Manna experience

Have you ever heard about manna? If you have read the Bible, you might remember that manna is what fed the Hebrew people during the Exodus. But in Sicily, manna doesn’t come from the sky: it comes from ash trees. Embark on this Manna Experience and learn about this unique – and endangered – local tradition.

Have a piece of this curious crumbly creamy-yellow thing. Its taste is unlike any other. Manna is the dried sap of some species of ash trees that grow in the Mediterranean. Manna production dates back many centuries and it is still harvested every summer in the groves near Castelbuono. This tradition has now disappeared in the rest of South Italy. It survives here thanks to the efforts of a few passionate people.

You will meet Mario, one of the last manna producers, in an ash tree grove. He will tell you about his strong connection to local nature, show you the steps of the extraction process and explain what the manna is used for. Manna has many medicinal properties and it is used in cosmetics and pastry.