The Forest School Holiday Experience
A FAMILY HOLIDAY WITH A DIFFERENCE
Our Forest School Holiday Experience has been designed to offer families a taster week in an adventurous foreign setting within the Madonie National Park near Cefalu'/ Sant'Ambrogio in Sicily where children (from 4 - 12 years) will be amazed by the magnificent flora and fauna of a magical forest with a spectacular display of wild flowers, orchids and blossoming almond trees in early Spring. Autumn and Winter herald the extraordinary Strawberry Tree with its edible sweet fruits. Insect life is in abundance, especially colourful butterflies with even some rare examples. We may also spot the odd eagle or falcon and hear them as they nest in the nearby Serre rock formation during their nesting period. Boulders and rocks adorn the steep and gentle slopes making each turn of the forest path a surprise. To top it all, this breath taking setting has the Tyrrhenian Sea as a dramatic backdrop. Undoubtedly, all of this will leave you with a deep impression of how incredible the biodiversity is in Sicily.
Our Forest School Leader has been fully trained to OCN Practitioner Award level in the UK and has set up, with her British husband Harvey Koniak and Carmelina Ricciardello a walking guide and promoter of sustainable tourism, the first Forest School in Italy (Sicily) for local children. We are now pleased to offer this Forest School Holiday Experience for families with the hope that this will encourage parents and children to continue this idea also back home.
Whilst your children enjoy the Holiday Forest School experience, parents will have the opportunity, unless you prefer to stay with your children, to go on a hiking experience with an experienced English-speaking guide and explore dramatic hills and mountains in the surrounding area. Other activities for parents involve:
- Cooking lessons with a local lady to learn all about the traditional Sicilian cuisine.
- Meeting the local shepherd with a demonstration of the traditional way of cheese making and an opportunity to taste freshly made tuma cheese and ricotta.
- Horse riding in the Madonie National Park.
- Wine tasting - visit Mimmo's cellar in the village of Sant'Ambrogio where he will explain how he makes his organic wine, whilst enjoying sampling the various vintages (only evenings possible)
- Or just simply relax on your own at one of the beautiful beaches in the area.