“Wine is sunlight, held together by water.” – Galileo Galilei, Italian astronomer, physicist, mathematician, and philosopher.
Sicily – Part 1
Monreale Cathedral
Arrivederci, Palermo! It’s time to explore the historic sites outside the city and begin to experience and discover the Sicilian countryside. A quick drive brings us to the historic city, Monreale, or “Royal Mountain.” The stunning Cattedrale di Santa Maria Nuova di Monreale crowns the hillside town overlooking Palermo off in the distance.
The Monreale Cathedral, is truly one of the greatest monuments of medieval Europe. It’s designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its breathtaking blends of Norman, Arab and Byzantine architecture. From the outside, you would never surmise the magnificence within its walls.
In my opinion, it belongs among the three most beautiful churches I have ever visited. It stands alongside the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora in Istanbul (now a mosque), and the spectacular, golden Church of La Compañía de Jesús in Quito, Ecuador.
All three leave you absolutely breathless in their splendor and grandeur. At least, that was my ranking until later on in the trip, when the Saint John’s Co-Cathedral in Malta dared to challenge Monreale for the top spot.
The cathedral was commissioned in 1174 by William II of Sicily, known as “William the Good,” during the Norman Kingdom of Sicily. At the time, Sicily was one of the most cosmopolitan places in Europe, where Norman rulers governed a remarkably diverse population of Latin Christians, Greek Byzantines, Arabs, and Jews.
As we’ve seen before, Monreale Cathedral also embodies the unique cultural fusion of medieval Sicily: a Norman structure with a fortress-like exterior, an ornate interior famously covered in over 2,200 kg of gold leaf, and elegant Arab-Islamic arches, geometric patterns, and decorative details. This extraordinary blend is known as Arab-Norman-Byzantine art.
The contrast between the plain exterior and the dazzling interior is almost shocking to experience firsthand. More than 6,000 square meters of shimmering gold mosaics cover the walls, most created between the late 12th-13th-centuries by Byzantine craftsmen and local artisans.
How to describe its golden splendor and heavenly grandiosity? Impossible, but I’ll give it the old Sicilian try. Few buildings in Europe so beautifully unite so many civilizations under one roof, leaving one gobsmacked, overwhelmed with wonder, just astounded in all its glory.
The undisputed masterpiece is the colossal image of Christ Pantocrator (Almighty) in the half-dome apse, one of the most iconic depictions in Christian art, exquisitely created solely with mosaic tiles.
Christ blesses with one hand while holding the Gospel in the other, dominating the sanctuary below. Throughout the cathedral, mosaics illustrate scenes from the Old Testament, while inscriptions appear in both Latin and Greek, reflecting Sicily’s multilingual heritage.
I’m usually the one pushing David out of his comfort zone, but today I don’t know what possessed him to take the lead. For without any encouragement, he decided we should climb up to the cathedral’s rooftop through a maze of narrow, spiral staircases – definitely not the place for anyone uncomfortable with heights or tight spaces. I suppose he was somehow stricken with the glory and the grandeur!
Walking along the low, narrow clerestory passageway, I had to hunch over like Quasimodo searching for his Esmeralda. The views over Palermo and down into the cathedral were spectacular and worth the effort.
Seeing this extraordinary church from such an unusual vantage point made me appreciate every mosaic even more. The craftsmanship and level of detail are simply astonishing. We departed floating on air!
Olive Oil Tasting & Farm Lunch
High on our food agenda was experiencing an authentic olive oil tasting, and we found exactly that at Azienda Agricola Sanacore, a small family-run estate near Trapani in western Sicily; known for its traditional extra virgin olive oil and warm hospitality.
I expected an olive oil tasting much like a wine tasting, sampling different oils and flavor profiles. Instead, the experience focused entirely on their signature olive oil, Ogghiu, made from native Sicilian olives and cold extracted to preserve its freshness and naturally high polyphenol content.
Our olive oil master, Enzo, taught us the proper way to taste it. We warmed the glass in our hands to release the aromas, then coated our mouths with the oil before slurping in air.
What followed was an explosion of peppery flavor that hit the back of the throat so intensely that David immediately went into an uncontrollable coughing fit – it being particularly funny since I’m usually the one coughing.
Enzo quickly explained that the peppery finish is actually the hallmark of a fresh, high-quality extra virgin olive oil, and the coughing wasn’t unexpected at all.
Olive oil naturally varies in color from golden yellow to deep green depending on the olives and the harvest. Unlike many commercial oils, Sanacore Farms’ is gently decanted rather than heavily filtered; producing a rich texture with notes of green tomato, fresh herbs, artichoke, and its signature peppery finish. We made sure that two bottles left the premises with us to enjoy back home.
During the tasting, Enzo’s three-year-old daughter wandered over demanding his full attention. Laughing, he told us he’d rather deal with four hundred tourists than with her. She was absolutely adorable, with striking Mediterranean-blue eyes that perfectly reflected the warmth of this family-run estate.
