12 reviews
Sep 20 - 27, 2023
Group size: 1 - 12
Stirring Sicily: Cooking in Sicily 2023
Palermo, PA, Italy
12 reviews
Sep 20 - 27, 2023
Group size: 1 - 12
About this trip
Delight in hands-on cooking classes, wine tastings of Sicily’s outstanding vintages, and interaction with locals. You’ll learn time-tested recipes of traditional Sicilian dishes while relishing the beauty and enchantment of central and western Sicily’s UNESCO sites and hidden communities. We’ll savor moments in Palermo’s vibrant markets, among the trees at an organic olive farm, with singing sheep at a family-run dairy (mmm… fresh ricotta!), and by getting our hands in the dough with home-schooled mammas and trained chefs. Co-hosted by chef Antonino Elia of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, you’ll be entertained while having the peace of mind that we’ve taken care of all the details.
Ask us about our Eastern Sicily prelude tour that starts on September 16!
Stirring Sicily Highlights
- Delight in hands-on cooking classes of time-tested Sicilian dishes with home-schooled mammas and trained chefs
- Drink in the winemaking process among the vines at a sun-kissed vineyard in the Alcamo wine region
- Be enchanted by UNESCO sites Valley of the Temples and Palermo’s Arab-Norman patrimony
- Feel the wind in your hair on the Tyrrhenian Sea during a breathtaking boat excursion
- Sing with the fish mongers’ choruses heard in Palermo’s vibrant markets
- Savor the ambrosia of a family-run sheep farm and barbecue freshly made sausage in the forest
- Laugh with the locals of Western Sicily and your fellow travelers
- Enjoy peace of mind because we’ve taken care of all the details
What's Included?
Land only.
8 days, 7 nights.
Includes everything but one dinner (Includes seven breakfasts, six lunches, and six dinners.).
Eastern Sicily Prelude
Add the Eastern Sicily prelude for an additional $1,900. Land only. 5 days, 4 nights. Includes everything but four breakfasts, four lunches and one dinner. See here for details.
Available Packages
Available options
Your Organizer
Experience Sicily
12 reviews
Experience Sicily is a boutique tour operator based in the United States with an office in Palermo, Sicily. Together with her Sicilian cousins and deep network of local contacts, Owner and Curator Allison Scola specializes in experiential travel in Sicily through leading small-group tours of Sicily and custom Sicily itinerary planning.
Sicily is our passion. We want to share it with you. Let’s Experience Sicily together!
Reviews
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Experience Sicily's Enchanting Sicily 2024 tour was one of the most delightful vacations my wife and I have ever had. Every day we experienced something new. We marveled at the beauty and diversity of Sicily. Our tour leader Allison attended to every detail. The tour bus driver was not only an excellent driver, but also warm, personable, and fun-loving with us. Every hotel was comfortable and well-located, with friendly, responsive, helpful staff. The various activities and the tour guides who led us through them were engaging and knowledgeable. Their enthusiasm for what they were sharing about the site, museum, place, art, music, food, or wine greatly enhanced the experience. We especially appreciated the visits to out-of-the way places, to take in life in the countryside or enjoy one of the best cannoli on the island. We will be forever grateful to Allison, for joyfully sharing her love of Sicily and inviting us to discover its fascinating history, amazing beauty, and wonderful people through her discerning, playful eyes. We are excited about returning to Sicily and will look to Experience Sicily to plan our future visits.
By Peter M for Enchanting Sicily 2024 on Jun 23, 2024
The trip of a lifetime! Siciliy is so beautiful with centuries of a multi-cultural history and of course amazing food everywhere. Being on an escorted tour made the planning so simple and so perfect. You need local detailed knowledge to know where to go, when to go and how to get there. When someone else is driving we have the opportunity to stare out the window and enjoy the countryside.
As one who has often planned trips and events, I so enjoyed giving up that responsibility and letting Allison and her team steer the ship. Every detail is thoroughly thought out including restroom breaks on travel days, luggage handling, meal planning and hiring local English-speaking guides almost every single day.
