Catania countryside feels a lot quieter. One guided visit turns EVO oil, blood oranges, and almonds into a real, hands-on story.

I love that the farm is family-run and still working—so you’re not just looking at plants behind a fence. I also really like the tasting at the end, where the food feels connected to what you just saw.

One thing to consider: this is a farm tour a few kilometers from central Catania and the airport, and transport isn’t included, so you’ll want a ride plan.

What makes this farm tour worth your time

• Hand-dug Pozzo di Gaspare well: 20 meters deep with lava-stone galleries from the late 1700s.
• Seasonal flower walks: see citrus Zagara (orange blossom), olive blossoms, and almond blooms in March–May.
• Etna-area products, grown here: extra virgin olive oil, blood oranges, and almonds from the Catania plain.
• A real guide experience: tours are led in English by the owner, Giuseppe Mazzone.
• Tasting that tastes like Sicily: farm EVO oil plus local cheeses and cured meats in a relaxed end-stop.

Walking into Motta Sant’Anastasia’s countryside (and why the setting matters)

Pozzo di Gaspare sits on the Catania plain, in the territory of Motta S. Anastasia—a place shaped by volcanic stone and old farming rhythms. The farm covers 42 hectares, and it’s been family-run for over 80 years. That matters because you can feel it in how the tour is explained: this isn’t a performance. It’s what they do.

You start at the farm entrance gate and begin with a guided walk through the working land. Comfortable shoes help because you’re moving outdoors across uneven farm ground. A hat and sunscreen are smart too, since Sicily sun doesn’t negotiate.

The quickest way to understand the experience is this: you’re pairing agriculture (orchards, flowers, harvesting) with taste (oil and local foods). Do it right and it clicks. You’ll taste with your eyes still seeing the trees you walked under.

The heart of the farm: the ancient Pozzo di Gaspare well

One of the most memorable stops is the property’s name-giver: the ancient well, still functioning. This well was dug by hand at the end of the 18th century to supply water for an 18th-century farmhouse nearby.

Your guide talks you through the details—especially how deep it is (about 20 meters) and how the interior is shaped with lava-stone galleries. It’s not just an old structure. It’s proof of how farmers managed water long before modern systems.

Why I think this matters for you: olive trees and citrus aren’t casual plants. They’re sensitive to water timing, soil care, and seasonal cycles. When you understand where water comes from, the rest of the tour becomes more than trivia. You start seeing decisions.

Also, the physical setting helps. You’re standing in a working landscape that still carries volcanic clues all around you. If you like “how it actually works” travel, this part hits.

Orchards in focus: Zagara orange blossoms, olive blossoms, and almonds

The farm tour is built around nature’s calendar. In March to May, you get the best chance to see flowering that looks almost too bright to be real.

You’ll learn about the Zagara, Sicily’s orange blossom—white, fragrant, and tied to the blood orange season. You may also see olive tree blossoms and the almond flowers, which bloom in a crisp white that makes the countryside feel extra clean.

Even if you’re visiting outside peak bloom, the guide’s explanation still connects seasons to what you’ll eat later. You’ll hear how flowering turns into fruit, how timing matters, and how the farm manages the rhythm of trees over the year.

Practical note: spring flowers are a highlight, but they also mean more walking and more time spent outdoors. Bring your camera. The trees and the light on volcanic land look great from multiple angles.

How harvesting fits into EVO oil, blood oranges, and almonds

The tour doesn’t stay stuck in the pretty part. It moves into the process behind the products.

You’ll see how the farm grows three main crops: extra virgin olive oil from their olive groves, blood oranges, and almonds. Your guide explains the chain from tree to product—starting with blossoms and moving toward harvesting.

This is where you learn the difference between “having food” and “making it.” For example, an olive grove isn’t just trees and sun. It’s decisions about timing, plant health, and how water is managed across the season.

For blood oranges, the tour language tends to be about process and environment—why these citrus trees are cultivated here and how the farm’s methods protect quality. For almonds, the focus is on the cycle that starts with bloom and ends with harvest.

I like this part because it gives you something to bring home: you can read Sicilian food labels later and actually know what you’re looking at.

The tasting stop: farm EVO oil plus cheeses and cured meats

The end of the tour is the payoff—an EVO oil tasting plus local foods. This is where the farm’s work becomes a plate.

You’ll taste farm-produced EVO oil made from their olives. The guide may serve oil with fresh bread—simple, but it makes the quality obvious fast. Several visitors highlight bread dipped in rich olive oil with a little seasoning like oregano and salt, which is exactly the kind of no-fuss test that works.

The tasting experience also includes local cheeses and cured meats. Many people mention a proper spread: olives, fresh bread or ciabatta, and a blood orange salad often referred to as insalata arancia siciliana. You get that sweet-tang contrast that makes blood oranges feel different from regular oranges.

A couple of extra flavor details you might encounter in the tasting:

• Smoked cheese paired with bitter orange marmalade
• Blood orange salad as a standout, tied back to the earlier blossom talk

Why this is valuable for your trip: you’re not eating randomly at the end. You’re tasting in context. If you walked under olive blossoms or saw almond bloom, the flavor feels like part of a continuous story rather than a snack stop.

