Five girls, a bride-to-be and one magical Sicilian holiday. Miriam Calleja discovers that short breaks are the way forward when it comes to unforgettable hen parties.

Every now and then, life affords us the luxury of moments when everything seems to fall into place. The planning part of a holiday is always fun, or at least it’s meant to be, but often we’re too caught up in the rush of everyday life to appreciate that.

You don’t quite realise that you’re actually going on holiday until a stewardess is in the aisle next to you, doing the funky chicken dance. But once the plane lands on holiday-land, often in a bouncy manner, you’ll thank yourself or your travelmates for some preparation.

There were five of us girls, and the dynamics of this group included two sisters, the sisters’ cousin, close friendships and friends that have always been around. Having said that, we were a very diverse bunch.

This became amusing and obvious as soon as we landed and were in the process of choosing the type of car we would be driving around. What would the deciding factor be? Colour? Size? Reliability?

As we all threw in our two cents’ worth simultaneously, crowding over the brochure, we raised our heads and looked at one another in amusement. This marked the beginning of a four-day trip during which we would come to appreciate these differences.

Wine-tasting at the Donna Fugata estate in Marsala.Wine-tasting at the Donna Fugata estate in Marsala.

But I must start at the beginning. What brought us together in the first place was that we were all part of a bridal party and our beloved friend and bride-to-be was getting her first send-off in Trapani, Sicily, on this tailored-for-her-tastes trip. And, due to this upcoming life-event, with friends and relatives chosen to be with her at this special time, we – the girls she had picked – did not all know one another really well.

Mediocre food is more offensive in Sicily than in most other places

And suddenly, there we were, five 30-somethings and our trusted GPS, packed into a car and ready to hit the road. I’ll be honest, I was a little bit concerned.

Our first destination was Castellamar del Golfo – a quiet fishing village with picturesque views, low buildings that have been undisturbed for years (no cranes!) and the kind of peace that is rare to find.

What we did find was a series of trampolines, and these 30-somethings quickly turned into eight-year-olds, bouncing and laughing. I won’t say whose idea that was. That, coupled with a swim in the crisp waters, soon coaxed us into holiday mode.

FavignanaFavignana

Finally, we were ready for our first full Sicilian meal. This was to be a crucial decision, now that the streets were busier with youths and music, tables pouring into the streets ready for the evening’s transformation. Being the foodie in the group, I was set the task of finding a restaurant. When in Sicily, follow your nose and watch for the little family-run places with scarcely an English word on their menu and very few tables.

I like to also have a peep at what people are eating. The view or ambience may add to your experience, but is certainly not directly proportional to the quality of the food you’ll find in places that offer these bonuses.

My decision was made and we huddled around a table for a night of platters upon platters of seafood until we reached bursting point. We had hit the jackpot, with very friendly service and all the delicious things we could imagine, without damaging our wallets too much. Sicilian culinary experience: check.

Castellamar del GolfoCastellamar del Golfo

The next day we drove to San Vito Lo Capo and the gorgeous beach there, which stretches as far as the eye can see. An unbelievable blue, clean and offering what almost got close to a spiritual experience.

It might have been the heat or the fresh coconut, the overbearing hills or the promise of a happy summer, but something about this place was magical.

Trying to find something decent to eat at one of the lidos was somewhat less than magical, though, as we were greeted with one rude person after the next, until we settled on some mediocre food to keep us going. Mediocre food is more offensive in Sicily than in most other places.

If you feel overwhelmed, take a timeout. Your friends will understand

We made our way to Marsala after that, barely making it to the wine-tasting experience that we had booked in advance at Donna Fugata. The prim and proper English delegation in our tour group were not too impressed with this intrusion of salty, tanned, beachwear-clad Maltese girls.

We, on the other hand, had a great time tasting the wines and nibbles, while they tried, for some reason, to mesmerise us with their boating/skiing/travel stories.

MarsalaMarsala

Later, we bumped into them at our same hotel, much to their embarrassment after repeated mention of the boat they had sailed into Sicily on. Both parties ignored each other over the next two days, but we were the ones giggling at the inside jokes that had developed in the meantime.

That was just a small part of our adventure. The rest of the trip included a boat trip to Favignana; driving adventures; making friends with a family of donkeys; more and more food; and beautiful beaches.

It turns out that I needn’t have been concerned. The four days spent together were not only a great break, but packed full of surprising life lessons that I will treasure (and smile about) for a long time.

These are the things I learned, and that I would love to pass on to those women who choose to organise such trips for their beloved bride-to-be:

Pick out the right place for your vacation, keeping stress to a minimum; You’re there for a reason; always pamper and keep your special ‘hen’ in mind; Learn to love your differences and strengths, and make use of them too – we wouldn’t get very far being the same; Find humour in most situations – these moments are what you will remember

If you feel overwhelmed, take a timeout. Your friends will understand.

Finally, nurture the friendships that you’ve strengthened during your holiday.

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