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Discovering Saffron in Valnerina – with tasting
Discover the region’s lilac gold: saffron. Get to know it, to love it but above all... to taste it!
The picture-book Valnerina river-valley awaits you with a plethora of exciting, sensory-stimulating experiences! Exploring Umbria offers you the chance to sample a number of them on an excursion in the open air and in perfect harmony with Valnerina’s nature, whilst hot on the heels of the precious spice, saffron. The vivid lilac colour of its flowers will light up your eyes and their intense fragrance will make you feel almost drunk with delight. You’ll admire huge carpets of flowers arranged in long rows, in a vast expanse creating a unique spectacle of colour and light. Our experts will guide you on a journey in Valnerina in which you’ll learn about the various phases of saffron’s life cycle and the subsequent phases of harvesting the delicate flowers and extracting the precious red ‘gold’.
You’ll touch the flowers, learning that the skimming procedure must be performed slowly and carefully so as not to spoil the product; the precious red threads become separated from the rest of the flower and the drying and spice-production process follows. You’ll be surprised to learn about the history of saffron, linked to different peoples and cultures and amazed by the unusual facts and anecdotes surrounding it; you’ll also discover its multiple uses and properties, which were already known to our ancient ancestors.
The excursion will close with a tasting of saffron and other local or naturally-growing products during lunch or dinner (depending on whether you choose the morning or afternoon option) that will be on offer immediately after the excursion
Why not choose to explore the story of saffron and visit this ‘educational’ farm? A unique and exciting day out, alone or with friends or family. And for children, the history of saffron will revealed through the entertaining medium of theatre.
