I can't wait to share this culinary tour of the fabled, sun-kissed island of Sicily with you! Sicilian cuisine and history, deeply rooted in tradition and influenced by various cultures, offers a unique and unforgettable experience.

We will discover together a rich tapestry of ingredients at their source. From world-renowned Sicilian olive oil—a golden elixir that adds a touch of magic to every dish, to Intensely ripe tomatoes, an abundance of fresh seafood, rich volcanic wines, to buttery pistachios.  

There’s no shortage of cultural and historical attractions, with some of the best preserved Greek and Roman archeological sites in the world. It is truly another world!

Meals included: Dinner

Hotel: Taormina Palace Hotel

Arrival on your own.

Meeting Time & Place:  Please meet the group at 2:00pm at Palace Catania, Via Etnea, 218.  Most of the group has booked a pre-stay there. You can leave your luggage with the desk staff upon check-out. 

Late afternoon: Transfer to Taormina (45 minute drive). Check-in at hotel. Relax and freshen up a bit or take a walk before we meet for an orientation and get to know each other as we start our adventure.

Dinner: Tonight we celebrate the start of our tour at a traditional restaurant in

Taormina. Our dinner location is right in the midst of the all the action in the historic

city center.

Meals included: Breakfast & Pastry Shop snacks

Hotel: Taormina Palace Hotel

Today we embark on an exploration of the picturesque town of Taormina. We will discover ancient Greek and Roman ruins, have a bite at a traditional Sicilian pastry shop, and you’ll have time to explore the Taormina on your own.

Morning: Tour of the Ancient Theater

A local guide takes us through an amazing ancient Greek and Roman theater. This

theater stands proudly against the backdrop of the azure Ionian Sea. Marvel at the

grandeur of this open-air amphitheater, which has hosted performances for over

2,000 years and offers breathtaking panoramic views of Mount Etna, Europe's largest active volcano. Afterwards, we will visit a well-known coffee and pastry shop and indulge in a late Sicilian breakfast consisting of the creamy ice slush, called granita, and the soft, spongy brioche on the side.

Afternoon & Evening: OYO

The balance of the afternoon and evening on your own to explore this beautiful city.

Wander through the labyrinthine streets of Taormina's historic center, where pastel-colored buildings adorned with cascading flowers and ornate balconies create a captivating ambiance. Discover charming shops selling local handicrafts, fashionable boutiques, and delicious trattorias, all within easy walking distance to our hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hotel: Doric Boutique Hotel

Today we leave behind city life and begin our journey into the heart of Sicily, driving

from one famed coastline to another. En route, we stop at a pistachio farm on the

hills of Mt. Etna for a look at one of the most important ingredients in Sicilian

cuisine. We will have a light farmer’s lunch, and continue to Agrigento, a UNESCO

world heritage site, and our home for the next two nights.

Early Afternoon/Lunch: Pistachio farm

Our early afternoon will be spent with the owner of an historic pistachio farm, on the flanks of Mt. Etna. The location is a perfect microclimate for growing some of the

most highly prized pistachio nuts in the world. We will learn about the cultivation of

pistachios, and then enjoy a farmer-style lunch featuring this nut in both savory and sweet dishes.

Late Afternoon

This afternoon, we will check in to our 5-star hotel in Agrigento. Relax in your room,

explore the grounds, or plunge in to your own private pool (Yes! Each room has a

private pool).

Dinner: Restaurant Ambrosia

Dinner this evening is a gourmet meal at the hotel restaurant Ambrosia. What a lovely way to wind down from a day of travel.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Hotel: Doric Boutique Hotel

Today we have a gentle day, exploring ancient ruins, lingering over lunch and wine at a traditional “baglio”, and time for you to rest and relax this evening at our beautiful hotel.

Morning: Tour of the Valley of the Temples

The Valley of the Temples is renowned for its exceptionally well-preserved temples,

which stand as majestic reminders of a glorious past. These magnificent structures,

dedicated to various gods and goddesses, are testament to the architectural mastery and artistic prowess of the ancient Greeks. We will step back in time with a local guide to learn all about this testament to human ingenuity in the ancient world.

Wine Tasting and Lunch: Baglio Estate

The designation baglio is used widely in Sicily where it denotes a walled country

estate and is often applied to contemporary wineries. We have a tour and tasting of

this traditional and historic estate, and another long and leisurely lunch.

Late Afternoon and Dinner: OYO

This later afternoon and evening is at your leisure. You can choose to relax at the

hotel, and enjoy dinner on the property, or you can take our private transfer into the

nearby seaside town of San Leone. There are several little restaurants to choose from in town.

Meals included: Breakfast, Light Lunch, and Dinner

Hotel:  Baglio Oneto

Today we continue our journey further to the west coast of Sicily, with a stop for

lunch at a Slow Food producer of Castelvetrano olives and olive oil. After another

delightful farm lunch, we head on to our luxury retreat in the vineyards at Baglio

Oneto.

Early Afternoon/Lunch:

Such a treat today, although it may ruin regular olive oil for you forever! NAME This may be one of the experiences I am looking forward to the most. We will walk through a centuries old olive grove to learn how olives are grown and pressed for oil. We have technical tasting to learn how to taste and appreciate good olive oil. And of course their rare and delicious oil will be used for each course in our multi-course lunch at the farm.

