Sicily Cooking Vacations
The island of Sicily is an absolute treasure, and the site of our amazing gastronomic Sicily tour. Picture yourself experiencing authentic Italian life on our Sicilian cooking vacations while you explore the history, beauty, culture, food, and wine of Sicily!
Your 7-night luxury gastronomic Sicily food and wine tour will take you from the bustling city of Palermo, to charming medieval towns, to the slopes of Mount Etna. Our Sicilian culinary vacations include hands-on cooking classes and foodie excursions to complete your dream vacation in Sicily.
All of our private and luxury small group tours Sicily include some of the best food and wine Italy has to offer. Join us on this fantastic culinary trip and discover why Sicily is one of our best vacation destinations!
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Highlights of our Sicily Cooking Vacations
Our Sicily cooking vacations will show you the authentic side of the mysterious island. From Palermo to Taormina, you will experience the best of Sicily’s food, wine, and culture, including:
- Sicily cooking classes with three different chefs
- market visit in Palermo
- visits of Cefalù, Erice, the Valley of the Temples, Piazza Amerina, and more
- Marsala winery visit and tasting
- excursion to Siracusa
- meals as indicated
- and more!
Sicily Cooking Vacation Tour Itinerary
Day One
Sample itinerary: order of activities subject to change depending on season, weather, and specific dates booked.
- Arrival at Palermo airport.
- Transfer at pre-arranged time to Palermo city and check in to a charming four-star hotel.
- For those arriving early in the day, we can start your Sicily cooking vacation with an optional excursion. (Cost not included in program; please inquire for details).
- Dinner on your own and overnight.
Day Two
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Begin your food tour Palermo Sicily with your first hands-on cooking class. The Sicilian cooking class will start with a trip to one of Palermo’s historic and bustling markets. Once back in the restaurant with your fresh ingredients, the chef will teach you about creating typical Sicilian dishes, such as zucca all’agro or veal scaloppine with Marsala wine. Lunch to follow based on your efforts.
- In the afternoon your Sicily cooking vacation will lead you to Cefalù, a charming town that became prosperous when the Normans captured it in 1063. It was Roger II, King of Sicily, that began the construction of the present Cathedral with its remarkably fine mosaics of Byzantine art. The image of Christ Pantocrator in the apse and the rest of the mosaics in the first spaces between the arches of the choir are among the most beautiful in the world.
- Return to the hotel, dinner on your own, and overnight.
Day Three
- After breakfast, continue your Sicily gastronomic tour with a transfer to Erice. Erice is medieval town located at the top of a mountain. It is set 751 meters above sea level and overlooks the whole Western region, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Egadi Islands. Enjoy a walking tour of its characteristic historical centre.
- Lunch on your own in Erice.
- In the afternoon, depart for Marsala for Sicilian wine tasting tours in a local vineyard, where you will taste top-rated wines.
- Continue on to Agrigento, check in at the hotel.
- Dinner on your own.
- Overnight.
Day Four
- After breakfast in the hotel, your cooking vacation in Sicily continues with a visit of Agrigento.
- Experience a guided tour of the beautiful Valley of the Temples, one of the most representative sites of Greek civilization in the Mediterranean area. Visit the Temple of Hercules, Juno, Castor and Pollux as well as the wonderful Temple of Concord.
- Transfer to Piazza Armerina to visit an ancient Roman villa famous for its mosaics.
- Lunch on your own in Piazza Armerina.
- Continue on your Sicilian culinary trip by heading to the baroque town of Modica. Check in and time for dinner on your own.
- Overnight.
Day Five
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- In the morning, start your second half-day Sicily cooking lesson in a local restaurant, where you will learn how to prepare some of the most popular and essential local recipes. Lunch to follow based on your efforts.
- In the afternoon, your Sicily gastronomic tour continues with a visit of a 16th century Baglio (farmhouse) for food tastings of wine, olive oil, and cheese.
- End the day with a chocolate tasting on the way back to the hotel.
- Dinner on your own and overnight in Modica.
Day Six
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Depart for Siracusa, which during the Greek Age was one of the most powerful cities on the island. Your cooking holidays in Sicily continue with a visit of the archaeological zone of the Greek Theatre, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Ear of Dionysus, and the Latomie. Walk through the historical center on the Ortigia Island to admire the Cathedral, the Arethusa fountain and the ancient streets.
- Lunch at a local trattoria.
- In the afternoon, transfer to Taormina. Check in at the hotel.
- Dinner on your own and overnight in Taormina.
Day Seven
- Following breakfast, your Sicilian culinary trip will lead to you your last hands-on cooking lesson with a chef in Taormina at the Villa Britannia. All participants will help prepare the dishes for the meal. At the end of the cooking lesson, enjoy lunch.
- In the afternoon, time to explore Taormina on your own.
- Dinner on own and overnight in Taormina.
Day Eight
- Breakfast, and departure transfer to Catania airport.
Sicily Cooking Vacation Trip Details
Included in our 7-Night Sicily Cooking Holidays
Accommodations
7 nights accommodations in 4* superior hotels (2 in Palermo, 1 in Agrigento, 2 in Modica, and 2 in Taormina)
Food & Beverages
- Daily breakfast.
