About the location: Beyond the tastes of Sicily, this journey ventures inside the soul of the island,
delving into its history and culture. All week you are introduced to an insider’s
experience of Sicily as you visit small hill towns, taste special menus or explore local places.
In addition to offering top cooking programs with world-famous chefs, you are
invited to meet home cooks, shepherds, cheese makers and
others who will share their secrets
and philosophies of cooking and living, as well as their dreams.
Your accommodations for the week will be a
charming three-star, family-run hotel nestled in the dramatic landscape
overlooking the Mediterranean and lemon groves, and is just a short drive from
the Baroque town of Noto (a UNESCO world heritage site as well as a nature reserve).
The area is known for Sicilian almonds and Italy’s best pastry shops. Colors, light
and atmosphere are warm like the Sicilian sun and you enjoy sweeping views of the
countryside (and a glimpse of shepherds too sometimes) from the terrazzo.
The friendly Sicilian staff will make you feel right at home
at this Mediterranean oasis with unforgettable views. All rooms have a
private bathroom, TV, mini-bar, telephone, private safe and hairdryer.
Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool (overlooking the countryside)
and bikes that you can borrow to explore the area. Archeological areas
and a private beach are just minutes away. Olive groves in front of the
hotel welcome you each day. Superior rooms (limited, but available upon request)
come with canopy beds and plush robes for the week.
About the cooking demonstrations: Renée Restivo’s passion for Italian regional food led her to be selected
as TV Chef for the introduction of the Italian classic cookbook, The Silver Spoon.
Restivo worked for several years as a chef instructor at a cooking school
in Tuscany before heading to Sicily to launch her authentic culinary adventures.
The Restivo family owns a farm in southern Sicily with heirloom vineyards
located just minutes from the Greek Temples. Renée collaborates with an Italian painter
(and excellent cook!) who
shares her deep passion for Sicilian food, land, art and culture. Together,
they lead you to taste some of the Mediterranean’s most incredible flavors
and envelop you in authentic daily Sicilian life for a week. Your demonstrations will be with
local food artisans who are experts in their craft. This is a unique
opportunity to see Sicily through the eyes of Italian artists, chefs and farmers
who will help you discover the recipes and the deep soul of Sicily.
Sicily, the Mediterranean’s largest island, boasts some
of Italy’s most pristine countryside, important archeological sites, stunning nature
reserves and parks. You learn all about the fascinating history of this island,
where Africa meets Europe, where eastern and western civilization began to mingle centuries
ago and where the Ancient Greeks worshipped the gods and built great temples and theaters.
Your itinerary begins with exploring small, ancient villages rich
in Sicilian tradition that is rooted in 3000 years of mixed and layered civilizations,
from the Bronze Age to the Greek and Romans to Arabian traces still found in recipes, to
the Spanish baroque-style towns of Noto, Ragusa Ibla and Modica.
The Soul of Sicily
Noto, Sicily
Itinerary
(A typical itinerary follows, but may change depending on the season.)
Day One - Saturday
- Arrive in the late afternoon where you are welcomed with an aperitivo in
the traditional palmento (a place where grapes were once stored before wine making).
- Settle into your accommodations (you are able to upgrade to the superior room, featured on the left).
- Time for your welcome dinner — filled with local specialties, accompanied
by red wine.
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Day Two - Sunday
- After a relaxing breakfast, head to the archeological area of
Noto Antica to discover the history of this corner of the island.
- After lunch, indulge in a professional dessert tasting and lecture led by a world famous pastry master.
Discuss and taste gelato,
granita and dolci Siciliani.
- Return to the hotel; you have the option to enjoy dinner prepared by Chef Giuseppe at the hotel or on your own.
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Day Three - Monday
- After breakfast, depart for the Sicilian countryside to visit
a small, yet important town filled with history of the contadino (farmer).
- Enjoy a Sicilian lunch prepared by one of the area’s most talented
young chefs, who is a genius at finding the perfect balance between the traditional and the modern in his menu.
Taste and learn about rare ingredients from the mountains of Sicily during an
interesting discussion between Renée and the chef.
- Stop at an archaeological site before your
evening dinner at a typical Sicilian pizzeria.
- Return to hotel and overnight.
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Day Four - Tuesday
- Breakfast is enjoyed overlooking the countryside.
- Depart for a visit to the ancient town of Ragusa, famous for both its architecture
and the production of Sicily’s prized cheese, caciocavallo ragusano.
- Following, enjoy a professional wine and cheese tasting where you will
learn about the regional wines and cheeses of Sicily, observing
the entire cheese making process.
- In the afternoon, enjoy a cooking demonstration with Sicilian ladies whose personalities
are described by one word – peperoncino, spicy hot peppers!
- They make you laugh as they work their magic with bread dough, creating true works of
art for sacred feasts characteristic only of Sicily. Learn how to make hand-made ravioli and sfoglia di ricotta,
which you will enjoy for lunch.
- Following, drive to Modica to delve into its famous chocolate
and enjoy some shopping before returning to the hotel.
- Dinner on your own and overnight.
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Day Five - Wednesday
- Breakfast.
- Sicilians are very improvisational in nature, and we want you to experience Sicily their way...so this day
is a surprise!
- You may visit a boutique winery owned by Renée's close friends, learn about local food production and recipes,
or indulge in a special tasting!
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Day Six - Thursday
- After breakfast, you have a few hours to linger in the lemon and olive groves by the sea in the morning.
- Today you are invited inside a private liberty-style villa for a special lesson
about herbs and traditional home-cooking.
- Visit the herb garden, filled with fragrant lavender and thyme, and enjoy the incredible views
paired with stories and legends of this special place, which was once the home of a Sicilian poet.
- After sampling the flavors of Sicily, time at leisure until dessert is served.
- Dinner on your own and overnight.
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Day Seven - Friday
- Following breakfast, depart for the vibrant market of Ortigia and the beautiful city of Siracusa.
You will have time to shop for food, fashion and Sicilian crafts before lunch and a guided visit to the
archaeological park and museum.
- As you explore the ancient capital town of Magna Grecia,
discover how the Greeks left their everlasting classical imprint on the island’s culture, archeology, food and wine.
- Return to the hotel for your farewell dinner party with all your new friends.
- Overnight.
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Day Eight - Saturday
- Breakfast followed by departure. Arrivaderci!
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US$3460 per person based on double occupancy
US$500 single supplement
US$300 upgrade to superior room
Please note: this program requires a US$1000 per person deposit
and final payment is due 4 months prior to the start of program.
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2008 Tour Dates
May 24-31 (Wild Mediterranean Herbs)
September 13–20 (Sicilian Wine Week)
October 11–18 (Sicilian Olive Harvest)
October 18–25 (Sicilian Olive Harvest)
Small private group experiences during the 2nd, 3rd and 4th week of June.
Prices and details available upon request.
Any other date available upon request for a minimum of four.
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Included in the program:
Seven nights accommodations at a three-star hotel
All land transportation
Daily breakfast
Six lunches or dinners, wine included
Three cooking demonstrations (please note that these are not hands-on demonstrations)
All tastings as per itinerary
All excursions, museum fees and walking tours
All visits to local markets, food shops and vineyards
Taxes
Arrival transfers from Catania airport around 2:00 p.m.
Return transfer to Catania airport around 9:00 a.m.
Please note: The program may be altered slightly due to weather and opening and closing time of establishments.
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Cooking Vacations 
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