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Tour Features
Sicily, the biggest island in the Mediterranean, is a melting pot of cultures, where Greek and Asian influences can be found in the architecture, in the ancient ruins from different civilizations, and in the unique cuisine.  It's a land where the earth spills fire from ancient volcanoes and the sun warms the emerald waters of the Mediterranean sea. It's a region of archeological wonders, marvelous baroque town and rich ancient traditions.  But Sicily is not only a place of extraordinary monuments, enchantingly beautiful scenery and beautiful towns, it is also a land that offers an incredible variety of excellent vintages, ancient cellars and vineyards, typical dishes and traditional foods rediscovered in their original style.

Slow Food Presidia and other Recommended Products:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil of Trapani
• excellent wines and champagnes of the Mount Etna vineyards
• Manna and the traditional pastries and desserts of the Madonie Park Area
• Polizzi Badda bean
• Madonie Provola cheese

Points of Interest:

• Erice - magnificent medieval city
• Agrigento - Valley of Temples
• Ragusa Ibla - UNESCO World Heritage with Sicilian baroque architecture
• Modica - ancient capital of the country
• Syracuse - one of the most important and strategic political centers in ancient Greece, with the archeological park and the ancient heart of the old city - Ortigia Island
• Taormina - small town home to the oldest cinema festival in the world
• Polizzi Generosa - medieval city with an extraordinary collection of Norman artifacts
• Madonie Park - a nature reserve but also an area with dozens of old villages, castles, ancient churches and the Environmental Museum
• Palermo - the majestic Sicilian regional capital, with ancient theaters and public buildings, the characteristic streets and Vucciria market

 

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1) Arrival
Arrival at Palermo airport, collect your car and transfer to the hotel Baglio Conca d’Oro in Borgo Molara, near Palermo. Time to settle in, and welcome dinner dedicated to the products of the Slow Food Presidia of Sicily, hosted by the Trattoria Piccolo Napoli. Overnight.

Day 2) Erice, Marsala
Departure for Erice, a magnificent medieval city in a spectacular setting. Walk through the streets of the center of the town and visit the Pasticceria Maria Grammatico, an old pastry shop that offers recipes from the Antico Convento. Try some of the typical local delights such as almond pastries filled with candied lemon, Cannoli, Zibbibo (local wine) and the famous “brutti ma buoni” (“ugly but tasty”) biscuits. Arrive in Marsala, the city renowned for its production of the wine of the same name. Stroll through the center of the old town and sample some of the traditional local recipes and of course the Marsala wine for dinner at the Osteria Il Gallo e l’Innamorata. Return to the hotel and overnight.

Day 3) Agrigento
Departure for Agrigento for visit of the old city. Lunch at the typical Trattoria Caico in the downtown. In the afternoon a guided tour of the amazing Valley of the Temples, testament to the ancient Greek civilization in Sicily. Departure for the hotel near Syracuse and overnight.

Day 4) Ragusa, Modica, Syracuse
We suggest: departure for Ragusa to visit the city built in a region that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its Sicilian style baroque architecture. The city is divided into two parts: the old city (called Ibla) and the new city. Having admired the wonderful architecture of Ibla, sample some of the typical dishes from the land and the sea accompanied by local wines at the Trattoria Cucina e Vino (lunch). We suggest: before to return to Siracusa, to visit Modica, the ancient capital of the county which once again is full of amazing examples of architecture that pay homage to the old Sicilian baroque style. A stop to the old pastry shop, the Antica Pasticceria Bonajuto, where the Ruta family is famous for its chocolate. Departure for Syracuse and a dinner – in the historical town center of Ortigia – of some traditional dishes and local wines at the Trattoria Vite e Vitello. Overnight.

Day 5) Syracuse, Mount Etna, Taormina
We suggest a tour of the city, one of the most important and strategic political centers in ancient Greece, visit the archaeological park and walk around the heart of the old city – Ortigia. Departure for Taormina, stopping on route to visit the Azienda del San Michele of the Baron Emanuele Scammacca del Murgo, where the prestigious wines and champagnes, V.S.Q. and Metodo Classico are produced, a real find in terms of wines from Etna. There will be a tasting accompanied by local produce. Spend the night in Taormina.

