Nebrodi Medieval Day: Castle, Convent & Sicilian Lunch

Franciscan friars still live in the convent you visit.

A private tour through Sicily's Nebrodi mountains visits a medieval castle, an active Capuchin convent where friars produce their own oils and honey, and two small mountain towns, with a traditional Sicilian lunch and wine included. The pace is slow and the focus is on history, spirituality and landscape, views over Mt. Etna, the valley and surrounding peaks frame the day.

The experience

The Nebrodi Medieval Day is built around silence and the Franciscan principle of Pax et Bonum: peace and all good. You travel by private air-conditioned vehicle through mountain scenery off the main routes, stopping at sites most visitors to Sicily never reach. The castle of Lauria and the Convent of Capuchins anchor the day. The convent still houses working friars and holds a museum of old Sicilian culture alongside a shop where the friars sell their own ointments, oils, honey, marmalade and soaps.

A light lunch of traditional Sicilian specialties arrives with paired wine, eaten in the calm of the mountains. Bottled water is provided throughout. The whole experience runs about seven hours, paced to let the landscape and the history settle rather than to rush through a checklist. Pickup can be arranged from your accommodation, and the tour operates in English or Italian with a live guide.

You can book the full tour with both castle and convent, or choose the castle and lunch only, or the convent and lunch only. Each option keeps the same unhurried rhythm and the same private transport. The route itself is the point: great views over Mt. Etna, the Alcantara Valley and the surrounding mountains, all of it woven into a day that feels more like a retreat than a sightseeing run.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• a light lunch of traditional Sicilian specialties.
• paired wine with lunch.
• a live guide in English or Italian.
• pickup from your accommodation.

Options for this experience

3 options

Lunch together with a visit to the castleGuide in English or Italian · 09:30Lunch and water are included. Pickup is included. Castiglione.

Only convent and lunchGuide in English or Italian · 09:30Convent, museum and shop. Duration: 5 hours. Lunch and pickup are included.

Full TourGuide in English or Italian · 09:30Castle, convent, museum and shop. Lunch and pickup are included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Under 18: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Travelosophy

Is this one for you?Choose the full tour if you want both the castle and the convent; pick castle and lunch only if you prefer to focus on the medieval fortress and skip the religious site; select convent and lunch only if the active monastery and its museum interest you more. All three options follow the same seven-hour private route and include the same meal and transport.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is inside the Convent of Capuchins that I'll actually see?

The Convent of Capuchins holds a museum of old Sicilian culture and a shop where the friars who live there sell their own handmade goods: ointments, oils, honey, marmalade and soaps. The friars still occupy the convent, so you're visiting an active religious community, not a ruin.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

The Medieval Day is suitable for all physical fitness levels and follows a calm pace. The exact amount of walking depends on which option you choose and how long you spend at each stop, but the tour is designed for relaxation and taking in the landscape rather than strenuous hiking.

What does the traditional Sicilian lunch include?

Lunch is a light plate of traditional Sicilian specialties served with paired wine. The meal is included in all three booking options and is eaten during the tour.

Can I arrange pickup from my hotel?

Yes, pickup is included and can be arranged from your accommodation. Let the operator know where you're staying when you book.

Will I see Mt. Etna on this tour?

Mt. Etna is visible from the mountain towns and stops throughout the day, framed by the Nebrodi landscape. The tour is designed to take in these views as part of the experience, though the volcano itself is not a destination stop.