Nanni Di Falco and the Iblei Mountains

“Our territory is full of resources. It is our true heritage and it is free. I hope my fellow citizens realize it.”

Nanni Di Falco has been working as a naturalistic guide since twenty years: he knows every corner of the Iblei Mountains, the valleys, the quarries and their surroundings.

He started to guide the schoolchildren and groups of citizens who wanted to spend some time in the local nature without running any dangers.

Nanni has always wanted to show how precious and rich is the territory of Ragusa, but “we are full of prejudices against our territory: we want to surprise but we do not allow it to do so”.

To rediscover his passion he then decided to organize guided tours for foreign tourists: from 5 to 20 km a day, on foot, to admire the beauties that nature offers.

“After so many years of experience, it is the tourists who show me details that I have never known. They appreciate and value every single element of our territory, and they fall in love”.

The first thing they notice and admire is love and care for our earth, transmitted by our typical muri a secco: demonstration of discipline, humility and hard work of our ancestors.

Walking – in the countryside, in the city or in the sea – Nanni tells the places and the flora and fauna that distinguish them, but also talk about history and his personal experiences.

And tourists? “They are listening with their eyes wide open, ask questions, they are very curious and careful. In recent years they have become increasingly demanding – especially groups from Northern Europe. They want to see little-known and little-beaten places, prefer to sleep in private homes and B&B: they follow the line of slow tourism, the one that enhances the meetings and relationships”.

“Slow” tourism is a sustainable tourism that supports local economy, genuineness, simplicity and humanity.

“Tourists want to spend, but with awareness: they keep their money going to the local families, they want to know them, know what they do, how they do it and why they decided to do it: they want to live the territory through the eyes and heart of those who lives it every day, from generations”.

Slow Tourism does not need infrastructure because the territory is unique and special exactly as it is. A sustainable, growing tourism that does not leave much trace in terms of numbers and statistics. A quality tourism that falls in love with the local riches and goes back again and again, despite everything.