REVIEW · SICILY
Picnic on the lawn -aromatic garden and winery
Book on Viator →Operated by Bio Fattoria Augustali · Bookable on Viator
Farm-to-blanket time in Sicily is hard to beat. At Bio Fattoria Augustali near Partinico, you get a guided stroll through vineyards and olive groves on a hillside organic farm, then end with a cozy lawn picnic paired with Sicilian white and red wines. I especially like the small-group pace (max 15) and the hands-on stop at the aromatic plant garden, where you prepare your own aromatic bouquet. One thing to plan for: you drive yourself to the countryside meeting point, so leave a little extra time for the road and parking.
This is the kind of outing that feels local, not staged. You’ll visit the wine cellar, walk among wooden barrels, and learn how wine moves through its different stages—then taste the results. If you want a relaxed afternoon with food, scenery, and just enough structure to keep it fun, this format works well.
In This Review
- Key Things I’d Prioritize Before You Go
- Entering Bio Fattoria Augustali: countryside meeting, small-group comfort
- Vineyard and olive-grove walk: family land tied to Sicily’s deep roots
- The wine cellar and wooden barrels: learning how tasting gets made
- Aromatic plant garden and bouquet making: a Sicilian-scented souvenir
- The lawn picnic: five Sicilian appetizers with farm-grown flavors
- Wine pairing mindset: how to make the tastings feel like a story
- Price and value: what $53.61 buys you in real terms
- Who should book this Sicilian farm picnic?
- Should you book Picnic on the lawn at the aromatic garden and winery?
- FAQ
- How long is the picnic on the lawn experience?
- How much does it cost, and what’s included?
- What group size should I expect?
- Where do we meet, and do I need to drive?
- Is it offered in English, and do I get a ticket on my phone?
- Can I cancel for a full refund?
- Are service animals allowed?
Key Things I’d Prioritize Before You Go
- Small group (max 15): More time with the guide and a calmer pace around the cellar and picnic table.
- Organic farm setting (12 hectares): The walk runs through family vineyards, olive groves, and farm features like old tools.
- Cellar wine tastings: You’ll taste both white and red wines connected to what you learn in the cellar.
- Aromatic bouquet workshop: The aromatic plant garden isn’t just scenery—you’ll make a bouquet for yourself.
- Five traditional Sicilian appetizers: The picnic focuses on seasonal, farm-grown produce and classic local flavors.
- A very “host-led” feel: The guide is warm and welcoming, and there’s often a sparkling-wine welcome at the start.
Entering Bio Fattoria Augustali: countryside meeting, small-group comfort

Your afternoon starts at Farm Augustali on SS 113 near Partinico (the listed meeting point is Farm Augustali, SS 113 km 318, 700, 90047 Partinico PA, Italy). You’ll go by mobile ticket, and the experience runs in English. Most people should be able to participate, but plan to walk on farm paths and the slope of a working hillside property.
The format is built for a small group, capped at 15 people. That matters because the route includes a walk through vineyards and olive groves, a cellar stop, and then a lawn setup for food and tastings. In a bigger group, those steps can turn into a “move along, next!” vibe. Here, you get time to actually look at what’s around you and ask questions.
Because you drive yourself, think ahead about timing. Arriving too late can squeeze the walking portion, and this tour is happiest when you settle in rather than rush. If you’re traveling with a rental car, this is straightforward—just keep some buffer for the countryside approach.
You can also read our reviews of more wine tours in Sicily
Vineyard and olive-grove walk: family land tied to Sicily’s deep roots
Before the food and wine, you’ll get the land tour. The farm covers twelve hectares, sloping down from the hills toward the sea, and it’s an organic operation. The walk is framed as a family farm with vineyards and olive groves that have long been part of the area’s identity.
The guide also connects the setting to the legacy of Emperor Frederik II of Swabia. It’s a quick historical thread, but the practical value is that it helps you understand why these hills matter—why vines and olives have stayed here through generations.
Two stops in this part are worth your attention. First, the vineyards and olive groves aren’t treated like a photo back drop only. You’ll move through them with a guide who can point out what you’re seeing and why it matters to the farm’s way of working. Second, the farm’s scale is large enough to feel like you’re in real countryside, but the overall experience stays compact enough to finish comfortably within the 2 hours 30 minutes.
If you like slow travel—where the “getting there” is part of the experience—this walking portion is a strong start. If you’re someone who dislikes slopes, you’ll want to pace yourself, because this is a hillside farm.
The wine cellar and wooden barrels: learning how tasting gets made

Next comes the wine cellar experience. You’ll reach the cellar to discover the secrets of wine and share in the thrill of tasting. The cellar walk includes time around wooden barrels, which gives a tangible sense of where the flavors begin.
This part is more than standing around with glasses. The tour structure is built so you learn key steps of the wine-making process, then taste wines that match what you just heard. That pairing is what makes the tastings feel purposeful instead of random.
You should expect tastings of white and red wines—and the overall experience summary also notes the menu includes two wine. That’s a good amount for a 2.5-hour outing: enough to notice differences and match them to what you learned, without turning the rest of the afternoon into a blur.
A small practical tip: pace your sips. You’re moving from cellar to outdoor lawn, so take your time and let your taste buds reset between white and red. You’ll enjoy the flavors more, and you’ll keep energy for the picnic course.
Aromatic plant garden and bouquet making: a Sicilian-scented souvenir
After the cellar, you shift from wine to aromas. The farm has a vast lawn adjacent to the cellar, where you can see features like ancient olive trees, flowering arches, and tools used by farmers. It’s the kind of place where details matter because it shows how this is a working farm, not a staged “tour farm.”
Then you head to the aromatic plant garden. Here, the experience turns hands-on. You’ll prepare an aromatic bouquet—an activity that’s both practical (it gives you something to do with your hands) and memorable (you take away the smell of the garden long after you leave).
This is one of the most praised elements in the overall concept, because it adds a sensory layer that goes beyond food and wine. If you enjoy small workshops that don’t require a skill set, this is a great fit. If you’re worried about time or motion, the bouquet-making step is usually easier than a long activity—think quick crafting inside the flow of the afternoon.
The lawn picnic: five Sicilian appetizers with farm-grown flavors