The accommodations were all perfectly situated so we could enjoy the town we were in. The few meals on our own were all in easy walking distance from the hotel.
I also enjoyed the variety of activities from ritual bread making, to walking on an active volcano, to seeing an Ancient Greek play in an ancient Greek theater, to a disco dance party on a boat! We toured museums, churches, stopped for scenic overlooks, tasted fresh sheep milk cheeses and enjoyed amazing cannoli too!
I cannot recommend this enough!!! Allison is the best!
By Philip C for Enchanting Sicily 2024 on Jun 19, 2024
"Enchanting Sicily: A Journey Through Time and Culture"
★★★★★
My experience with Enchanting Sicily's 14-day, 13-night tour was nothing short of extraordinary. From the moment I arrived in the picturesque town of Taormina for the optional pre-tour stay, I knew I was in for a treat. The breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea combined with the charm of the cobblestone streets set the perfect tone for what was to come.
Throughout the tour, I was taken on a captivating journey through Sicily's rich history and vibrant culture. The itinerary was thoughtfully curated to include off-the-beaten-path towns, allowing me to truly immerse myself in the local way of life. Interacting with locals provided invaluable insights into Sicilian traditions and customs, making each encounter a memorable experience.
One of the highlights was attending a world-class performance of a classic Greek play in Siracusa's Ancient Greek theater. The combination of ancient architecture and timeless storytelling created a truly magical atmosphere that I will never forget.
The accommodations were top-notch, ranging from 4-star hotels to characteristic inns, each offering its own unique charm. And let's not forget the food! Dining at family-run trattorias introduced me to Sicily's diverse culinary scene, where every meal was a delightful journey of flavors and aromas.
Overall, Enchanting Sicily exceeded all my expectations. With its authentic experiences, vibrant flavors, and enchanting melodies, this tour truly captured the essence of Sicily's 3,000 years of human history. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a truly unforgettable travel experience.
By Michael G for Enchanting Sicily 2024 on Jun 11, 2024
Can’t wait to return to Sicily! Allison and Elizabeth coordinated a truly amazing trip for our large family! Rosa our tour guide was fantastic. She was so knowledgeable and she helped with everything we needed. We traveled throughout Sicily in style our driver was outstanding! We are so looking forward to a return trip!
By Samina S for Itinerary Specially Designed for Mirabella Family Heritage Tour on May 31, 2024
We had a great time on our visit to Sicily, everything went smoothly, and our tour guide Rosa (she is a gem) was knowledgeable and fun. Rosa filled us with so much information that some days it was hard to grasp it all, she knew about everything from ruins, to olives, cooking, volcanos and more! Our driver Alessandro was great, maneuvering our bus around the countryside and especially down the steep, narrow streets of the small towns we visited. Our accommodations were lovely, the food everywhere was delicious, amazing, and so much of it!! Our days were long, lots of walking but we got the chance to see a lot and experience all of Sicily. Especially enjoyed visiting Ferla, our grandfather's home and seeing where the Mirabella's came from. Rosa found Father Roberto in Ferla and he was very knowledgeable about our family background as it related to his church, he gave us a lot of information we did not know about and helped to round out our family tree. He showed us a couple of the churches and took us to the cemetery to show us our ancestors graves, he was so gracious.
Thank you to Allison for planning a trip we will never forget, for zooming with us and giving us numerous tips and advice from packing to what to expect once in Sicily, it was informative and helped to make our experience a pleasant one.
By Donna C for Itinerary Specially Designed for Mirabella Family Heritage Tour on May 26, 2024
Thank you, Donna, for having taken the time to write a review of your tour! On behalf of all of us at Experience Sicily, we are so pleased that you loved your experience and that you were able to connect so deeply with your heritage! It was a pleasure to have worked with all of you!
By Experience Sicily on May 27, 2024