Almond blossom in Sicily

If you are in Sicily between early February and late March, you can experience a special natural spectacle: The almond blossom. Against the pale blue spring sky, a sea of blossoms billows in delicate shades of pink. Especially on the south coast of the island, in the area around Agrigento, there are huge almond tree plantations.

Mandorla means almond in Italian.

To Sicily for the almond blossom: travel tip in late winter

Nearby is the Valle dei Templi: the Valley of the Temples is a mythical place with ancient ruins from a bygone era, when the ancient Greeks maintained a colony here. If you take a walk in the warm temperatures between the temples and the countless almond trees, you can smell the almond blossom. Between the 1st and 2nd Sunday in February, the Sagra del Mandorlo almond blossom festival takes place here every year, a cultural highlight.

Almonds are typical of Sicilian cuisine

Dessert classics: Cantuccini and Crema alle Mandorle

The almond tree has been cultivated for 4000 years. There are hundreds of varieties worldwide, with over 30 different almonds in Sicily alone. The most famous comes from the town of Avola, which is also known for the famous red wine Nero d’Avola. The almond called Avola is processed into delicious sweets in the island’s pastry shops. They are found in cakes, cookies and pastries, such as the small macaroons called amaretti alla mandorla, they flavor liqueur wine, such as Marsala, or they become part of aromatic and spicy spreads, for example in combination with olives.