VILLAGES OF TREASURES ROOTS FEST
From Friday 24th to Sunday 26th May
Third and final weekend to discover traditions, routes, recipes, artisans
In the heart of the island, between Delia, Sutera, Calascibetta, Vallelunga Pratameno. And in the Agrigento area, Burgio, Caltabellotta, Cammarata, Montevago, Sambuca di Sicilia, Santo Stefano Quisquina, Siculiana
We’re going to Deliathe ancient heart of the island, to prepare the cuddrireddi, pick peaches and attend the re-enactment of the Sicilian Vespers; then to Santo Stefano di Quisquina where you can taste a very particular, super-awarded Pecorino, which is born with good air given that the company is 900 meters above sea level; to Burgio to enter the artistic foundry where majestic bells are born; to Calascibetta you visit the town and taste the typical food Wrinkled; to Centuripe you walk through the star-shaped village but above all you will discover the rural houses of Carcaci (with the agricultural exhibition Ruralia) and the mysterious rock paintings of Riparo Cassataro; to Vallelunga you sit among the desks of a Heart book classroom; to Sutera they will prepare with the women of the village, ‘imbriulate And Virciddratu; to Sicilian you arrive at Torre Salsa which is an uncontaminated Eden that follows the sea shore; to Sambuca you go to jewel churches and sacred collections, to the prison tower of Cammarata photos from the beginning of the last century are discovered; and finally returns Montevago with his journey of memory among the ruins of the earthquake.
Last weekend the rain couldn’t stop the fans of the Villages of Treasures Roots Festbut this third and final weekend (from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th May) promises to be even more dense with new itineraries, forgotten recipes, little-known artisans, scattered throughout the 46 small Sicilian municipalities which open museums, convents, artisans, places of memory: in theYear of Roots Tourismthe festival is linked to the project of Foreign Ministry through its territorial antennaItalySicily; is promoted by Le Vie dei Tesori Foundation in collaboration with all Common and withthe Regional School Office; and is supported by IGT and from Sicily Foundation.
The journey for passionate travelers starts from Delia where you will discover the places of the Jewish community accompanied by the archaeologist Paolo Busub, but above all you will be able to participate in Living in Castiddrazzua theatrical staging of some scenes from the Sicilian Vespers taken from “The beautiful Castellana” by Lillo Montebello, accompanied by the sound of drums and performances by jugglers, standard bearers and drummers of the Petiliano Folklore association. And they are also always linked to Vespers Cuddrireddri, the crown-shaped carnival dessert which, according to legend, was born as a tribute to the chatelaines who lived in the medieval fortress: Delia Alaimo will prepare them. It will also be possible to walk in the Donnalia Fruit and Fratelli Gallo fields, remembering that Delia’s peach is IGT. TO Burgio you cannot miss the wonderful opportunity (only this Sunday and only for one hour, from 10.30 to 11.30) to visit the Cacciabaudo artistic foundry where the enormous church bells are made, but also coats of arms, medallions and bronze portals. And you cannot leave the village without paying homage to the mummies of high-level Burgitans, preserved in the Capuchin crypt.
Moving to Santo Stefano di Quisquina on Saturday we will visit the village, focusing on its murals (the one by Andrea Buglisi is dedicated to Icarus in disguise) and on Sunday you will taste a very particular pecorino DOP during a picnic at high altitude, reaching the Ferranti company at 900 meters above sea level. Here we are in the Agrigento area: if a Cammarata you will go in search of treasures on the trail of the Norman ruler Lucia, passing by the prison tower which displays period costumes and reproductions, as well as shots from the early twentieth century; to Sambuca from Sicily you will get lost among courtyards, vineyards andpurrere” remembering that the painter of the humble, Gianbecchina, lived here, that Santa Caterina is a baroque triumph and the book collection of the Navarriana Library alone is worth a visit. Come back Montevago which will welcome you for a true journey down memory lane in search of the sounds and stories of the 1968 earthquake. A Caltabellotta you discover the finds of the ancient city of Triocala, in the archaeological museum where there is also a section dedicated to the works of the sculptor Salvatore Rizzuti: the Sicilian myths in plaster, terracotta, wood or bronze. Reaching the coast and arriving at Sicilianyou get lost in the streets of the village closely linked to the sea (don’t forget the sunset in the village of Siculiana Marina), you visit the Chiaramonte castle where the wedding between Donna Costanza and Brancaleone Doria took place which is also included in an itinerary – The wedding blessed – through the village.
TO Calascibetta on Sunday we follow a route that will touch the Norman watchtower from 1079, which today houses seven bells, each with an engraved name and casting date, the oldest being U Priu of San Pitru. You then go up to Poggio del Conte Ruggero, a glass and steel walkway that protrudes into the void for about 5 metres, an urban view just over 300 meters above sea level: from up here you can see half of Sicily; and in the end they will offer you it Wrinkled which, despite its name, is the delicious traditional Christmas dessert. A short distance from the star-shaped village, Centuripe, there is a “lunar” place: they are the Calanchi along the banks of the Cannizzola stream, which in the 1960s, precisely because of this barren conformation, were the set of many westerns and setting films, starting with The Bible, John Huston he filmed the scenes of the destruction of Sodom there; and Pier Paolo Pasolini also came for “The Gospel according to Matthew” and Giuseppe Ferrara for “The Stone in the Mouth”.
Going towards the Palermo area, there is Vallelunga Pratameno where this year returns (only on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 9.30 to 12) the faithful reconstruction of a late nineteenth-century classroom inside what were once the village’s primary schools. To reach the inviolable fortress above Sutera you will have to arm yourself with patience and good legs but in the end you will be rewarded by the view; and it is also nice to arrive at Pizzo San Marco to discover “Li figureddi”, mysterious frescoes that embellished what was once a Sican tomb. However, it is easier to walk in ancient Rabato between dammusi andghittene” in chalk where they will teach you (both Saturday and Sunday from 5pm to 8.30pm) that theMbriulata he could stay for days in the farmers’ saddlebags, while lu Virciddratu Christmas smelled like cinnamon.
The Streets of Treasures has made the efficiency of an already consolidated network and organizational experience available to the Borghi festivals: also Villages of Treasures Roots Fest it’s a review smart and digital, with a single valid coupon for visits to all the places that will open their doors. As in the Festival of the Cities, an 18 euro coupon will be valid for 10 visits, a 10 euro coupon for 4 visits; walks and experiences will have separate coupons and booking is strongly recommended, especially for tastings. The coupons will be available on the Vie dei Tesori platform and in the info point of each village.
