For the 26th time, Le Grand Cru made its annual venture into a major wine-producing region. This time to Sicily. The official itinerary was from September 30 to October 9, 2022. Jane and I went a day early to make sure the jet lag cobwebs were cleared.

Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, is one of 20 regions in Italy and one of five autonomous regions. Sicily has a population of about 5 million. It is separated from Italy on its northeast corner by the Strait of Messina by a distance of a mere 1.6 miles. It is separated from Africa on its southwest corner by about 250 miles. Because of its location, whoever controlled Sicily could control trade in the Mediterranean. Consequently, Sicily was conquered and occupied many times over the centuries. Invaders included Romans, Greeks, Normans, Byzantines and Phoenicians to name a few. Many Sicilians consider themselves Sicilian first and Italian second. The island is very agricultural. The island produces grapes, olives, citrus, wheat and a wide selection of vegetables in addition to seafood, including sardines and swordfish.

Our itinerary started in the northwest corner of the island in Palermo, the capital of Sicily. From there we moved to Agrigento in the southwest corner. We next traveled Siracusa on the east coast. We finished up in Taormina on the Strait of Messina with a view of Mt Etna, the tallest (11,000+ ft) active volcano in Europe.