Tailored holidays for the visually impaired
BWBF has teamed up with a company specialising in active holidays in Sicily for visually impaired adults.
British Wireless for the Blind Fund has teamed up with a company specialising in active holidays in Sicily for visually impaired adults.
Seable combines different sensory experiences with the beautiful sea setting of the Italian island.
Where better to enjoy the warmth of the Mediterranean sun, feel history at one of the world’s only tactile museums; spend a day with traditional fishermen and catch your supper; have a go at 4×4 driving on the slopes of Mount Etna, visit an olive grove to harvest and make your own olive oil and, if you are feeling really adventurous, take a five day Scuba diving course. Holidays can be tailored to your requirements for small groups up to a maximum of five individuals.
With its rich history and culture, Sicily has so much to offer the visitor. With Seable you can experience it through small group, specifically tailored skill and confidence enriching days out.
Situated at the southern tip of Italy, Sicily is an island of diversity and extremes. The breathtaking Mediterranean setting encompasses a rich history of more than 3,000 years – a vast museum in itself of the civilistions of the past – a museum where sensational sensory experiences come to life.
Sicily has one of the world’s few tactile museums, specifically designed to offer the visually impaired an independent experience of museum-going.
The tactile materials displayed include Sicilian artistic and cultural works, monuments, statues and religious artifacts. The areas around the museum include a bar in the dark and a sensory garden of Mediterranean flora.
An authentic Sicilian experience offered by Seable is that of making olive oil, an energising sensorial experience is best undertaken in October and November.
The initial trees planted by the Greeks in the 5th c. BC thrived and formed the base of the olive industry which account for 10% of all Italian oil production.
Be part of the olive harvest and take the opportunity to learn everything about the process of olive oil making on your trip. The picking and pressing will result in your own bottle of extra virgin olive oil to take back home with you.
Sensorial fishing is another experience not to be missed.
The clear blue coastal waters around Sicily are inhabited by many varieties of fish, accounting for one quarter of the total fish catch in Italy.
Seable offers the chance to experience first-hand the secrets and traditions of Sicilian fishing taught whilst spending the day on board a fishing boat and listening to the fishermen recounting methods, legends and anecdotes of the sea.
You will be able to taste the result of the day’s activity when the crew cooks a delicious on-land dinner prepared from the fish caught that day.
There are also excursions available through sensorial tours.
Mount Etna, called the biggest natural laboratory in the world, is Europe’s highest active volcano and has been active for over half a million years.
A one day full excursion is organised to visit Etna, which includes the option of a 4×4 driving session adapted for the visually impaired.
Other tours include visiting Taormina, an historic town, where the traditional buildings and the Greco-Roman theatre contribute to the magical and mythical atmosphere, and a visit to Acitrezza and Acicastello, two gems of villages on the coast.
If you aspire to the amazing experience of Scuba diving, a five day course with a dedicated certified instructors and diving buddies, using underwater Braille tags will help you gain a scuba diving licence.
All the diving is organised by the diving centre and charity L.I.F.E., which holds two Guinness World Records for deep sea diving, one by a blind girl who reached 41m!
Seable’s holiday programmes are personal and powerful, addressing all of the senses, including the sense of independence and achievement – whether it be in a group or individual.
If this type of holiday appeals to you, please contact Damiano La Rocca by email at info@seable.co.uk or by phone on 02077494866 or mobile 07936146349 and mention you heard about it through British Wireless.