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Nothing says ‘Sicilian holiday’ like filling up on the island’s most exquisite food and drink. With its position at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, you can experience the delicious influences of the island’s Ancient Greek, Arabic and Spanish history. Parts of Sicily are on the same latitude as the coast of North Africa, meaning the island experiences beautiful warm weather nearly all year round, and its produce reflects this. The sunshine, volcanic soil and crystal clear waters mean that only the best makes its way to Sicilian tables, and you can tell! Fresh and Fruity Sicily’s fish and seafood produce is unrivalled in the Mediterranean, with many locals preferring the tuna, prawns and swordfish, to name just a few, to meat. However, the agnello (lamb) dish and pork sourced from the Madonie mountains leave mouths watering – it’s a hard choice to make! A Sicilian holiday is the perfect excuse to sample the island’s rich fruit and vegetable produce. Sicily grows the majority of Europe’s blood oranges, and the tomatoes, aubergines, chickpeas, pine nuts and raisins which form the backbone of some of the island’s most beloved dishes. The Arabic influence on the island’s gastronomy is unmistakable: the abundance of citrus fruits, saffron, raisins and chickpeas is hard to avoid. One of the most well-known Sicilian dishes is the ‘pasta con le sarde’, a meal consisting of pasta, sardines, wild fennel, saffron, raisins and pine nuts. It’s also rumoured that the Arabs invented ice cream, so it would be rude not to try it… Shop for Yourself Palermo is home to one of Italy’s best markets, bursting at the seams with delicious local street food. Take your Sicilian holiday back home to friends with an assortment of the island’s tastiest cheeses straight from the Madonie mountains and wow with authentic Italian flavours at dinner parties. Wonderful Wines Traditionally, Sicily has not been known for the quality of its wine produce, but this is quickly changing. Revolutionary new methods are being used to blend Sicilian white and red grapes with a variety of chardonnays, sauvignon blancs, merlots and pinot noirs to create rich flavours and mouth feels. Dessert wines are among some of the island’s greatest successes, with those coming from the volcanic Pantelleria and Aeolian islands particularly standing out. Travel Guide With warm temperatures from February and lasting well into November, Sicily is the perfect holiday destination nearly all year round. You can stay in local farm houses and taste the produce fresh from the farms, or you can stay somewhere a bit more luxurious and partake in the expert culinary classes they provide. Catania airport is one of the largest on the island and is served by low-cost airlines making your Sicilian holiday easily accessible. British Airways and easyJet both fly direct from major London airports and the year-long warm weather means you can avoid the summer crowds (and flight prices!) and enjoy a Sicilian Spring or Autumn. Shuttle Direct provides transfer services from the airport straight to your holiday destination door, meaning you can save on high taxi fares and dodge the slow coaches. For an idea of prices, check out our website. Author Plate Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re planning a relaxing Sicilian holiday, Lukas and his colleagues can make sure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.
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