Cooking and culture in Sicily

Description

We’ve got together with some of our preferred partners to create a unique Cooking & Culture in Sicily week for your own personal group of friends or family. Designed for groups of between 10-30 people, our local experts will introduce you to the best of Sicilian food, alongside fun and relaxed cookery classes and private guided tours to Cefalù, the Aeolian Islands and Mount Etna. In short, your very own exclusive fully-catered tour with your favourite people, and all the freedom of staying in a private luxury villa!

Cooking and culture in Sicily in The Press:
Suitcase Magazine - Jan 2022 >>

What’s included

The week-long experience can be taken at one of two villas, Villa Dionisio (for up to 10 guests) and Pizzo dell’Ovo (for 11-31 guests). Stay in hotel-style accommodation, with luxury en suite bedrooms and infinity pools, amidst the olive and oak tree-carpeted countryside of north east Sicily. In between activities, there are plenty of places to soak up the sun and marvel at the views over the magnificent Sanctuary of Tindari and Tyrrhenian coastline.

The programme:

Saturday: Arrival/transfer from either Palermo or Catania airport. Welcome aperitivo and dinner.

Sunday: ‘Welcome’ day, with time to relax by the pool. When the sun dips in the early evening, gather for the first cooking class. Learn about Sicily’s most important ingredients and how to make a selection of traditional starters, using freshly-picked home-grown vegetables. After dinner, local astronomy expert will lead you on a gentle exploratory journey via telescope while you relax under the starry night-time sky.

Monday: ‘Aeolian Flavours’. Private boat trip to the Aeolian Islands. We’ll stop for a dip close to Salina, before heading to the waterfront Da Alfredo restaurant for a lunchtime speciality, ‘pane cunzato’. Then on to Lipari and to Vulcano for another dip in the dazzling waters in the Grotta del Cavallo bay. Return to villa for dinner.

Tuesday: ‘Travel back in time’ in Tindari. Our second cookery class will focus on main meat dishes and vegetables and will take place at the excellent ‘Agavòs’ restaurant in Tindari, with stunning views over the bay. After lunch, we visit Tindari’s fascinating ancient Graeco-Roman sights, then return to the villa for some relaxation time before dinner.

Wednesday: ‘Etna vibes’. Full day excursion to Europe’s highest active volcano, including a thrilling 4x4 ride to the crater at 3000m, light lunch and visit to the crater. On our return, we enjoy a wine-tasting and dinner at the Antica Tindari restaurant and winery in Patti.

Thursday: ‘A taste of the Med’. Travel to the market at Milazzo with our chef to choose fish for the evening’s cookery class, before a visit to the magnificent castle and lighthouse. Return to villa for lunch followed by an afternoon at leisure. Our early evening fish-based cookery class takes place at the villa, followed by dinner.

Friday: ‘Sweet Sicily’. Learn more about the local production and uses of almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios on a visit to a family-owned producer of organic sweet treats. We continue on to Cefalù for a light lunch and stroll around the town. On our return, we stop by Castelbuono in the Madonie mountains, home to renowned panettone producers, Fiasconaro. Evening at the villa, with barbecue and live music.

Saturday: Transfer to airport after breakfast.

Price

Villa Dionisio (up to 10 guests) €24,000 per week.

Pizzo dell’Ovo (up to 20 guests) €44,000 per week.

Pizzo dell’Ovo (up to 30 guests) €60,000 per week.

Optional extras

Please ask us about our additional in-villa services, including yoga, aquagym, personal training, massage, beauty treatments and babysitting.