Location: Eastern Sicily, arrival and departure from the Catania APT.
Tour Type: Technical tour for industry professionals, with bus transportation and customizable itinerary.
Activities: Private services, high-level technical visits, meetings with professionals and industry experts, short cultural and scenic visits, tastings of typical products.
Pace: Fast-paced, not suitable for people with disabilities or mobility issues.
Best Season: All year round, but to be avoided during the hottest months of July and August.
Pistachios have been a staple in Italian cuisine for some time now and in recent years they have become increasingly popular, becoming a symbol of Italian culture. Contributing to this success is the fact that the cultivation of pistachios in Italy is widespread in various regions, with some specific cases that can be considered true excellence, such as the pistachio of Bronte, of course.
The reason for the success of this cultivation in Italy can be found in the favorable climatic conditions: the cultivation of Pistacia Vera is typical of the Middle Eastern regions, where it has been grown since prehistoric times. In the southern regions of Italy, the pistachio has found affinity in the climatic and environmental conditions, especially in regions such as Sicily, allowing for a widespread cultivation of this nut.
In 2018, Italy, with its 3,864 tons of pistachios, was the 8th largest producer of pistachios in the world. Pistachios are cultivated in almost all of the southern regions of Italy, with Sicily at the forefront. It is in Bronte, Sicily where the eponymous variant of pistachio is produced, considered one of the best in the world.
The indisputable qualities of this pistachio have earned it the nickname of “green gold“ and its presence in numerous Michelin-starred kitchens, along with a price that can reach almost €100 per kilogram.
The Pistachio of Bronte has a Protected Designation of Origin, so to be sure of tasting the real Bronte pistachio, look for the label “Pistacchio Verde di Bronte DOP”.
During this technical tour, we will visit production and processing companies to give you a complete overview of the production chain of this product.
Arrival at Catania airport in the late morning, where you will be greeted by our guide who will be at your disposal for the entire duration of the tour. Transfer to the hotel in Catania.
Orientative tour of the city of Catania with its main monuments.
Welcome dinner and overnight stay in Catania.
Dedicated day for technical visits in the Bronte area, a production area at the foot of Mount Etna, recognized as DOP Pistacchio Verde di Bronte. The area of the DOP Pistacchio Verde di Bronte covers over 3000 hectares on a territory of volcanic origin that extends from the bed of the Simeto river to the slopes of Mount Etna.
Visit to a company leader in processing and marketing of pistachios. They use organic raw materials (EU / NON-EU), conventional and DOP of different origins, including: Verde di Bronte DOP, Sicily, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Iran and California.
We will visit the 3 factories of the company, located in the territory of Bronte, each of them dedicated to a specific phase of processing the product.
Lunch in a typical farmhouse.
In the afternoon, we will visit a cooperative made up of over 30 farms, all located in the DOP area of Bronte. The cooperative’s farms, with over 300 hectares of pistachio orchards, whose quality and typicality are guaranteed by the DOP brand, represent about 15% of the production of Bronte pistachios. The cooperative has always aimed to improve, enhance, and valorize pistachio production, with particular reference to the economic aspects of the involved farms, while respecting the qualitative and environmental aspects of production.
Return to the hotel in Catania for dinner and overnight stay.
In the morning, nature excursion with expert guide to Mount Etna: arrival by bus up to an altitude of 1,923 meters. From here, a modern cable car takes you to an altitude of about 2,500 meters in just a few minutes.
Free time for lunch at the refuge on top of Mount Etna, with a panoramic view.
In the afternoon, guided tour of Taormina with its magnificent Greek theater.
Return to the hotel in Catania for dinner and overnight stay.
In the morning, visit to one of the most important production and sales companies of fertilizers and chemical fertilizers in the province of Catania. The main activity of the company is the production of fertilizers and it also deals with supplies for agriculture and gardening (pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, seeds, etc.).
Lunch in a typical restaurant.
In the afternoon, visit to a nursery in the province of Catania, a family-run agricultural company, which with its 30 years of professional experience in the sector guarantees products that stand out for taste and quality. In addition to the production of pistachios, the company also produces pistachio cream, pistachio pesto, and semi-finished products for pastry-making obtained from pistachios grown in their own farm.
Return to the hotel in Catania for dinner and overnight stay.
In the morning after breakfast, we will head to a farm not far from Catania where we will visit an orange grove and fruit orchard, where they produce the famous Sicilian Red Oranges, lemons, mandarins and other fruits.
At the end of the visit, you will be delighted with a buffet of local products accompanied by excellent extra virgin olive oil and wines, always produced by the farm.
Transfer to Catania airport and return flight. End of our services.
ACQUAFORTE TRAVEL DESIGNER DI ALICE S.R.L. | PIVA 03814960278 – N° REA VE340833 | CAP SOC IV € 50.000