Italy, Sicily – Sicily for Gourmands

Vittoria & Val di Noto

In the morning we will go to a beautiful wine company to meet with the winemaker and visit his winery, the cellars, and the amphorae room with dozens of jars buried in the floor. It is impressive: the company use clay amphorae, a material that does not give any characteristic flavor and they produce also a wine fully fermented and aged in amphorae. Tasting of 3 wines, including a DOCG, accompanied by bread, ragusano cheese, olives, baked ricotta and muffins.

In the afternoon you will attend a cooking demonstration lesson given by a Michelin-starred chef in the kitchen of a restaurant in Ragusa Ibla.

After the lesson, dinner will be served in the beautiful restaurant. For those not wishing to cook, you may opt for a relaxed afternoon wandering in Ragusa Ibla and join the ‘chefs’ for dinner.

Overnight Ragusa

Meals B, T(Wines & Charcuterie), D

Modica

The morning will be dedicated to Modica: as you walk along the streets you will first of all notice the steps, which are a characteristic of the town. We will taste the famous chocolate produced here: the history of modician chocolate dates back to when Modica was related with Spain and consequently with the ancient civilization of Mexico, the Aztec.

In the afternoon, you will have a unique hands-on cooking lesson, held in the old flour mill of the resort to learn about bread and pasta making.

Overnight Ragusa

Meals B, T(Chocolate), D

Piazza Armerina

Today you will go through the very middle of Sicily to visit in Piazza Armerina, the Villa del Casale, a Roman villa built in the first quarter of the 4th century. It contains the richest, largest and most complex collection of Roman mosaics in the world.

Later on we’ll go to a resort set in a working olive oil farm, a green oasis where selected olive trees, some of them over hundred years old, grow thanks to the ancient passion of the owners. The resort is the beautifully restored old farm furnished with antiques and family heirlooms.

The landlady, Silvia, is an excellent cook and she will provide a cookery class on site, teaching you how to prepare and cook typical Sicilian dishes including cannoli. Followed by dinner to taste what’s been created.

Overnight Agrigento

Meals B, T(Olive Oil), D

Agrigento

Today we visit the Valley of the Temples, the largest area of Greek buildings outside Greece, listed as a World Heritage Site. The numerous temples erected in the fifth century BC, were not built in a valley but along the crest of a mountain. Their construction follows the ancient principle (Greek as well as Roman), of facing East so that the rising sun would illuminate the statue of the Divinity, as a font and principle of life.

Leaving towards Palermo, we will stop to taste a speciality slow food Presidium, the black bread of Castelvetrano.

Dinner will be served in the beautiful restaurant of the hotel.

Overnight Palermo

Meals B, T(Bread), D

Palermo & Monreale

The morning is dedicated to a private themed walking tour of the historic center around the ‘Leopard’ writer, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.

Later we will visit the most colorful fruit and fish market of Palermo and taste Sicilian street food.

In the afternoon your local guide will show you the Monreale Cathedral, a pearl of Arab-Norman art. Bible stories are represented with unique mosaic work on the walls and ceiling of the cathedral while the pillars of the monastery are covered with tiny golden plaques.

The cathedral as well as the monastery are a breath taking and leave people to gasp in solemn silence.

Back to your hotel. Evening at leisure to explore local restaurants with recommendations.

Overnight Palermo

Meals B, L(Street Food)

Erice & Segesta

Riding along the coastline from Palermo then turning into the Sicilian heartland, passing through vineyards, wheat fields you eventually arrive to Mount Erice.

The city built on top was once dedicated to the goddess of Love, Venus. Some claim that is was Aeneas who found it, escaping from Carthage, to others however it dates back to Phoenician times. Today it is a lovely medieval town.

Lunch in a special place overlooking the saltworks.

A tortuous and fascinating street brings you to Segesta, offering a perspective of the temple that will remain impressed upon your memory. It is a perfect example of the Doric school. Visit of the Temple and the Theatre.

Back to your hotel for a farewell dinner this evening.

Overnight Palermo

Meals B, L, D

Departure

On the way to the airport, we will drop by the bay of Mondello, for a delicious ice cream, to say arrivederci.

Meals B, Icecream