An eclectic mix of Italian, Spanish and Greek influences, the Sicilian kitchen reflects the warm sunny climate and bold spirit of its people. Chefs celebrate the specialties of Sicilian cuisine. Our menus include fresh sheep's ricotta, fettuccine with cream & lemon zest and grilled calamari paired with tomatoes, capers and olives. Biking to open air markets, watching the catch hauled in, or plucking oranges from the trees, we are immersed into the hearty specialties of the area. Highlights of our week include:
- Bike to an open air market brimming with purple artichokes, prickly pears and pomegranates. Later, stop by a wood-fired oven as the women pull out freshly baked sesame bread;
- A late night visit to the local fish market to select our calamari, amberjack and sea bass straight from the fishing boats;
- An afternoon in the kitchen to prepare antipasti siciliani:caponata, fennel & orange salad, peperonata and smoked eggplant;
- A visit by boat to Salina, where we picnic at an island home and tour a family vineyard for the best sweet Malvasia wine and salty island-grown capers. A morning in the kitchen with Donna Teresa, a Sicilian mother who teaches us her secrets to making hand-rolled maccheroni and involtini;
- Our tour begins on the volcanic islands of Lipari, Vulcano and Salina. We hike upto the crater in Vulcano and cruise by private boat to the village where Il Postino was filmed. Next, we visit the stylish resort town of Taormina and secluded villages along the base of Mt. Etna.
Accommodation:
Hotels include Villa Meligunis, a 4 star property in Lipari, and Grand Hotel Timeo, a magnificent 5 star property in Taormina.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price includes:
Meals - All breakfasts, all dinners but 2; picnic lunch;
Hotels - Beautiful 4 and 5 star villas.
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