Sicilian Cuisine, Culture & Country Life

Meet your guide in your hotel lobby this morning to visit Palermo and Monreale. You’ll be enchanted by Palermo’s wide boulevards, traditional Sicilian Old Quarter, and baroque palaces. You’ll see the city’s main sights, including Quattro Canti (the Four Corners), an extravagant baroque square ringed by four buildings with baroque sculptures that depict the Four Seasons, Spanish kings, and the patron saints of Palermo’s four old quarters. You’ll also see the twelfth-century Cathedral, which houses a pantheon of royal tombs. Afterwards, you will be taken to Palermo’s food market Il Capo, typical “par excellence”, full of color and folkloric. Here you will taste typical street food such as pani ca meusa, panelle, arancini....

Later you’ll discover the Arab-Norman splendor of the Monreale Cathedral. This treasure dates from the 12th century and shows the diverse architectural influences of both the Normans and the Arab population. At day's end, you'll be returned to your hotel in Palermo by private vehicle. At the end of the day you will be transferred to Regaleali, south east of Palermo.

Please let your Sales Advisor know if you would like to have any dinners included during your time in Palermo. There are lots of options from casual restaurants to ones of historical note such as the Osteria dei Vespri, where scenes of Visconti’s movie "The Leopard" were filmed.

Leave Palermo today for Agrigento. En route, you'll get to stop off at the Tasca D’Almerita Wine Estate in Regaleali. Tasca d'Almerita is one of the most important wine-producing estates in Sicily and is the most famous Sicilian cooking school. Fabrizia Tasca Lanza, a cooking teacher and cookbook author, will share her knowledge of local cuisine and its history with you today and you will learn how to prepare the caponata, arancini and cannoli with ricotta cheese at Casa Vecchie, in the middle of the vineyards.

Enjoy lunch at the Estate before exploring the countryside and enjoying the vineyards. Then depart for Agrigento to visit the beautiful Valley of the Temples, one of the most representative sites of Greek civilization in the Mediterranean area. In the company of a local guide, you'll get to visit the Temple of Hercules, the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Castor and Pollux, the wonderful Temple of Concord and finally the beautiful Garden of Kolymbetra. At days end you will be transfered to your accommodation in Agrigento.

Mandranova Estate has a long tradition of specialized cultivations which has been passed from one generation to the next. Today, after a reclamation and cultivation, 40 hectares are dedicated to olive trees, with extremely innovative cultivation, gathering and processing systems. This morning you will be privy to a private tour of the farm including its olive grove, and oil press. After learning the process of making quality olive oil, taste some of the best Extra virgin Olive Oil made on the island.

Enjoy lunch at the Mandranova Estate outside of Agrigento this afternoon.(beverages not included).

Consider taking a cooking lesson and enjoying the spoils in the Mandranova Estate. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you would like this organized for you during your stay.

Leave Agrigento today and relax on the drive to view the famed Roman mosaics housed in the third-century Villa del Casale where a  local guide will meet up with you. The mosaics are among the best preserved in the world, depicting scenes from everyday life. Scenes include children at play, and big game hunts showing some of the exotic African animals brought to Rome for gladiator games.

After your visit, you'll be transfered to Caltagirone whose ceramics are a symbol of Sicily. Spend some time at leisure if this is of interst as it has an evocative city center full of artisan shops. Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included) before being transfered to Siracusa this afternoon.

Meet with Mrs Fiora, a colorful local character to visit the fish and vegetable market and have an entertaining cooking class at her restaurant before sitting down to a great lunch which you have helped prepare!  

Fully sated, meet up with a local guide for a guided tour of Syracuse and Noto. Until the Arab conquest of 878, the Siracusa was the capital of Sicily. It was by far the most important city on the island. You will visit the Ear of Dyonisus, the Greek Theatre, the Altare di Ierone. Walk through the historical centre on the Ortigia Island to admire the Cathedral, constructed over the ancient Temple of Athena, the Aretusa fountain and the ancient streets. Then discover the historical centre of Noto, the capital of Baroque in Sicily, and a very beautiful town with amazing Baroque style palaces. In 1693 an earthquake totally destroyed the town and nowadays, the new Noto is a masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque architecture and is listed among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

Depart for Catania this morning in the comfort of your chauffeur driven vehicle.  In the company of your driver escort, you can visit its impressive Duomo and experience the city’s strong personality during at the "Pescheria", the daily fish and vegetable market.

Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included) before taking in the scenery as you are driven along the famous Cyclops Coast through Acireale, its most important town, and Acicastello, with its Medieval Norman Castle built in 1076 on a prehistoric basalt lava terrace. As you gaze out over the Ionian Sea, you’ll can admire the Rocks of the Cyclops, imposing, spiky shards of black lava that rises up from the water.

Get the most out of your time spent in Taormina, and in the company of a local Guide, visit the amazing Greek Theatre set on a hill overlooking the sea and the Duomo. The historical centre is rich in luxurious shops, so feel free to do some shopping before returning to your hotel. (includes entrances).

Every day is beach day in Taormina. Even during the winter months, you can enjoy water sports such as wind-surfing, sailing, fishing, scuba-diving, canoeing, and snorkeling. In some beautiful nearby villages, there are excellent Paragliding clubs for those looking for a little more adventure. Stroll on the beach today and enjoy some relaxation time. Take the time to enjoy a beach side lunch and to take some photos of the sunset.

Take a private transfer to Catania airport today in time for your onward journey. The transfer should take approximately 45 minutes.