Late Afternoon/Dinner: Baglio Oneto

Check-in at our hotel for the next 3 nights, a 1700’s traditional farmhouse that has

been turned in to a 5 star hotel by the aristocratic family that owns the property.

Dinner is a luxurious affair served in the elegant courtyard. 

Meals included: Breakfast

Hotel: Baglio Oneto

We turn our attention towards the sea again, visiting some very unique places. Today is designed with La Dolce Vita in mind, a day to relax and spend time on your own enjoying the splendor the sea and our beautiful hotel.

Morning: Salt pan tour

This region has been producing some of the best sea salt in the world since Roman

times. We will join a guide who takes us by boat to the small island preserve of San

Pantaleo, where we will tour the saltpans and learn about the production of salt. 

This island was the former site of Motya, a Phoenician colony, so we take the opportunity to explore the on-going archeological excavations as well.

Afternoon/Lunch: Free time

This afternoon you are free for a bit of relaxing, to enjoy the pool and have lunch at

the hotel, as we prepare for our on-ward journey tomorrow. This is a great time to

reset and rejuvenate.

Evening/Dinner: OYO

We will make a trip to Erice, one of the most beautiful small villages of Italy, for an

evening walk and dinner on your own. We will stop in a famous pastry shop to sample their treats with a glass of Marsala wine and you can find a place to dine on your own afterwards. This is a beautiful way to end a very relaxed day.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Hotel: Baglio Oneto

This day is another day of charming experiences. We enjoy the beauty of the sea

again with a boat trip to Favignana Island to take in the history of the tuna fishing

industry with a guide. We will have a cooking class and have lunch. Our evening will

be spent at your leisure in Trapani.

Morning/Afternoon: Florio's Tuna Fishing Museum

We catch a high-speed ferry to the island of Favignana and meet our local expert at the docks. We will enjoy a nice coffee together in the main square, and then set off for Florio’s Tuna Fishing Facility, now a museum to learn about the traditions of

these ingenious fishermen.

Afternoon/Lunch: Cooking Demonstration

Our next activity takes us to the mountains on the interior of Favignana. A chef will

host us in a private home for a cooking demonstration featuring couscous! We are closer to North Africa here on Favignana than we are to the mainland of Italy, which heavily influences the cuisine of this region. We will enjoy lunch with wine and an unbeatable view.

Evening/Dinner: OYO in Trapani

After our class, we board the high-speed boat back to Trapani where you can follow

your tour manager in the elegant shopping streets of the city center.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Hotel: Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa, or similar

We finally say good-bye to our sweet Baglio and head for world-renowned Palermo.

We can’t leave the area however without visiting a Marsala wine producer. Our visit will dispel any notions your have about Marsala being only a cooking wine! We continue on to Monreale Cathedral for a visit before arriving in Palermo, our new home for the next two evenings.

Late Morning: Marsala

We have a tour of the impressive and historic ageing cellars for Marsala and try

several variations of this varietal along with a few other indigenous local varietals, with an included light lunch.

Early Afternoon: Monreale Cathedral

Next stop is the magnificent Monreale Cathedral, on the outskirts of Palermo. This

stunning cathedral was built in the 1100’s and is on the UNESCO World Heritage list

for its precious and extensive mosaics that cover almost every inch. We will have a

local guide take us through the complex to understand the history and stories of the

cathedral.

Late Afternoon: Palermo

We check in to our centrally located hotel and for those who wish, we will take a quick orientation walk around the city.

Dinner: OYO

Enjoy your evening as you wish, with dinner at your leisure. Your tour manager can offer plenty of suggestions nearby.

Meals included: Breakfast, Food Tour Lunch, Dinner

Hotel: Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa

Today is all about Palermo, the capital and largest city of Sicily. This city is a

captivating blend of both the exotic and the chaotic, but also somehow projects a very laid back vibe. We dive right in with a food tour/walking tour. Your afternoon is free to explore, before we gather for our final meal together.

Early Afternoon: Vucciria Food Market and City Tour

We set out from our hotel with our food tour guide to really get in to the renowned

street markets, brimming with aromatic spices, produce, seafood and other wares. Our guide helps us make sense of the chaos, while tasting many of the city’s street foods along the way. We also tour the city, exploring alleyways and hidden corners.

Afterwards, you’ll have free time to get any last minute shopping done, or have a drink in a square to take it all in.

Dinner:  Farewell!

We have our last meal together as a group in a special restaurant in the city. We will enjoy a multi-course meal while sharing wine, stories, and memories of our time

together.

Meals included: Breakfast

Thank you so much for a beautiful trip. It has been a pleasure to travel with you, break bread, meet new friends and deepening existing relationships!  I adore you all!

I have arranged transportation as follows:

Rob & Karen:  Taxi at ? for 8:40am flight

Bebe and Jim:  Taxi at ? for 9:40 flights

Edelberg/Willard/Truman:  Transport together at ? for 11:35 and 11:55 flights

Grillo:  Taxi at ? for 3:15pm flight