In this 7-night itinerary you’ll explore Sicily from the coast to the interior and get the sense of the agricultural soul of this island. You’ll stay in exclusive hotels and spend three days in the most authentic Sicily learning to cook Sicilian style at one of the island’s premier wine resorts.
Taking in the classical perfection of the Greek temples and soaking up the sun in Taormina you’ll will get a real taste of this unique island which is everything you expect from Italy – just more spicy!
WELCOME TO VERDURA RESORT
After landing in Palermo you’ll be picked up by our driver and travel to the south coast of Sicily. Two days to wind down and leave behind the everyday hustle. Enjoy the beach and the huge spa, linger poolside and when you feel refreshed, take a guided hike along the coast or bike to a winery. Go out in the evening to soak up the atmosphere of Sciacca and dine on superb fresh fish caught by local fishermen.
3 MEMORABLE DAYS IN REGALEALI
On day 3 travel along the coast to Agrigento where your guide will show you around the amazing Greek temples of the Valley of the Temples, scattered about in a huge park of olive and almond trees. We’ll set a picnic for you in this unique setting where nature, history and beauty have been living together for over 2,500 years.
You’ll leave the coast and take the route to the inner countryside. Your home for the next 3 days will be the estate of the Tasca d’Almerita family, producers of top-rated wines.
You’ll be surrounded by vineyards, a huge wheat plantation, almond and olive groves. Greeted in the beautiful courtyard with an aperitivo, enjoy every single minute of your stay in this aristocratic country home with its unique insight into Sicilian wine, history and tradition.
From breakfast to dinner in the beautiful dining room, here you’re like family and the home cook will prepare you the most authentic Sicilian food of your trip.
The huge estate is also home to the renowned Anna Tasca Cooking School, a magical place and guardian of agricultural and culinary traditions that attract people from all over the world to remote central Sicily. Your class menu will be dictated by the season and there’s always something fantastic to do down there, like preparing tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes that fill the whole courtyard in August.
After lunch, linger poolside with your book or explore the estate. 20 km of trails in the 500 hectares of the farm crossing vineyards, water basins, lakes and forest make it a wonderful place for a walk or a bike ride. And your sommelier will easily turn into a tractor driver to take you around the vineyards.
TAORMINA
It’s time to say your goodbyes to your hosts and head east towards Taormina. But before you settle down in the famed Taormina, we‘ve arranged a stop you can’t miss in Catania. The Piscaria fish market is as old as the city itself and it’s definitely the most vibrant in Sicily. You’ll taste the freshest fish at the fishmongers, the best “arancini” of your life and quite a lot of good food as you move deeper in the market with your guide to backstreets and secret places as an underground lava tunnel. If you can make it there’s still the granita with brioche and the “minnuzza di Sant’Agata” as dessert.
If there is one place in Sicily that embodies the good life, it’s Taormina.
Enjoy leisurely days in one of the most beloved Italian towns, with its charming history, a stunning Greek theatre, unique panoramas and cute boutiques, cafès and restaurants.
On your second day, you should have already choosen your own Taormina, the glamorous and wordly one, the authentic and traditional one, or the romantic one with the most breathtaking of views. The secret is that Taormina is all of them.
You must have seen it, as Her Majesty Etna (3,340m) covers 459 square miles and it is visible from 200 km away. Now it’s time to embark on your 4WD adventure on the most active stratovolcano in the world. We‘ve just said “her”… yes we call it Mamma Etna and you’ll discover why. You’ll traverse spectacular landscapes as you make your way through the lava fields and the craters of ancient and recent eruptions. Your guide will give you some great insights about this volcano which dominates local life, brings ash and sometimes destruction but also enriches the soil and gives a unique terroir producing some of the most unique wines in Italy. Let’s taste them over lunch in a lovely small winery with a gorgeous terrace.
You will have had some excellent food experiences so far and expectations will be high by now. Be assured this very winery will be a grand finale.
The present itinerary and the suggested accommodation are just examples to give you an idea of what your customised trip may look like. Get in touch to design together your very own trip to Sicily.
when to go
Apr-Nov
transport style
Private Driver / Self-drive
length
7 nights
with WHOM
Couple/Family
where will you stay
ROCCO FORTE VERDURA GOLF & SPA RESORT
We think this is the perfect resort to get away from it all and get into the right Sicilian holiday rhythm. Set on 230 hectares of olive and orange groves and with nearly two kilometres of private Mediterranean coastline, the Verdura Resort offers a world-class spa, a 60-metre infinity pool, three Kyle Phillips golf courses and six clay tennis courts. You’ll choose among a seafood restaurant on the beach, a trattoria-style restaurant for excellent pizzas, a pool bar, a clubhouse bar for a light golfing lunch while the Zagara restaurant features a authentic Mediterranean cuisine.
TASCA D’ALMERITA REGALEALI ESTATE
There are special places where elegance is effortless and where hospitality and conviviality are like a natural gift. Just nine country style rooms are clustered around the beautiful courtyard where at its center the great Magnolia tree has welcomed people for centuries. From breakfast to dinner in the beautiful dining room, here you’re like family and the home cook will prepare you the most authentic Sicilian food of your trip.
TAORMINA, VILLA CARLOTTA
There’s no lack of charming hotels in Taormina but Villa Carlotta has that extra something. It is an independent luxury boutique hotel with character besides having a unique view! The mini suite deluxe has a gorgeous private terrace overlooking the sea while the luxury family apartement sleeps up to five people in one of Taormina’s premium locations.
About CULTURAL DISCOVERY Way of Travel
This is all about diving into Sicily’s lifestyle with lots of immersive cultural experiences and time with the locals. Get ready to explore so many Sicilies.
"So many Sicilies, why? Because, over the centuries, Sicily has had the fate of being the hinge between the great Western culture and the temptations of the desert and the sun, between reason and magic, and between the mildness of sentiment and the heat of passion.” (G. Bufalino)
