We had an amazing day with Manuel! He picked us up close to our hotel and we headed off for Mount Etna! Along the way we stopped at a honey farm where we were able to taste different flavors of honey. Also, We were given an education about the bees! A quick note: this was the most economical place to purchase the honey. We continued our journey, stopping along the way in a quaint town, where we visited that beautiful cathedral. Then we headed to Mount Etna! The views were breathtaking! Manual took pictures of our group at all of our stops, he was very very kind. We stopped at a restaurant on the mountain and we enjoyed chocolate tastings and some of creamier alcoholic drinks that are sold all over Sicily. Both were delicious. It was nice to be able to sample the products. We then went off the beaten path to enjoy a stunning area in a private serene place. He taught us all about the chestnut trees, the volcano, and the history of the area.
We ended our tour at the famous Gambino winery. I can’t say enough good about this place. It was beautiful and the wines were outstanding. We had a pairing with many different foods and many different wines! You will not leave hungry! Each table was appointed, an educator about the wines and the food -which were all local to the area. The 2015 Etna wines were our favorite!
He delivered us back to our hotel! Safely (you will know what that means when you get here-lol). Manuel made this a very special day for our vacation here in Sicily with our friends.