Avola, set in the heart of Sicily’s Ionian coast, might be unknown to many at first glance. But behind its humble name lies the beating heart of a successful business, where the almonds produced are considered among the finest in the world. With its strategic position, overlooking the Gulf of Noto, it has a rich history intertwined with the art of the almond cultivation (from Italian ‘mandorla’) that has been shaped by the influence of Phoenician and biblical symbolism, creating a one-of-a-kind cultural and gastronomic legacy.

“Centuries of tradition and hard-work, passed down from generation to generation, are rooted in Avola’s fertile lands” says Salvatore Rizzo, a third-generation farmer raised in the town. “The quality of these almonds is the result of intensive irrigation techniques first introduced by the Arabs, that helped turn this nut into a cornerstone of the Italian patisserie”.