Afterward, we savored and enjoyed one of the most memorable meals of the trip with Enzo, our star chef and baker. It began with his fresh-baked bread generously dipped into the estate’s fragrant olive oil. A basketful of that alone would have sufficed.
But an incredibly delicious antipasto followed, featuring the best caponata we had tasted so far, with local cheeses, salami, and the ever-present fried arancini.
The highlight of our meal was busiate, western Sicily’s signature curly pasta, tossed with tomato, basil, garlic, crushed almonds, olive oil, and just enough pasta water to create a silky sauce. It was one of those unforgettable dishes that immediately makes you want to recreate it at home.
Lastly, Enzo’s sweet finale was a warm Genovese pastry filled with creamy ricotta, paired with the estate’s smooth, homegrown red wine. It was a simple meal that perfectly captured the warmth, authenticity, and generosity of Sicilian country hospitality.
Temple of Segesta
Mixing up our centuries of “stone cathedrals of mankind,” from over-the-top decorated, religious cathedrals to a more simple stone monument that has survived for more than two thousand years – the Doric Temple of Segesta, the last vestige left standing of an ancient civilization.
There’s no easy way to describe it, but as we’re being driven smack in the middle of nowhere, making our way up a hill, a sudden turn reveals the most remarkable and incredible, ancient temple emerging in the distance. Standing all alone, its sheer size was awe-inspiring to behold an ancient masterpiece of construction situated in “nowhere land.”
Segesta was one of the major cities of the Elymians, the early indigenous people of these parts, and who were heavily influenced by Greek culture. The temple was built around 420 BCE, and is remarkable for its nearly perfect Greek Doric architectural style.
Walking among its towering columns, I couldn’t help but feel small, wondering why civilizations devoted such extraordinary effort to building places of worship that would endure for centuries on a lonely, windswept hilltop.
Standing there, admiring its strength and simplicity, it was impossible not to reflect on the passage of time and our own brief place in history.
What makes the temple even more intriguing is that it appears to have been left unfinished. Archaeologists discovered that the columns were never fluted and remain smooth; parts of the structure were never completed, and there is no clear evidence that a roof or inner sanctuary was ever built. A mystery sitting benignly in a rocky landscape.
Historians believe construction may have come to an abrupt halt because of war or political upheaval as Segesta became embroiled in conflicts across Sicily.
Despite never being completed, the temple has survived remarkably well for more than 2,400 years. Its isolated location spared it from being dismantled for building materials, and later generations chose to preserve rather than destroy it.
Standing near the temple, we came face-to-face with something I certainly wasn’t expecting. Scattered among the ancient stones were a series of unusual, colorful and humorous, contemporary sculptures by Scottish pop artist, Philip Colbert.
Giant lobster warriors, a colorful pixelated Greek amphorae, and the towering Shark Totem seemed almost surreal against the backdrop of a 2,400-year-old Doric temple. The Marvel World suddenly manifested itself!
My first reaction was, “What on earth are these doing here?!” The contrast between the ancient and the modern was almost jarring. But the longer I wandered throughout the site, the more I appreciated what the artist was trying to accomplish.
The exhibition wasn’t competing with the temple; rather, it was creating a conversation across more than two millennia. The myths, heroes, and stories that inspired the ancient Greeks continue to inspire artists today – only the medium has changed. Whether you love contemporary art or not, it certainly made me stop, look twice, and think, and most of all, SMILE!
I can best sum up my experience in Segesta as being hauntingly beautiful. A solitary, golden-stone temple rising above the rolling hills of western Sicily, standing much as it has for more than two millennia, while quietly reminding us that civilizations rise and fall, but great art and architecture have a way of outliving us all.
Erice
About 25 miles from Segesta is Erice, one of Sicily’s best-preserved, romantic and historic medieval hilltop village; a member of the association “The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy.” It has fewer than 500 year-round residents.
It’s miraculously perched atop Monte Erice, 2,460 feet above sea level, with stunning panoramic views. It’s famous for its winding, cobblestone streets, Norman churches, ancient walls, castles, and sweeping Mediterranean views. We got a good workout climbing up and down its steep, narrow streets.
With more than 2,500 years of history, Erice was one of the Mediterranean’s most important religious centers, beginning with the aforementioned Elymians. It had been home to the famed Temple of Venus Erycina, which attracted Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans alike.
After centuries of worship, the ancient sanctuary was replaced in the 12th-century by the Castle of Venus, a fortress built by the Normans, blending the town’s pagan and medieval past into one remarkable landmark.
By the late 19th-century, Erice had become a summer retreat for wealthy Sicilian families – with its high elevation, it was a cool, breezy sanctuary, enabling them to escape the oppressive heat down below.
Today, however, it may be just as famous for its bakeries. Now we’re talking … traditional Sicilian pastries, especially almond sweets and Genovesi, prove that while the French may have cornered the pâtisserie market, the Italians offer some very serious competition. Erice’s bakeries feel like temples to the baking gods, displaying their creations like sacred treasures and making resistance nearly impossible.
