minute drive away.
Finally we left Il Giardino del Sole after having a wonderful fun day and we look forward to returning again soon to try that delicious pizza that Marco mouth wateringly tempted us with.
As for Daisy we spent a very aromatic drive home in our car with our windows wound down and she was put straight in the bath tub and came out smelling refreshed and ready for her next adventure.
We would like to say a big GRAZIE to Marco and his beautiful family and animals for a very special day.
For more information on Il Giardino del Sole
visit www.ilgiardinodelsole.it
and follow them on Facebook and Instagram
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