Cooking week · Sicily

Sicily, The Motherland - Wine, Cooking, Culture & Adventure

WhereSicily, Italy

Length11 nights

Next departureApr 6–17, 2027

Price$9,495 per person (early bird $8,295), land only

GroupSmall group

StyleCooking week

Run byCulture Discovery Vacations

A 12-day, 11-night coast-to-coast small-group journey across Sicily, from Mount Etna in the east to Palermo in the west. Days mix cooking classes, producer visits, wine and sightseeing, with three different hotel bases so you wake up in very different parts of the island.

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What you will do

Off-road 4x4 trip up Mount Etna with a winery tasting
Cooking classes including arancini and pistachio treats, villa pasta lessons and a winery-terrace class
Ortigia island and the Baroque towns of Ragusa Ibla, Modica and Scicli
Chocolate-making in Modica and cheesemaking (Ragusano and ricotta) at a farm
Valley of the Temples in Agrigento
Sea-salt harvest at the Marsala salt flats and a sausage-making class
Evening at the Planeta winery and beach club, stay at a Planeta-owned wine-estate hotel
Walking food tour of Palermo's Ballaro market

Before you go

Eat the region first, then cook it. Everything here is free and saves to your trip.

The food of SicilyWhat to eat and drink, and where to start, region by region across Italy.The Best 100One hundred restaurant dishes with a home version to cook this week.

Who leads it

Silvia and Giuseppe

Owners/hosts of Tenuta Cammarana villa

Run the restored 19th-century estate where the group stays for four nights; Silvia prepares several of the meals.

Graziella

Chocolate maker, Modica

Leads the chocolate-making class.

Francesco and Giovanni Campo

Butchers, Valderice

Host the tasting and sausage-making class.

Antonio and family

Local hosts, Bronte

Host the pistachio-farm visit, cooking class and home dinner.

Day by day

Day 1
Arrive in Catania, settle in TaorminaFree shuttle from Catania airport to the hotel outside Taormina, then welcome aperitivi and a welcome dinner in town.
Day 2
Mount EtnaFour-wheel-drive excursion on the volcano, winery tasting and trattoria lunch, followed by a family-style Sicilian dinner in Giarre.
Day 3
Catania and BronteGuided walk through Catania (cathedral, Via Etnea, fish market), then an evening pistachio-farm visit in Bronte with a hands-on arancini and pistachio class and dinner in a local home.
Day 4
Siracusa to the Ragusa countrysideGuided visit of Ortigia, lunch in Siracusa, then move to the country villa near Donnafugata for a welcome dinner with your hosts.
Day 5
Villa cooking class and ScicliCook pasta, pork, vegetables and a ricotta pastry at the villa, then enjoy Scicli's evening stroll and an informal palazzo supper.
Day 6
Modica chocolate and scacciaChocolate-making class in Modica, casual lunch, then prepare scaccia Ragusana (stuffed flatbread) at the villa for a dinner with local guests.
Day 7
Cheesemaking and Ragusa IblaMake Ragusano and ricotta at a neighboring farm with a private lunch, then tour Ragusa Ibla and dine at a local trattoria.
Day 8
Agrigento and MenfiGuided visit to the Valley of the Temples and lunch, then check in at La Foresteria among the vineyards for a terrace welcome dinner.
Day 9
Ulmo winery and beach clubCooking class and terrace lunch at the Ulmo winery with a tasting, then an evening apericena at the Planeta beach club.
Day 10
Marsala salt flats and sausage makingWatch sea salt being harvested, taste at a butcher shop, take a sausage-making class, and have pizza on the beach in Menfi.
Day 11
PalermoWalking food tour through the Ballaro market with historical commentary, then a farewell dinner at La Foresteria.
Day 12
DepartureEarly shuttle to Palermo airport.

Itineraries can shift with weather, season and host availability.

What is included

Included

11 nights in three hotels (Taormina, Ragusa, Menfi)
29 meals: 10 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 11 dinners
Wine with scheduled lunches and dinners; gelato, espresso and some snacks
All cooking classes and food costs; apron
All day trips, excursions and entry fees
Luxury motor coach and airport transfers
Tips for local guides and restaurants
English-speaking host and guides

Not included

Airfare
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Alcohol beyond planned menus
Snacks/drinks between meals and meals not in the itinerary

Practical details

Where you base: Three bases: Taormina area (Borgo Etneo, 3 nights), Ragusa countryside near Donnafugata (Tenuta Cammarana, 4 nights), Menfi (La Foresteria, 4 nights); day visits to Etna, Catania, Siracusa, Modica, Agrigento, Marsala and Palermo
Where you stay: Three small hotels: Borgo Etneo (converted country villa near Taormina and Etna), Tenuta Cammarana (restored 19th-century estate with villa rooms among olive and carob trees), and La Foresteria (14-room Planeta wine-estate hotel with pool, Turkish bath and bikes). Double rooms, assigned in order of booking; daily housekeeping.
Group size: Small group
Pace: Full days with several stops; a 12-day itinerary with a hotel change roughly every 3-4 nights.
Arrival and departure: Arrive Catania airport (free shuttle on Day 1); depart from Palermo airport on Day 12.
Who it suits: Food-and-wine lovers who want to see the whole island, not just one town, and are happy to change hotels along the way.

Good to know

2027 departures: Apr 6-17, May 5-16, May 18-29, Sep 1-12, Sep 14-25, Oct 13-24
Itinerary may be reordered for weather, closures or festivals; menus may change seasonally
Ask the operator about dietary needs before booking.
Alumni discount of $200 available
Deposit (20%) due at booking, balance 90 days before departure; deposit refundable only if cancelled within 50 days of booking and more than 180 days before departure; later payments non-refundable; 'cancel for any reason' insurance strongly recommended.