Now for the heart of it: the picnic on the lawn. They set up a cozy spread in the vast lawn area next to the cellar. And the menu is designed to highlight Sicilian flavors without being overly complicated.
You’ll have five Sicilian appetizers, including:
- vegetables grown in the farm garden
- homemade bread with olive oil
- organic honey
- delicious citrus jellies
- plus additional items that round out the appetizer lineup around seasonal produce
A couple of details make this picnic feel authentic instead of generic. The produce is grown on the farm, so you’re eating food that comes from the same land you walked through. The bread and olive oil combo is classic and simple, but it works especially well when paired with the farm’s overall emphasis on olives and wine culture.
The citrus jellies and the honey are a smart flavor contrast. Honey brings warmth and sweetness; citrus jellies add brightness and tang. That balance helps the meal stay interesting even if you’re not a major foodie. And because you’ll be tasting wine during the brunch/picnic phase, you get natural pairings without needing a sommelier cheat sheet.
The overall vibe here is relaxed. You’re outdoors, surrounded by farm elements—ancient olive trees, farm tools, flowering areas—and you can take your time. The setting is repeatedly described as beautiful, and you’ll likely feel it the moment you realize the picnic isn’t squeezed into a tiny corner.
Wine pairing mindset: how to make the tastings feel like a story

The tastings are built into the experience, so you’ll move from learning in the cellar to tasting in the picnic setting. In practice, that means you don’t just drink—you connect flavors to process.
Here’s how I suggest you approach it:
- Start with the white wine and pay attention to acidity and freshness.
- Then go to the red wine and notice heavier notes or deeper structure.
- Between sips, take bites of the bread with olive oil or one of the produce-forward appetizers so you reset your palate.
This is also where the host’s welcome matters. One review notes that the host greeted them with a glass of sparkling wine, which sets a friendly, celebratory tone right away. If that happens for your group, it’s a nice way to start the afternoon without making it feel formal.
Price and value: what $53.61 buys you in real terms
The price is $53.61 per person for an experience that runs about 2 hours 30 minutes. On paper, that might look like a single bundled activity. In real value, it’s a package that covers multiple elements you’d otherwise piece together separately.
You’re paying for:
- a guided walk through vineyards and olive groves
- time at the wine cellar among wooden barrels and a tour focused on wine-making stages
- tastings of white and red wine
- a structured picnic with five traditional Sicilian appetizers
- the aromatic plant garden activity to create a bouquet
In other words, you’re getting food, wine, and a guided agricultural experience, not just a meal in a restaurant. For many people, that’s the sweet spot. The small-group cap (max 15) helps too, because the guide’s attention is likely spread more evenly.
The one value consideration is logistics: you drive yourself to the meeting point. If you don’t have a car, this could take extra effort. If you’re already renting a car in Sicily or you’re comfortable with rural driving, the price feels more justified, because you’re paying mainly for the farm experience itself.
Who should book this Sicilian farm picnic?
This tour is ideal if you want a Sicilian afternoon that feels practical and local:
- Couples who want something scenic and not too formal
- Friends who like food and wine but don’t want a long, intense wine tour schedule
- Travelers who enjoy small-group guides and walking at a relaxed pace
- Anyone who likes hands-on sensory experiences, especially the aromatic bouquet activity
It also works well for families and groups of mixed ages only in the general sense that most people can participate—just remember it’s a working farm setting, and there will be outdoor walking.
If you travel with a service animal, service animals are allowed.
Should you book Picnic on the lawn at the aromatic garden and winery?
Book it if you want a balanced Sicilian experience: scenery first, then wine knowledge, then a real picnic meal with classic flavors. The combination of a hillside organic farm, a cellar tour focused on wine-making stages, and a picnic with five Sicilian appetizers gives you variety without feeling rushed. The small-group size (max 15) is the big plus that keeps it from turning into a factory tour.
Skip it only if your main goal is high-speed sightseeing or if you hate countryside walking and self-driving logistics. Since you drive yourself and the experience is outdoors, it’s best for people who enjoy the slower rhythm of farm life.
If you’re visiting Sicily and you want a memorable afternoon that tastes like the place, this is a strong choice.
FAQ
How long is the picnic on the lawn experience?
It runs for about 2 hours 30 minutes.
How much does it cost, and what’s included?
The price is $53.61 per person. You can expect five traditional Sicilian appetizers, a tasting of both white and red wines (two wine), and an aromatic garden activity where you prepare a bouquet.
What group size should I expect?
The experience has a maximum of 15 travelers, which helps keep the pacing relaxed.
Where do we meet, and do I need to drive?
You meet at Farm Augustali on SS 113 near Partinico (listed as SS 113 km 318, 700, 90047 Partinico PA, Italy). You drive yourself to the countryside location, and the tour ends back at the meeting point.
Is it offered in English, and do I get a ticket on my phone?
Yes, it’s offered in English and you’ll receive a mobile ticket.
Can I cancel for a full refund?
Yes. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Are service animals allowed?
Yes, service animals are allowed.


























