Gourmet Sicily - Program Details
Guaranteed Departures: April, May, June, Sept, Oct
Gourmet Sicily - a Culinary Tour, offers several start dates to choose from. Below we have outlined the program over the 8 day / 7 night itinerary.
Overview |Itinerary Details| Dates & Prices| Reservations | Terms & Conditions
Day 1: Palermo or Castellamare
Arrival in Palermo airport and welcomed by our driver. Transfer to nearby Castellamare (or Palermo city hotel) and check in at a charming four star hotel. Dinner on your own and overnight.
Day 2: Cooking Lesson - Erice - Castellamare (Palermo)
Breakfast in hotel then departure for a Baglio for a cooking lesson. Baglio is a villa recently restored and converted into a charming and exclusive little hotel surrounded by palm trees, olive trees and vineyards. The chef at Baglio will teach guests how to prepare some of the most representative recipes with the culinary traditions found in the Trapani province. All participants will help prepare the dishes for the group lunch. Afterwards, transfer to Erice a medieval, hilltop town, set 751 meters above the sea level and overlooking the whole Western region, the Mediterranean Sea and the Egadi Islands; there a walking visit of its characteristic historical centre. Later, a short drive back to the hotel and then dinner on your own and overnight. (B, L)
Day 3: Agrigento - Piazza Armerina
Morning breakfast in the hotel. Departure to Agrigento to visit the beautiful Valley of the Temples, one of the most representative sites of Greek civilization in the Mediterranean area. Visit to the Temple of Hercules, the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Castor and Pollux and the wonderful Temple of Concord. Lunch on your own in Agrigento. In the afternoon travel to Piazza Armerina, a small town in the south-central part of the island, and visit to the Villa Romana del Casale, a Roman country villa of the 3rd century, famous for its precious mosaics. Transfer to a charming Agriturismo between Piazza Armerina and Caltagirone, where they produce oranges and lemons. Check in at the Agriturismo. some time to rest before a special dinner in the characteristic restaurant. The cuisine is based on authentic food such as pasta, ricotta, salsiccia, local meat and vegetables. Overnight. (B, D)
Day 4: Cooking Lesson - Modica - Siracusa - Taormina
Breakfast in hotel; then depart for Modica, a baroque town in southern Sicily. There you will have another cooking lesson, on this occasion with a chef-teacher of traditional regional cuisine. Afterwards, of course, enjoy your lunch including the dishes prepared during the lesson. For deserts, a taste of the locally produced chocolates! Afterwards, leave to visit Siracusa, which during the Greek Age was one of the more powerful cities on the island. Visit to the archaeological zone: the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Ear of Dyonisus and the Latomie. Walk through the historical center on the Ortigia Island to admire the Cathedral, the Aretusa fountain and the ancient streets. Some time for shopping, then transfer to Taormina. Check in at the hotel; Dinner on your own and overnight. (B, L)
Day 5: Taormina – Optional Etna and its Wines
Breakfast at the hotel, then all day on your own in Taormina. Walk through the historical center of this beautiful town, famous for its Greek-Roman Amphitheatre and its enchanting view of the Ionic Sea and Mt. Etna. Taormina has been an exclusive Sicilian hotspot, since the beginning of the 19th century, and is where many noble and rich families of Northern Europe spent winter due to its mild climate. Nowadays, Taormina is famous for its "dolce vita" life style, its beautiful beach, and its shops. Or you may wish to take an optional excursion to Etna with a lunch at Tenuta S. Michele, an ancient wine producing estate located on the slopes of the volcano. The farm, which belongs to the noble family of the Baron Scammacca del Murgo, is surrounded by extensive vineyards and a panoramic view. The climate around Etna and the volcanic soil help give wines a unique mineral taste. Tenuta San Michele produces some of the best wines of the area. You can enjoy a wine tasting and guided visit to the wine cellar with a member of the family. Later, a drive back to Taormina for free time. Dinner on your own. Overnight. (B, optional L, W)
Day 6: Cooking Lesson - The Cuisine of the Country/The Madonie Park
Breakfast at the hotel before moving on to Polizzi, a small village not far from Palermo, surrounded by cheerful countryside and green pastures. Polizzi lies in the Madonie Mountains' Natural Park. This internal region between the Northern Coast and Central Sicily has a wealth of ancient small villages, where many people still live according to the Sicilian traditions. In Polizzi guests will have their 3rd and final cooking lesson in a local farmhouse (or a nice restaurant). The owner of the farm will teach them to prepare some of the most popular and essential recipes according to the local traditions and of course lunch follows with the prepared items. Afterwards, a visit to Polizzi Generosa, and a walk of the ancient village, rich in historical and artistic attractions. Later check in at a farmhouse near Polizzi. Time to relax and then dinner on your own. (B, L)
Day 7: Palermo - Monreale
Breakfast in hotel, then transfer to Palermo for a full-day visit to this ancient town that has been a crossroads for civilization in the Mediterranean for ages and ages. Here, visit and seek out signs of its ancient "grandeur": the Norman Palace and the Palatine Chapel, the church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti, the Cathedral, Quattro Canti square, etc. Walk through the streets of the historical center, and visit to the town's popular Vucciria market. Lunch on your own in town. In the afternoon you will transfer to Monreale, ancient village near Palermo, famous for its wonderful Norman Cathedral and the adjoining cloister, architectural masterpieces of King Roger II. Return to Palermo; Check In at the city center hotel. Later your "farewell" dinner at a special restaurant where guests will enjoy superb and refined dishes based on typical recipes from the local culinary traditions. After dinner, optional sightseeing with a tour of "Palermo By Night". Back to the hotel and overnight. (B, D)
Day 8: Departure
Breakfast at the hotel and check out; your transfer will take you to the airport in Palermo to bid you farewell.
Optional excursions payable locally: Palermo by night: €uro 20,00 per person / Etna jeep ride + lunch: €uro 100,00 per person. For the optional excursions a number of minimum 6 participants is required
B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner, W=Wine Tasting, O=Olive Oil Tasting
