We tell you the story of one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, of an artist and her desire to reinvent herself by using products found in nature.
We are in Sicily, in the Hyblaean Mountains, and the village in question is Buccheri, located in the province of Syracuse.

Known as the highest municipality in the province of Syracuse, it rises on the slopes of Mount Lauro and Mount Tereo; it preserves archaeological evidence that tells of the passage of the Siculians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and the remains of the Norman castle, the most extraordinary fortress in the Val di Noto. Furthermore, thanks to its geographical position, Buccheri in the past was famous for its snow pits and the snow trade, traces of which are still visible on Mount Lauro.

The village, evocative for its wonderful landscapes stretching from the Gulf of Catania to the mountains of Enna and Caltanissetta, thanks to its excellent food and wine products, has in recent years earned the title of “Best Culinary Destination in the World” and, thanks to the production of high-quality extra virgin olive oil made from the prized “Tonda Iblea” olive variety (one of Sicily’s most renowned oils), also received in 2015 the title of “World Capital of Extra Virgin Olive Oil”. This contributed to its inclusion in the national association “Città dell’Olio”.

The Authentic Flavors of the Hyblaean Mountains

Among the typical dishes of the local cuisine are maccaruneddi (homemade pasta with pork or wild boar sauce and ricotta), fried olives, genuine meats and u pani copipi (homemade bread seasoned with tomato extract, red chili pepper and olive oil), as well as forest products such as hazelnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts and mushrooms.

In the past, this place was famous for the craftsmanship of lava stone, a very resistant stone with which master stonemasons, now few in number, created a wide variety of architectural elements.

Loredana Bottaro and the Art of the Prickly Pear

Perhaps it was the strong bond with the land and all the peculiarities that distinguish our island that gave Loredana Bottaro, a goldsmith by profession and a woman of countless talents, the courage and desire to remain in Sicily by reinventing herself.

Loredana opened a shop of handmade clothing, jewelry and other art objects right in Buccheri, using what nature offers for the creation of her jewelry, starting from the symbolic plant of Sicily, the “Prickly Pear”. This plant, from which nothing is wasted, has over the years allowed her to create handcrafted objects and above all ornaments, necklaces, earrings and sculptures.

A masterpiece of nature, a symbol par excellence, of which Sicily is very rich, that through these original creations arouses emotions in its natural simplicity.

The fiber contained in the prickly pear pads consists of a thin woody filament immersed in a spongy body made of water. When the plant and the prickly pear pad dry out, a small part of the fiber remains. From this, the strongest piece is selected, then cleaned of soil and worked with paints and colors, cut into pieces and shaped as desired.

Thanks to Loredana’s imagination and artistic expression, the dried leaf of the prickly pear pad is transformed into splendid bijoux: necklaces, earrings and bracelets. In this way, the artist chooses a piece of her Sicilian land as a natural material and transforms it into jewelry.

Sicily, Land of Creativity and Wonder

The transformed fiber comes to life in Buccheri, creating an attraction that further enhances this beautiful and evocative village of the Hyblaean Mountains.

Sicily once again proves to be a land of countless resources: a land of culture, tradition, nature, history, food, art, a land of sea and fire, a land of authenticity and wonderful hospitality!
Photos from the web