Food & wine itinerary example in Sicily:
a 10 days tour through art, culture, food & wine
Criteria:
10 days
Whole Sicily
Arrival and departure: Catania / Palermo
2 adults
Transportation: car, motorbike
NOTE: the following itinerary is to be considered as a mere proposal and is obviously subject to changes as per client’s request (e.g. number of days and of hotel accommodations can be reduced or the tour may just focus on a specific area in Sicily)
Day 1: Arrival at Wine country stay Etna. Visit to Taormina and Castelmola. Check Winery Murgo (in Santa Venerina) if you wish to taste white and red wines from the Etna region. Dinner in Taormina with its breathtaking view on the Bay of Naxos and on Mt. Etna (restaurant selected by Italia Solaris). As an alternative: dinner at guest house.
Day 2: Excursion tour to Mt. Etna including sampling of local products such as honey, dried fruits and sweets. Visit to the winery Scilio (Linguaglossa) and tasting of local white wine variety “Nerello”. Dinner at Trecastagni to enjoy the best meat of the Etna region (restaurant selected by Italia Solaris). As an alternative: dinner at guest house.
Day 3: Arrival at Country hotel Noto. Visit to Siracusa including a cruise on the Ciane river with its ancient papyrus plants, a unique in Europe! Visit to the winery Pupillo (Siracusa) to sample the famous “Solacium”, a Moscato DOP wine. Visit to the Baroque treasure town, Noto (also a Unesco World Heritage site). Dinner in Noto or in Siracusa: try the typical “pasta alla norma” or the delicious fish ravioli (restaurants selected by Italia Solaris).
Day 4: Modica: The chocolate Baroque town (the oldest chocolate production site in Europe). The visit includes a tour in a chocolate factory and in a Sicilian traditional pastry laboratory. Visit to the winery Quetzal for some fine wine tasting. Visit to Ragusa Ibla and to the castle of Donnafugata. Dinner at guest house.
Day 5: Drive to the Sea residence Eraclea Minoa. Visit to the Valley of the temples and the Turkish staircase (Scala dei Turchi). Check the cooking classes at the guest house; as an alternative suggestion, sample a traditional Sicilian meat dinner in Agrigento (restaurant selected by Italia Solaris).
Day 6: Drive to the Wine resort South-West. Visit to the Temples in Selinunte (the largest archaeological site in Europe) and the Cave di Cusa. Have a stroll in Sciacca and try ice cream there (ice cream parlor selected by Italia Solaris – one of the best in Sicily). Visit the wine cellars in the Relais and enjoy a special wine tasting experience in-house. Visit to a local dairy factory with sampling of local dairy products. Dinner at the relais with fresh homemade maccheroni. As an alternative option: cooking classes (including dinner) at the relais.
Day 7: Drive to the Winery & resort Marsala or to the Sea view country house Scopello. Visit to Mazara del Vallo. Wine tasting at the famous Cantine Florio in Marsala (where Marsala wine was first produced). In the afternoon, visit to Erice; best at sunset, the salt pans in Trapani. Fish and cous-cous dinner in Trapani (restaurant selected by Italia Solaris).
Day 8: Drive to the Luxury winery & resort Castelbuono. Visit to Cefalù. Wine tasting of the Nero d’Avola “sensi inversi” at the Relais. Take a stroll in Castelbuono and have dinner with sampling of local products such as artichokes, asparagus and fennel (restaurant selected by Italia Solaris). As an alternative: dinner at the Relais.
Day 9: Drive to the B&B Palermo city centre. Enjoy a guided tour of Palermo. For lunch try the best Sicilian arancini (rice balls) and enjoy a glorious Cassata as a dessert (bars selected by Italia Solaris). In the afternoon, visit the cathedral in Monreale. Enjoy a “pasta con le sarde” dinner in Palermo (restaurant selected by Italia Solaris).
Day 10: Departure from Palermo Falcone Borsellino airport