Transfer from the Palermo airport to your charming four star hotel. After checking in you are free to relax, with dinner on your own tonight.
Breakfast in hotel. This morning you will meet Chef Clemente who will take you on an adventure exploring one of Palermo’s historic markets (Il Capo, La Vucciria or Borgo Vecchio) where you will purchase all the ingredients necessary to prepare your meal. Along the way, you will also taste some of Palermo’s typical foods, such as “panelle” and “pane con la milza”. Then enjoy a hands-on cooking class in a classic Palermo restauarant followed by lunch.The dishes you've prepared will be served with just the right Sicilian wine, and dessert accompanied by local biscotti and Sicilian dessert wine.
After lunch you will visit the most important monuments of Palermo including Quattro Canti (the Four Corners), Palermo’s extravagant baroque square and the twelfth-century Cathedral of Palermo. Transfer to Monreale, where you’ll admire the Arab-Norman magnificence of the cathedral. This nearby treasure dates from the 12th century and shows the different architectural influences of both the Normans and the Arab population. Return to hotel and overnight stay.
Breakfast and departure for Segesta, ancient village in the western part of Sicily, to visit its magnificent Greek Theatre and Doric Temple, masterpieces of Greek architecture in Sicily. Transfer to Erice, a wonderful and mysterious medieval town made famous in ancient times as the birthplace of Venus. Walk through the cobblestoned streets of the town, smelling a variety of aromas wafting from the numerous pastry shops for which Erice is famous. Stop at the world famous pastry shop “Maria Grammatico”, where you will taste almond sweets, genovesi and nougat which go so well with local Marsala wine.
Lunch on your own. After lunch, visit of Donnafugata Winery, for a visit of the cellars and a wine tasting of their best wines. Come back to Palermo and overnight stay.
Depart for 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, the wonderful Temple of Concord and finally the beautiful Garden of Kolymbetra. Lunch on your own in Agrigento.
Transfer to Piazza Armerina where you’ll admire the extraordinary floor mosaics in the Roman Villa del Casale. The famed Roman mosaics housed in this third century villa 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. Accommodation in a charming farmhouse between Piazza Armerina and Caltagirone. Typical Sicilian food based on pasta, ricotta, salsiccia, local meat and vegetables. Dinner at the farm and overnight stay.
Breakfast at the farm and departure for Siracusa. Until the Arab conquest of 878, the city was the capital of Sicily. It was by far the most important city on the island. We 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. We suggest to lunch at the exclusive restaurant Don Camillo.
Transfer to your charming hotel in Taormina. Then walk 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. Dinner on your own. Back to the hotel and overnight stay.
Breakfast at hotel. Departure for Viagrande. During the tour you will admire the beautiful volcanic landscape of the biggest European volcano. You will meet Mrs Eleonora Consoli in her La Cucina del Sole (The Sun’s Kitchen). Eleonora has written several cookbooks on Sicilian gastronomy and she is an official expert on Sicilian cooking in the world. She will do a hand-on cooking class, teaching to the class several classic Sicilian dishes. Your lunch will be spent with Eleonora in her home.
During the afternoon, transfer to Tenuta San 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. You will visit the winery and taste their best wines as Etna Rosso, Etna Bianco and the extraordinary Murgo Brut. Return to Taormina and overnight stay
Breakfast and transfer to Catania airport for departure.
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