- 5 lunches (drinks not included)
- Food visits and tastings as per itinerary
Classes & Instructors
Your Sicilian cooking tour will include foodie visits to explore the local olive oil, chocolates, and wines of Sicily. And you will experience traditional Sicilian food first hand by making it in 3 hands-on cooking classes.
- Your first cooking lesson on our Sicilian cooking vacation takes place in Palermo, where you’ll visit the local bustling food market and then return to Chef Vincenzo’s kitchen to learn how to create traditional Sicilian dishes.
- The second class of your gastronomic Sicily tour is in a local Modica restaurant, where you’ll learn to prepare popular recipes in the region.
- The third hands-on cooking class in Sicily is in the beautiful town of Taormina.
Our cooking holidays in Sicily will show you the wonders of real Sicilian cuisine, which you can take home from your Sicilian culinary trip and replicate in your own kitchen!
Excursions
- Market visit in Palermo
- Excursion to Cefalù
- Visit of Erice
- Marsala winery visit and tasting
- Guided visit of the Valley of the Temples and Piazza Amerina (entrance fees paid locally)
- Visit of Siracusa
Transfer Details
- Arrival transfer from Palermo airport
- Return transfer to Catania airport
Miscellaneous
- Transportation by private car or minibus for the whole tour
Not Included
- Drinks during meals
- Entrance fees to archeological sites and museums
Country:
Italy
Region:
Sicily
Tour Dates:
Available any time on request for a minimum of two people, or join a week others have confirmed. Please review our complete pricing details.
7 Nights
Starting at
$4,290
Accommodation Information
Your accommodations in Palermo will be at the 4* Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa, located in the city center. The bedrooms have en suite private baths, safe, minibar, LCD TV, phone, and of course air conditioning. The hotel features a restaurant, bar, spa, and interior courtyard. (If unavailable a comparable 4* will be proposed.)
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In the area near Agrigento your stay will be at the charming, 7-room Relais Briuccia. Originally an aristocratic palace and converted into a B&B, the building also features a wonderful restaurant, a stone terrace, and a frescoed salon. The rooms are large and feature wrought iron bedsteads and four poster beds, marble tiled floors, beamed ceilings, and other interesting design features. The en suite bathrooms are separated from the bedrooms by curtained glass partitions. (If unavailable a comparable hotel will be proposed.)
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The elegant Palazzo Failla, once a noble Sicilian mansion, is located in Upper Modica not far from the city’s center. The 10 rooms offer modern conveniences, including satellite TV, minibar, hair dryer, radio, safe, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and telephone. (If unavailable an alternate 4* hotel will be proposed.)
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The Hotel Villa Diodoro is just steps from the beautiful town of Taormina, and it’s pool overlooks the stunning Mount Etna. Renovated in 2008, all 102 spacious rooms are inspired by the natural habitat surrounding the hotel, and many offer incredible views of the area. (If unavailable an alternate 4* hotel will be proposed.)
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Pricing and Tour Dates for our Sicily Cooking Vacations
Find pricing and dates for our Sicily culinary vacations below, and contact us for availability or to book your trip.
Sicily Tour High Season Sample* Pricing:
April through October
7-Night Sicily Cooking Vacation Pricing
US$4590 per person based on double occupancy
*Please inquire with dates for pricing and availability.
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 60 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!
Single occupancy rates: please inquire.
Sicily Tour Low Season Sample* Pricing:
November through March
7-Night Sicily Cooking Vacation Pricing
US$4290 per person based on double occupancy
*Please inquire with dates for pricing and availability.
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 60 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!
Sicily Cooking Vacations - Tour Dates
Our week-long Sicily cooking vacations are available year round for a minimum of 2 people. Please note that some closures during winter months may make slight itinerary adjustments necessary. Sample dates follow, but other start dates are also possible, please inquire.
2022
Sample dates:
September 10-17
September 17-25
September 24-October 1
October 1-8
October 8-15
October 15-22
October 22-29
October 29-November 5
November 5-12
November 12-19
November 19-26
November 26-December 3
December 3-10
December 10-17
2023
Please inquire for availability.
Reviews
_Response from The International Kitchen:_ Thank you for your feedback! We will definitely look into adding an option for a 5-star hotel upgrade!
_Response from The International Kitchen:_ We're glad you had such a fabulous time in Sicily with Paolo! Thank you for your feedback about the hotel. We will let Paolo know.
We can help plan the best Sicily cooking vacations!
Whether you need help with additional nights or tours in Sicily, transportation, or more, we are always here to help you plan the ultimate culinary vacation in Sicily.
We might not be able to pack for you, but there are many things we can help with to make your cooking vacation in Sicily that much better. Contact us for more information, or you can indicate your interest during check out and we will follow up with you directly! Contact UsYou May Also Like our other Sicily cooking vacation packages
Country:
Italy
Region:
Sicily
Tour Dates:
Available any time on request for a minimum of two people, or join a week others have confirmed. Please review our complete pricing details.
7 Nights
Starting at
$4,290
Want more flexibility? We can customize all of your trip details for you, including:
- Trip length and Itineraries
- Hotels and Tours
- Transfers and Airfare
Let us show you how we can create a complete package just for you. Contact Us