AGRIGENTO ARKEOPARK
Program
Sunday
arrival in Sicily and transfer from airport to the hotel
Monday
Full Day: Visit the small village of Sant'Angelo, in the heart of the Sicani.
Meeting at the square, the center of the quaint town, visit to the bakery with the traditional wood oven and the cheese factory that has produced cheese made by using raw milk for generations. Tastings of pani cunzatu, ricotta cheese and cheese. Visit to the workshop of an artisan who weaves baskets wicker. Walk in the archaeological area of the beautiful tholos tombs, which are dug into the southern side of the mountain on which the village is placed. The visit will be accompanied by the tale of myth, history, archeology, traditions and the landscape description full of spontaneous vegetation and olive trees, pistachio and typical agriculture of the area. The visit is extended to the more recent excavation areas of the tombs and in the sector to grotticella, which characterize a high rocky wall not far from the most famous necropolis. (Possibility of trekking more or less long, depending on the needs of the group).
Lunch: Buffet in the streets of the village, with local freshly picked products.
Possible visit to Aldo Bongiovanni's workshop, The Girgenti shaman: a walk immersed among the aromatic and medicinal plants to taste the small, yellow and spicy mustard flowers, the other purple flowers with sweet and fresh taste, smelling rosemary, mint, different types thyme, fennel, tarragon, calamint, sage, bay... .
Tuesday "Akragas"
Morning: Visit to the Archaeological and Landscape Park of the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento.
We will admire its archaeological remains crossing whole hill from the temple of Juno, Concordia and the Temple of Hercules, to the ruins of the Temple of Zeus, Castor and Pollux, and then reaching the old Garden of the Kolymbetra and the beautiful landscape that characterizes the area of Akragas.
Lunch: picnic with typical Sicilian products in the picnic area at Kolymbetra, immersed in the orange groves of ancient Akragas in Eden where the water still flows from the Feacei ducts.
Afternoon: Pottery lab organized by Agrigento Arkeopark: “Creating with soil”.
Wednesday
Full Day: Guided excursion to Licata.
Visit to the old town and its Liberty, the Verderame Palace, the Palace of the city made by the architect Ernesto Basile, the Sanctuary and the cloister of Sant'Angelo martyr with the exhibition of underwater finds, the port and the main church.
"Chef for a day": Sicilian cooking class with starred chef, preparation of 3/4 of the dishes of the Sicilian cuisine and followed by tasting.
Saturday "Girgenti"
Morning: A tour of our city.
Guided visit of the historic center of Agrigento, the Hill of Girgenti, San Gerlando Cathedral and its bell tower, Church of Santa Maria dei Greci, which is located above the ruins of the Doric temple dedicated to Athena, the elegant Via Atenea with noble palaces, the Arab streets, the churches, the monastery of the sisters of the Holy Spirit with its church, decorated with the splendid eighteenth-century stucco work made by Giacomo Serpotta and his school, and the Theater "Luigi Pirandello".
Lunch: Tasting of the local products, sweet cous-cous made by sisters of the Holy Spirit, cannoli, almond milk, grattatella (sicilian granita variation).
Afternoon: Free.
Return to hotel and dinner with folk music and show.
Friday
Full Day: Naturalistic excursion.
Visit and walk through the Mediterranean agriculture such as almonds, olives, grapes etc ....
didactic meeting and tasting of typical Sicilian products such as oil, wine, cheese, bread, etc.
The "hands-on": preparation of pizza and bread following Lunch.
Alternatively
A day at the Pastur with the pastor and his sheeps and Giurgintane goats, typical local breed from the typical curly horns; Peasant breakfast made of olives, cheese, bread, dried tomatoes (chiappe), and a glass of good wine.
Thursday "Agrigentum"
Morning: Visit to the Hellenistic Roman Quarter, the regional Archaeological Museum of Agrigento, the Ekklesiasterion, the Bouleterion and so called Oratory of the tyrant Phalaris with his famous iron Bull, the Roman temple.
Lunch
Afternoon: Mosaic lab organized by Agrigento Arkeopark: “The workshop of the Master Mosaicist”: l’opus tessellatum.
Sunday
A relaxing waking up with a rich breakfast before proceeding with the transfer to the airport.