The Sican Network: partners
With Traina Company
experiential tourism
travels on horseback
Peasant hospitality and tours for all
ranging from three hours to a week.
Wander through nature and genuine flavors.
On horseback in the heart of the Sicani, to discover in contact with a prodigious nature, the most hidden corners, the most ancient traditions and the most genuine flavors.
This is the goal of the Traina Farm at an altitude of about six hundred meters in the Sosio Valley. We are in the territory of Prizzi, halfway between the latter and Palazzo Adriano.
The origins of the farm, which is part of the Sicani Rural Quality District, date back to the late 19th century and, like others in the Sicilian hinterland, the main activity has always been horse, cattle and sheep breeding and the production of grain, oil, vegetables and cheese.
Today, with his father Ruggero Traina, a retired lawyer, his son Gianfranco, a great horse lover and riding instructor, is in charge of the business.
“We started organizing horseback trekking experiences in 2005,” says Gianfranco Traina, “with the aim of promoting the enhancement of the area through experiential tourism, in which networking with other realities of the Sicani is fundamental. Because from the farm we like to go out, to let our guests know not only the natural beauty, but also the typical food and wine products and traditions of the different villages.”
An experience greatly enjoyed by Germans, Swiss, and Americans-these are the nationalities of most of the guests who range in age from twenty-eight, thirty, to sixty, to eighty for the most enterprising Americans.
“This year the first Belgians have also arrived,” says Gianfranco Traina. “Thanks to the meeting with Pietro Vaiana, who was born in Belgium but is originally from Palazzo Adriano, we have activated a collaboration with Tamadì, which specializes in solidarity tourism; Vaiana, a great lover of our territory, is in fact part of the board of directors of the French association.
Riding on “Franches Montagnes” of Swiss origin, crossed with the Arab breed to make them more suitable for riding, the journey into the heart of the Sicans can last a day, but also a week. Several packages are offered (all information at www.sikanihorsetrek.com) as part of an equestrian tourism that places great importance on meeting the community, the human heritage of the Sicans.
“We ride, walk and eat together,” says Traina, “promoting a peasant hospitality that facilitates dialogue with each other. And that is why, to best stimulate group spirit, we never organize for more than 10 guests at a time.”
At Traina Farm in Prizzi, in addition to the “Franches Montagnes,” there are also Irish “Connemara” ponies, perfect for the little ones.
In short, from a three-hour excursion to a week-long trip, there is something for everyone. And for those who stop to sleep, hospitality is guaranteed in an old railroad farmhouse, where about 10 beds have been made.
Text by Angela Mannino