Meet Giuseppe Mazzone: owner-led explanations that feel practical

This tour is led in English by a live guide. In the real-world experience, that guide is often Giuseppe Mazzone, the owner who knows the farm’s methods from both the technical and family-history sides.

What I like about an owner-led tour is the tone. Giuseppe-style guiding (from what you can expect here) tends to be honest about the challenges too—stuff like maintaining quality, handling water needs, and planning for the future.

In particular, the farm’s story includes sustainability and water-saving ideas. One visitor mentions Giuseppe showing historic irrigation systems alongside newer methods aimed at minimizing water loss, plus plans for solar power. Even if your priorities are mainly food, this background makes the tasting feel less like a treat and more like a product from a living system.

It also helps that the pacing gives time for questions. People consistently mention the guide taking time to explain and talk, not just rush through checkpoints.

What about the views and the mood?

You’re not in a city here. You’re in open countryside with farmland views and a sense of space. Some visitors even point out sightlines toward Mount Etna from the walking areas.

That makes a difference, especially if your Sicily days are full of crowded streets in Catania or quick jumps between sights. This is a reset. Two hours out here can feel longer in a good way because you’re switching from “tour mode” to “farm mode.”

If you’re traveling as a couple or with family, it’s also the kind of activity where different ages can enjoy it: you can focus on plants and process, while everyone still ends with food.

Price and value: what $41 buys you in the real world

At $41 per person for about 2 hours, this isn’t a barebones walk-and-leave. You’re paying for a guided farm visit plus tastings: EVO oil and local cheeses and cured meats.

In value terms, it’s easiest to think of it like this:

• You’re not just getting access to the farm land.
• You’re getting interpretation—how the crops work here and why the farm has a certain approach.
• You’re also getting a tasting that functions like a final exam. You’ll know what the products taste like after you’ve seen how they’re produced.

Another small value perk: because it’s a working farm, you often have a chance to buy their olive oil afterward in practical formats (some people mention purchasing in liter containers). That turns the tour into a take-home souvenir that you can actually use.

Best time to go: March–May makes the tour feel magical

If you can choose dates, aim for March to May. This is when the farm’s flowering period helps you see the farm the way the guide intends.

You get the orange blossoms (Zagara), olive blossoms, and almond flowers. Even if you aren’t a plant person, flowering makes the tour feel vivid. You’ll get that “this is why Sicilians talk about seasons” feeling.

If you go outside that window, you’ll still learn the production process, but you’ll miss the biggest visual spectacle. It might still be worth it—especially for the EVO oil and tasting—but you’ll want to mentally shift expectations from flowers to cultivation and food.

What to bring (and what to skip)

Pack like it’s an outdoor walk that ends with eating.

Bring:

• Comfortable shoes for farm paths
• Hat and sunscreen for sun exposure
• Camera for blossoms, orchards, and the well
• A water plan, since it’s a rural setting and you’ll be outside

Skip:

• Fancy outfits. You’ll enjoy it more if you’re comfortable moving around.
• Anything that makes you hate walking. This is not a sit-down classroom.

Who this tour fits best

This is ideal if you want:

• A food-and-farm experience in Sicily that’s not just a meal
• A chance to connect EVO oil, blood oranges, and almonds to real agriculture
• An English-language tour with an owner who explains the farm’s choices

It also works well for:

• Families (short enough to keep attention, interactive enough to keep interest)
• Food lovers who enjoy learning what goes into their olive oil
• Travelers who like quiet countryside breaks from city schedules

If you avoid dairy or cured meats, the included tasting includes cheeses and cured meats. You may still enjoy the EVO oil and some parts of the spread, but you should go in knowing it’s not a strictly vegetarian setup.

Should you book Pozzo di Gaspare?

I’d book it if you want a farm experience that connects orchards to taste. The combo is strong: the 18th-century well, seasonal flowering, an owner-led explanation, and a tasting that feels like an earned finish.

I’d think twice only if you don’t have an easy way to get out to the farm. Transportation isn’t included, and the site is a few kilometers from central Catania and the airport. If you’ve got a ride, you’ll feel more relaxed and enjoy the walk.

FAQ

FAQ

How long is the Pozzo di Gaspare farm guided tour?

The tour lasts 2 hours.

Where is the tour meeting point?

Meet at the entrance gate to the farm.

What does the tour cost?

It costs $41 per person.

Is transportation to the farm included?

No. Transportation to and from the farm is not included.

What’s included in the tastings?

You get a tasting of the farm’s EVO oil plus local cheeses and cured meats. The tour also includes observation of the blossoming and viewing of the ancient well and farmhouse.

Is the guide available in English?

Yes. The tour includes a live guide in English.

When is the best time to visit for flowers?

The best time is between March and May to see blossoms such as Zagara (orange blossoms), olive flowers, and almond flowers.

What should I bring for the farm visit?

Bring comfortable shoes, a hat, a camera, and sunscreen.

Is free cancellation available?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.