Sicily’s unexplored interior

Rolling hills covered with wheat fields and dotted with wind turbines stretched into the distance as far as the eye could see. Occasionally, a stone village appeared among them, terraced along the hillside or sitting atop a ridge overlooking the ochre-and-gold landscape.

The scenery could have been out of Val d'Orcia – the Tuscan region of The Gladiator and The English Patient fame. Except it wasn't. I was in Sicily, in the far-less explored area of the Madonie, a mountain range on the northern side of the Italian island.

This inland region is, undeniably, not what you'd think of when you think of Sicily. The largest island in the Mediterranean usually conjures images of turquoise waters and lavish Baroque cities, sandy beaches and postcard-perfect coastal towns. With its rural, agrarian topography, the Madonie couldn't look more different from all that. But that's exactly why a group of people recently launched a new travel experience solely focused on it – named, aptly, The Heart of Sicily (THOS).

The project, born during the pandemic, aims to showcase this little-known part of the island through a series of immersive itineraries and activities that connect travellers both with the territory and the local inhabitants.

It also wants to help revive the fortunes and community ties of the Madonie's villages, which, like many borghi (small towns)across Italy and in the historically impoverished south, have long been afflicted by chronic depopulation.

At the project's head is Fabrizia Lanza, director of the Anna Tasca Lanza cooking school, a Madonie-based culinary hub that's been teaching international students about Sicilian food and farming practices since 1989 (it was established by Lanza's mother, Anna).

"When we went into lockdown and I had to suspend my classes, I began thinking about how to give back to this land that has given me so much," she said, when I visited her at the school on Regaleali, a 200-year-old working farm and country estate.

"For the past 20 years, I have been working with truly incredible small producers, artisans and farmers – people who know and fiercely love the Madonie, yet hardly have the opportunity to share their skills and stories," she said. Together with a few of them, she floated the idea of developing a series of travel experiences to shed light on their home.

"This is a place of treasures – cultural, historical, natural, agricultural," Lanza said. "By gathering them under one platform, the hope is that this whole area can become a destination in its own right. It has all the attributes to do so."

To date, THOS counts six hosts – including Lanza – each of whom has created different itineraries centred around their expertise, from food production and agriculture to craftsmanship, environmental walks and archaeological excursions. For many of the experiences, THOS partners with farmers, shepherds and artisans to offer anything from stays to meals and to spotlight the area's communities.

You might learn how to make ricotta with shepherd Filippo Privitera, who milks his 300 sheep by hand every morning; collect wild herbs with Porto di Terra, an eco-driven association that organises treks around this highland area; or visit the studio and furnace of ceramist Giovanni D'Angelo, who has been crafting tiles for more than three decades. There are also opportunities to partake in seasonal olive oil production at an organic farm, learn about wheat collection and have a go at composting.

The end goal is for travellers to truly get under the skin of this remarkable region.

"All the activities we have put together are designed to promote the local community and its right to be the protagonist of THOS," explained Roberta Billitteri, a host who took me on one her itineraries. "Anyone who's part of this project already has a job or their own venture – myself included. What we are doing is opening our doors and making this land more accessible by linking up with one another and, in turn, visitors."

BBC