THE SICILIAN COUNTRYSIDE
In the Odyssey Homer described Sicily as the "island of the sun" but, if we carefully observe the Sicilian countryside, we find an island-continent characterised by an incredible biodiversity and a variety of natural landscapes, from the coasts to the innermost valleys.
The largest island in the Mediterranean is, in fact, an extremely generous and bountiful land, rich in fertile fields, small streams, sun and light. Any traveller who journeys through Sicily from east to west will encounter notable climatic variations as well countless different geological and natural landscapes.
This variety of natural habitats translates into a mosaic of agricultural productions and farming practices, as well as one of the planet’s richest and most diverse culinary traditions, a recognised world heritage, a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet.
The plains, hills, mountains and sea of Sicily, in combination with the seasons of the Mediterranean climate, offer the fruits of the Earth all year round, and oil and wine have become the absolute protagonists of these extraordinary agricultural productions.
Where the valleys of Belice and Jato meet, the home of Feudo Disisa’s estate, the countryside takes on different contours. This is the valley floor where a river flows silently, bordered by reeds, willows and white poplars, giving way to vineyards and olive groves and, further still, wild trees laden with mulberries, plums and carobs, each field bordered by prickly pears. The coastal areas of Sicily offer yet another entrancing natural scenery, one dominated by the native species typical of the Mediterranean scrubland: lentiscus, terebinth, phillyrea, euphorbia and broom, hardy plants capable of withstanding the strength of the winds coming in from the sea. The hand of man has introduced yet more fascinating changes to the landscape, as evidenced by the Moorish inspired and uniquely Sicilian citrus orchards, with their unmistakable design, which the locals call "gardens".
In the Odyssey Homer described Sicily as the "island of the sun" but, if we carefully observe the Sicilian countryside, we find an island-continent characterised by an incredible biodiversity and a variety of natural landscapes, from the coasts to the innermost valleys.
The largest island in the Mediterranean is, in fact, an extremely generous and bountiful land, rich in fertile fields, small streams, sun and light. Any traveller who journeys through Sicily from east to west will encounter notable climatic variations as well countless different geological and natural landscapes.
This variety of natural habitats translates into a mosaic of agricultural productions and farming practices, as well as one of the planet’s richest and most diverse culinary traditions, a recognised world heritage, a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet.
The plains, hills, mountains and sea of Sicily, in combination with the seasons of the Mediterranean climate, offer the fruits of the Earth all year round, and oil and wine have become the absolute protagonists of these extraordinary agricultural productions.
Where the valleys of Belice and Jato meet, the home of Feudo Disisa’s estate, the countryside takes on different contours. This is the valley floor where a river flows silently, bordered by reeds, willows and white poplars, giving way to vineyards and olive groves and, further still, wild trees laden with mulberries, plums and carobs, each field bordered by prickly pears. The coastal areas of Sicily offer yet another entrancing natural scenery, one dominated by the native species typical of the Mediterranean scrubland: lentiscus, terebinth, phillyrea, euphorbia and broom, hardy plants capable of withstanding the strength of the winds coming in from the sea. The hand of man has introduced yet more fascinating changes to the landscape, as evidenced by the Moorish inspired and uniquely Sicilian citrus orchards, with their unmistakable design, which the locals call "gardens".