During our visit, we settled onto a cool, outdoor patio surrounded by medieval walls and indulged in some of the town’s specialties. Marzipan bites flavored with orange, chocolate, pistachio, and almond were worthy of the gods themselves, while the warm Genovesi pastries, filled with creamy ricotta, were so delicious that ordering just one seemed impossible.
As we left, we did what any sensible travelers would do, we bought some pastries for the road!
VINO TIME!
Sadly, Sicilian wines do not get the recognition they deserve. Much of the hoopla comes out of Tuscany and Prosecco from NE Italy. But my favorite wine is native to this island, the robust, red wine, Nero d’Avola. Today we’d discover another grape contender at Tenute Orestiadi, a modern winery founded in 2008 in the town of Gibellina, western Sicily.
Gibellina was once a small farming town until the devastating 1968 Belìce earthquake destroyed much of it and surrounding villages. Rather than rebuild on the same site, the town was relocated several miles away as Gibellina Nuova, while the ruins of the original town were preserved as a memorial known as the sensational and monumental land art work known as “Cretto di Burri.”
Tenute Orestiadi is closely connected to the town’s rebirth, blending winemaking with the artistic and cultural heritage of western Sicily through its Fondazione Orestiadi. They produce high quality wines reflective of the unique Sicilian terroir, and offer a cultural and artistic venue for the arts (see the Museo delle Trame Mediterranee following this section).
The winery sources grapes from several regions across Sicily, including the Belìce Valley and the slopes of Mount Etna; showcasing the island’s remarkable diversity of its wines. They feature native Sicilian varieties such as: the Nero d’Avola, Perricone, Zibibbo, Nerello Mascalese, and a fantastic, new white grape discovery, Grillo; amongst many others.
I’m not much of a wine drinker, but years ago, on a trip to New York City, while dining at an Italian restaurant, I was introduced to Nero d’Avola as a suggested wine accompaniment. It was love at first swallow, and whenever it’s on a wine list, it’s a no brainer.
Our delightful winery host, Paola, started us off with the history of the winery, its wines, and its connection to the art foundation that we’d visit later that afternoon. The anticipation began building towards tasting the local grapes, and though it was still morning, it’s 5:00 somewhere! “Buongiorno!”
Well, today I met a Perfect Perricone for the first time. All I can say is this: if Nero d’Avola is my first love, Perricone is now my mistress. Yes, I have learned that you really can love two things at the same time.
Wine pour after wine pour, sip by sip, we became aficionados of Sicilian wines. By the end of the tasting, the decision had already been made – a case of wine was heading to the U.S.! Shipping there is far easier than to México, and I’ll simply smuggle, er rather carefully transport a few bottles back on each trip to Los Angeles. My best friend, Cyndi, who rarely drinks wine, is now housing a nicely diversified wine cellar!
Our local visit concluded at the Fondazione Orestiadi, established in 1992 as part of Gibellina’s cultural rebirth. The town became an open-air museum dreamed up by the visionary mayor, Ludovico Corrao to revitalize the area. Every street would have a piece of artwork; its museum would be its crown jewel. We had no idea what to expect, as it wasn’t clearly part of the agenda, but we were in for a real treat.
Museo delle Trame Mediterranee
The Museum of Mediterranean Textures … in a nutshell, it endeavors to blend together the traditions of Europe, Africa and Asia, and the Judeo-Christian-Islam cultures. It’s considered the “memory of the Mediterranean civilizations.” In Sicily, you’re always going to be exposed to “a blend of sorts!”
The museum is housed in beautifully restored farm buildings, with a surprisingly eclectic, far-ranging and rich art collection. It features a wide scope of contemporary paintings, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, etc. Many exhibits are large installations – you never know what you’ll find around the corner here!
The piece that captivated me most was “Montagna di Sale,” a massive sculptural art installation by Mimmo Paladino, created in 1990. It’s amonumental mountain of salt, pierced by 30 weathered, wooden horses emerging from its surface.
It was quite striking to see it against a vivid blue sky. A statement piece that’s at once haunting, mysterious, and unforgettable; making it my favorite work in the entire collection.
Gibellina is somewhat off the normal tourist grid, over 50 miles SW of Palermo. It just astounds me that there exists a place with such a highly cultural, small community of artist-centric people working together to build this creative oasis.
We were thrilled and lucked out to have seen such a treasure trove. Amazingly, other than small groups of visiting schoolchildren, we were virtually one of a handful of visitors, possible due to the time of year.
It’s possible to spend many hours here getting lost in the diverse exhibits.
As seen on the streets (and countryside) …
A few dishes we shared….
We are continuing our strong impression with the ongoing narrative that Sicily is providing in all its ancient wonders, and unending beauty wherever you turn.
Majestic, mosaic-filled cathedrals, solitary stone temples standing on windswept hilltops, and the rich flavors of olive oil and wine came together to create a beautiful melody of experiences that captured the incredible and exciting spirit of Sicily.
Yet, as we were about to discover, Sicily’s soul cannot truly be captured in words or photographs. It must be experienced, embraced, and deeply felt.
As seen on the street …
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