Begin your journey in the comfort of a private minivan that climbs the slopes of Mount Erice, revealing a breathtaking panorama that opens out over the sea of western Sicily.

Make your first stop at the famous Pasticceria di Maria Grammatico. As soon as you cross the threshold, be enveloped by the age-old aroma of toasted almonds and citrus fruits. Taste the Genovese, Erice's signature dessert, with its fragrant shortcrust pastry enclosing a velvety custard, served strictly hot.

Discover the history of the “cloistered nuns,” custodians of recipes that Mary preserved and transformed into a global gastronomic heritage. After this sweet interlude, the village opens up to you. Erice isn't visited, but rather “breathed” by losing yourself in its intricate network of cobblestone streets (the characteristic busichi).

Stop in the small workshops where time seems to have stood still. Admire the patience of the weavers who create Erice's geometric and colourful carpets, born from the expert recycling of fabrics, and observe the reflections of the local ceramics, whose decorations capture the blue of the sea and the yellow of the Sicilian sun.

Continue towards the stone giants that dominate the summit. Visit the Real Duomo (Mother Church), a spiritual fortress in Chiaramonte Gothic style. Be enchanted by the white stone “lace” ceiling, an architectural masterpiece of rare beauty.

Next, head to the Castle of Venus, perched on an isolated cliff, it stands where sailors once honoured the goddess of beauty and love. From here, the view sweeps uninterrupted from the Gulf of Castellammare to the Egadi Islands, and on clear days, you can even glimpse the outline of the Tunisian coast.

Conclude your stroll in the Balio Gardens, an oasis of yesteryear. Among medieval towers and manicured hedges, enjoy the silence broken only by the wind, surrounded by a panorama that resembles a 360-degree painting of Sicily.