Tour details
Tour operator:
GOURMET TRAVELERTour category:
Cooking Vacations •
Tasting Tours
Tour destination:
Italy
Number of nights:
6Availability:
May •
October
Tour expiration date:
November 1, 2009Starting cost:
3,150.00Link to website:
http://gourmetravel.com/content/amalfi08.htm
2009 Date: October 25 - 31
Experience SICILY as an insider with our small group (4-12) culinary tour to this little known region of Italy from its snow covered mountains to it's rugged seacoast. Here you'll experience cooking classes presented by local Sicilians, artisan food producers, cultural tours (Historic Palermo and the Norman Castle of Monreale), Palermo's street markets, fabulous wine/food pairing meals, exciting cultural excursions to from the western side of the island to the east with a step back in time as we visit a tiny mountain village. You'll meet the many wonderful locals from the Contessa and her impressive Palace in Palermo, to the humble cottage of the Sicilian cheesemaker, the colorful ceramic artist, the elegant cooking instructor, and some of the warmest, friendliest people you'll ever meet. A week of fun, friends, food, wine and laughter - the perfect recipe for success.
Over 15 years ago I fell in love with Italy and its food and decided to share my passion with others through Gourmet Travel - the name almost says it all, while we focus on food and wine, we also include cultural activities of each specific region: in SICILY we visit Palermo, Monreale, Cefalu, Taormina, Marsala, Erice, Polizzi Generosa, and Catania. You'll experience an elegant dinner in an ancient Palermo Palace hosted by a delightful Contessa, a tour & tasting at wine & olive oil producers, tour & tasting of marsala, street markets, view antique sea salt production, ceramic demo, cooking classes from locals in each area, watch an amazing Marzipan artist demonstrate techniques, and be entertained by enthusiastic Sicilian musical performances.
Because I am a trained chef, my contacts throughout Italy are with fellow food professionals who are eager to share their insider knowledge about the area and its artisan food products, insider views that are simply not available to the average visitor. To maximize your experience we have professional guides for museum & city tours, such as the Historic Palermo, Monreale's Norman Castle, tiny Polizzi, Cefalu and Taormina. Always accompanied by our English speaking driver/guide. After so many years of visiting Italy, my contacts have become friends, not simply business associates. You will share this warm friendship so that you will truly experience an insider's view of Italy. Our small group size enable us to move about freely and go to places larger groups can't experience. All of these factors combine to make a perfect recipe for a memorable trip.
Included in tour: (note that you fly into Palermo and out of Catania)
- Transfer from Palermo airport to our 4 star hotel
- Transfer from our Taormina hotel to the Catania airport
- 6 nights accommodations
- All breakfasts
- 4 lunches
- 6 dinners w/house wine
- 3 Cooking Classes as listed
- Culinary & cultural excursions listed in itinerary
- Professional guides as listed
- Gourmetravel Personal Guide for ALL listed activites
- Full time driver/guide/interpreter
- Ground transportation for all listed tour events
Not included:
- Airfare Gratuities
- Personal expenses
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Travel Day(Sat)
Travel to Italy
Day 1 (Sunday)
- Arrive PALERMO airport, private transfer to our 4 star hotel
- Hotel Check In
- Gala Welcome Dinner in 12th Century Palazzo, hosted by a Contessa
Day 2 (Monday)
- Guided Tour of Historic palermo and its bustling markets
- Lunch in the market
- Guided Tour to Monreale a magnificent Norman Castle
- Dinner at a local restaurant serving traditional Sicilian foods
Day 3 (Tuesday)
- Culinary Tour & Tasting of the famous Marsala dessert wine
- Cooking Class Lunch at a scenic winery/olive oil producer
- Tour & tasting of olive oil & wine
- Lunch on our class creations
- Visit salt marshes to view antique sea salt processing
- Visit Erice - mountaintop town with breathtaking views
- Marzipan shaping demonstration & tasting
- Casual dinner in Palermo
Day 4 (Wednesday)
- Lv Palermo by private van
- Visit Greek Temple - Segesta
- Private van to tiny hillside village of PolizziGuided
- Tour of villagePeasant
- Lunch in charming village - a taste of the "real" Sicily
- Cheesemaker visit - cheese the way it's been made for hundreds of years
- Cooking Class at our elegant Farmhouse
- Dinner on our creations
- Musical Entertainment by local Sicilian performers
Day 5 (Thursday)
- Private van to Taormina - a mediterranean jewel
- Visit Cefalu - delightful seaside town
- Lunch in Cefalu featuring local seafoods
- Artisan vist to ceramicist
- Arrive Taormina - hotel check in
- Free time in Taormina
- Dinner- featuring a dessert buffet of the most famous Sicilian desserts cassata Siciliana, panna cotta, canoli, tiramisu
Day 6 (Friday)
- Guided Tour of Taormina
- Lunch on our own
- Free time in Taormina
- Cooking Class with celebrated author and expert on Sicilian cooking
- FAREWELL DINNER - dine on our creations with great local wines
Day 7 (Saturday)
- End of Tour - Van to CATANIA airport OR choose to extend your stay
Click here for slide show of recent tour
http://picasaweb.google.com/gourmetravel/Sicily102206
