Sicily: Seasoned by Time

By Emily Bernard, VP Head of Brands, Overseas Adventure Travel

“Allora,” came the cry from our Trip Experience Leader. “It is time to harvest the salt!” My co-worker and I glanced at each other, grins spreading quickly under our wide-brimmed hats. Ahead, the salt pans of Sicily’s famed Marsala region formed a perfect sun-drenched checkerboard. We stepped in, one boot at a time, moving gently around islands of fragile fleur de sel crust. Tentatively at first, and then with gusto, we scooped piles of salt into woven baskets for transfer back to the mill. “Great work!” called a figure from shore—the seventh-generation owner of the mill, come to say hello and keep watch over a harvest as old as time.

Sampling family-made panettone—a traditional Italian sweet bread.

The past was endlessly present on our aptly-named O.A.T. adventure, Sicily’s Ancient Landscapes & Timeless Traditions. We stood in awe before Greek temples and bronze statues built between 500 and 300 B.C. We ran trembling fingers over 12th-century mosaics and ogled eighth-century Phoenician pottery shards. 

But because of O.A.T.’s deep local connections, we were also able to discover what few travelers do: the communities dedicated to preserving local tradition.  

We met a family that has been making award-winning panettone for three generations—and found a way to adapt to the present (think global distribution and a Dolce & Gabbana partnership!) without sacrificing their traditional recipes. We spent an afternoon with one of the last remaining wooden puppeteers in Italy, who learned the craft at his grandfather’s knee. We chatted with waste workers who still rely on donkeys to carry garbage through narrow medieval streets (a lucky encounter dependent on the day and the weather), and we sat practicing needle work with a seamstress who specializes in rare Sicilian lacework. All of them endless links in a rich chain of Sicilian heritage; all of them eager to carry their traditions forward through time.  

Admiring traditional Sicilian lacework.

Time was a concept I kept coming back to during the journey. The hours seemed to unfold differently under the Mediterranean sun. In the hilltop town of Castelbuono, along the seaside promenade of Mazara del Vallo, and even among the busy neighborhoods of Palermo, our Trip Leader would often pause to chat with groups of locals. Whether mid-work or basking in the Italian tradition of dolce far niente—the sweet art of enjoying the present moment—I was delighted by how much time Sicilians were willing to spend with our O.A.T. group.  

They paused to patiently answer our questions, embracing our curiosity with smiles and the expansive hand gestures for which southern Italians are so well known. As someone whose day is often dictated by her calendar, and rushes too quickly from one thing to the next, I was moved by their commitment to simply being present in the moment.  

Experiencing la dolce vita—and Antonio’s olive oil—at a Home-Hosted Lunch.

I found myself reflecting again on presence and patience during our Home-Hosted Lunch, on the quiet patio of a lovely couple from Mazara del Vallo. Our small group was settling in for a languid afternoon when our host Antonio bustled beamingly out of the kitchen, three small plates in hand. “My olive oil! From our garden! You must try it,” he practically shouted.  

I could see his olive trees from where I was seated, and I listened intently as Antonio explained the painstaking process. A handpicked harvest, a drive to the local olive cooperative, the pressing, the bottling, the waiting—all for the little pool of liquid green gold that sat before me. It tasted of patience and sunshine and briny Sicilian seashore, and was worth every minute he had lovingly devoted. To me, it was Sicily embodied—a celebration of hospitality, quality, and ancient tradition. 

I brought home a satchel of the salt we harvested—not just to season my food (and how delicious it is!) but also as a talisman of my brief moment in the long and varied story that is Sicily. A reminder to be present, a reminder against rushing, and a reminder that tradition—like Antonio’s oil—is a treasure to be savored. 

Experience the uniquely Sicilian passage of time—and reverence for the past—on Sicily’s Ancient Landscapes & Timeless Traditions.