Day 6) Madonie Park, Polizzi Generosa
Departure for Polizzi Generosa, a small medieval town with an extraordinary collection of Norman artifacts, located in the Madonie Park. Lunch based on the local Madonie cuisine at the Trattoria Itria. After lunch visit La Manna Farmhouse. and hear the extraordinary story of how the ancient pastries and desserts were prepared with the Manna (Slow Food Presidium), accompanied by some samplings. We suggest: before leaving, visit to the Museo Ambientalistico Madonita (Environmental Museum). Transfer to the hotel near Palermo and overnight.

Day 7) Palermo
We suggest: in the morning to visit the famous old Vucciria Market, in the ancient heart of this thriving city, for a talk on the products that can be seen on the market stalls, including the fresh fruit and vegetables that are in season. Lunch enjoying the main traditional local recipes at the Trattoria Primavera. Free time to stroll around the streets in the center of the city. We suggest: to try the pastries at the Pasticceria Scimone, one of the oldest in the city that sells the famous cannoli, babà and lots more, and a visit to the Bottega dei Sapori and the Saperi della Legalità di Libera shop that sells the produce cultivated on lands confiscated from the Mafia, such as legumes, preserves and wines. Return to the hotel and overnight.

Day 8) Departure
Departure for the Palermo airport.

 

Hotels

Hotel Baglio Conca d’Oro 4* - Borgo Molara (Palermo)
At the foot of the ancient Norman town of Monreale, the Baglio Conca d'Oro Hotel rises among the ruins of an old 17th century paper mill located in the very old village of Pietra Molara. The village, with its paper mill and parish-church, dedicated to San Giuseppe, was founded in the 1740 by the President of Real Heritage, Sir Biagio De Spuches, who wanted to name it Terra del Giglio (lilium land) from his family coat of arms. The hotel has 27 rooms finely furnished in Sicilian '800 style; it offers private services and four indoor halls and an open air courtyard.

Hotel Il Podere 4* - Syracuse
A splendid farm surrounded by a 12,000 square meter estate of citrus and olive groves has found its hospitality vocation thanks to a careful renovation, a place where typically Sicilian ambiance blends with modern comforts to create charming rooms ideal for a vacation to discover Syracuse and the Baroque cities around it. The high walls form a large courtyard, overlooked by the public rooms. The rooms in the back overlook the large garden, which houses the wonderful pools. The originally austere nineteenth-century farm now welcomes guests to inviting rooms characterized by the tasteful elegance of the furniture and a careful eye for detail.

Grand Hotel Miramare 4* - Taormina
Built in 1922, the patrician villa of the Lo Turco family was already transformed into a hotel in 1926. There have been various conservation projects throughout the years, the last of which took place in 1992 in the form of extensive restoration work, which maintained the antique charm of a residence out of another era and respected the style of both the villa and the furnishing of the rooms, while at the same time adding all the comforts required for an elegant and relaxing vacation: restaurant with a panoramic view, bar, grill, swimming pool and tennis courts.

*if the hotel is unavailable, a similar one will be provided

Car Rental

Car included in the tour price:
Group C (Category Small & Compact) - FIAT Punto EVO 1.2cc or similar

The rental includes:

• Unlimited mileage
• Collision damage waiver
• Theft protection
• Airport fee
• Road tax
• Railway fee
• One way rental fee (drop-off in a destination different from that of the pick-up)
• Administration costs
• VAT

Additional Options:

• GPS Navigator
• Baby seat
• Booster cushion
• Additional driver fee

Maggiore Rent A Car Locations:

• Palermo Falcone E Borsellino P. Raisi Airport
• Palermo Downtown : Railway Station Notarbartolo Passaggio Pedonale

CALL: 1-800-ITALY-25 to book your Sicily Fly & Drive Culinary Vacation today!