GOURMET SICILY TOUR

• Enjoy Dolce Vita in Taormina

• Visit the most popular cities: Palermo, Siracusa, Noto, and Modica

• Visit the Valley of Temples

• Visit the Ancient floor mosaics of Roman Villa del Casale

• 3 hands-on Sicilian cooking classes.

• Full escorted tour and transportation by luxury Van

Day 1

Arrival at Palermo airport and welcome by our driver. Private transfer to Palermo city and check in at first class (4-star) hotel. Dinner on your own and overnight.

Day 2

After breakfast in hotel, departure for a Baglio (typical ancient Sicilian fortress) for a cooking class. This was recently restored and converted into a charming and exclusive little farm-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 of the culinary tradition of the province of Trapani. All participants will help prepare the dishes for the dinner. At the end of the cooking lesson lunch at the Baglio. In the afternoon, transfer to Erice, a nearby medieval town, located at 2,800 feet on top of a mountain, overlooking the whole Western region, the Mediterranean Sea and the Egadi Islands. Walking visit of its characteristic historical center. Back to Palermo for dinner.

Day 3

After 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 exquisite floor mosaics. Transfer to a charming Hotel near Modica . Check in. Typical dinner in a characteristic restaurant.

Day 4

Breakfast in hotel, then visit to the baroque town of Modica in south Sicily. Taste the delicious chocolate locally manufactured according to ancient traditions. Transfer to Siracusa, a prominent Ancient Greek settlement in Italy. Visit to the archaeological area: the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Ear of Dyonisus and the Latomie. Stroll in Ortigia, Siracusa characteristic quarter,  through ancient winding narrows streets, where the splendid baroque Cathedral and the Aretusa fountain are located. Time for shopping and back to Taormina for dinner.

Day 5

All day on your own in Taormina . Stroll through the historical centre 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 destination, 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 optional excursion to Etna with a lunch at Tenuta S. Michele ,an ancient estate located on the slopes of the volcano Etna. The farm, which belongs to the noble family of the Baron Scammacca del Murgo, is surrounded by extensive vineyards and has a panoramic view of both Mt. Etna and the sea. Mt. Etna is the highest volcano in Europe. The climate and the volcanic soil help give wines a unique mineral taste typical of the region around Mt. Etna. In Tenuta San Michele they produce some of the best wines of the area: Etna Rosso, Etna Bianco and the extraordinary Murgo Brut. Wine tasting and guided visit to the wine cellar with a member of the family. Back to Taormina and time at leisure.

Back to Taormina for free time.

Day 6

Day trip 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. Visit the ancient village rich in historical and artistic attractions. During the walk through the town’s medieval streets, guests will have a break for a sampling of typical sweetmeats. To follow, a hands-on Sicilian cooking class in a typical Farmhouse or a professional equipped restaurant . Transfer in Cefalù known for it’s long golden beach as well as for the Norman Duomo, initiated under Roger II in 1131.  Worth a visit  is also the striking medieval wash-house and the Mandralisca Museum. A visit to Cefalù can not exclude a stroll along the lanes in the historical center where you can linger among the numerous shops of ceramics and souvenirs.

Day 7

This morning, 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. First, we will meet our chef, Vincenzo, and we will venture to one of Palermo’s markets were we will purchase all the ingredients to prepare our meal. Along the way, we will also taste some of Palermo’s most typical foods , such as “ panelle” and “ pane con la milza”. This hands on cooking class begins at 10am and ends at 1:30 pm. The lunch that you have prepared will be served with the right Sicilian wine. The afternoon is dedicated to a visit and seek out signs of Palermo and its ancient “grandeur”: the Norman Palace and the Palatine Chapel, the church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti, the Cathedral, Quattro Canti square. Transfer to Monreale, ancient village near Palermo, famous for its splendid Norman Cathedral enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage sites, architectural masterpieces of King Roger II. Return to Palermo, with time for a stroll through the city.

Day 8

Transfer to the airport in Palermo, assistance with check-in and departure.

• 7 nights at 4-star hotels and Agriturismo (private bath and A/C) breakfast included

• English speaking driver-courier for the whole tour

• Transportation by private car or minibus for the whole tour

• 4 meals in typical restaurants and farmhouses as per program

• Visits and excursions as listed in the program, with helpful information about locations provided by our driver

• 3 cooking classes as listed in the program

• Guided visits to 1 wine cellar with wine tasting

• All taxes