Cook with a cookbook author · Sicily
Eastern Sicily with Elizabeth Minchilli
Elizabeth Minchilli leads a seven-day, six-night food trip from Ortigia, March 21-27, 2027 (sold out, waitlist). It mixes markets, a cooking class, Baroque towns, almond and olive oil farms, a water-powered flour mill and a grain farm.
Ask us about this trip →Free to ask. We confirm dates, availability and price before you commit to anything.
What you will do
- Ortigia fish and vegetable market with salumeria tasting, then a hands-on cooking class
- Noto's Baroque center and an almond farm with a cookie lesson
- Water-powered flour mill under Ragusa and making scacce
- Day at Giuseppe's heritage-grain farm
- Neapolis Archaeological Park
- Family olive oil estate tasting and lunch
- Farewell seafood dinner in Ortigia
Before you go
Eat the region first, then cook it. Everything here is free and saves to your trip.
Who leads it
Elizabeth Minchilli
Writes about Italian life and has authored nine books on Italy, including Eating Rome. She has led Via Rosa food trips since 2011.
Luca Di Giacomo
Born in Augusta, Sicily; explores the island's history, landscapes and crafts.
Alessandro
Leads the walking tours; no surname published.
Day by day
- Day 1Arrival and welcomeCheck in at Hotel Gutkowski (welcome gift and Ortigia guide), welcome drink with Elizabeth, dinner at a contemporary Sicilian bistro.
- Day 2Market, cooking and OrtigiaMarket walk with a tasting at a salumeria, cooking class and lunch of what you cook, then a walking tour of Ortigia's churches and aperitivo. Dinner on your own.
- Day 3Noto and almondsMorning in Baroque Noto, then an almond farm in the Val di Noto with almond milk, a grove walk, cookie lesson and lunch. Dinner on your own.
- Day 4Ragusa and ancient grainsRock-cut, water-powered mill, make scacce with fresh flour, sample sfince, then walk Ragusa Ibla. Dinner on your own.
- Day 5Giuseppe's farmDrive into the Hyblaean Mountains for a day on a biodiverse farm, seeing grain become pasta and bread, with a long lunch and local wines.
- Day 6Ruins and olive oilNeapolis archaeological park, then a family olive oil estate with a tasting and lunch built around the oil. Free afternoon, farewell seafood dinner.
- Day 7DepartureCheck out; the trip ends.
Itineraries can shift with weather, season and host availability.
What is included
Included
- 6 nights at Hotel Gutkowski, Ortigia
- Daily hotel breakfast
- Listed meals and activities
- All transportation during the tour
- Coupon for dinner at the hotel restaurant Gutkowskino
- Gratuities
Not included
- Transportation to and from Italy
- Transportation to and from the airport/hotel
- Some dinners (Days 2-5 on your own)
Practical details
- Where you base
- Ortigia, Siracusa (Hotel Gutkowski), with day trips to Noto, Ragusa and the Hyblaean Mountains
- Where you stay
- Hotel Gutkowski, a small family-run 3-star boutique hotel steps from the sea in Ortigia.
- Group size
- Maximum 12 guests
- Pace
- Steady; a new town each day, an hour or more of walking, sometimes hills, stairs and uneven ground. Guests must keep up unaided.
- Arrival and departure
- Hotel Gutkowski, Ortigia on Day 1; checkout Day 7. No time or airport meeting point published.
- Who it suits
- Adventurous eaters who like long farm lunches, Baroque towns and slow rural days with Elizabeth.
Good to know
- Many dishes contain gluten, fish, meat and cheese; restrictions are fed but guests may miss parts of the experience
- Not ideal for small appetites or selective eaters
- Itinerary may change; update sent within 30 days
Dates and prices
EUR 6,900 per person double; EUR 7,600 single (EUR 700 supplement). Land only.
More trips in Sicily
Trip details are compiled from the published information of Via Rosa (Via Rosa Italy), who runs this trip. Dates, prices and availability change; we reconfirm everything with you before you commit.
Chef Amazing · Will Travel for Food · 250 food markets · The Best 100