Day 1: Arrival in Sicily
You will arrive at the airport in Palermo and transfer to the city on your own. Check-in at the hotel and settle in, followed by a welcome dinner where you get to find out more about the itinerary of the slow food tour of Sicily and about the slow food philosophy. You will meet the Slow Food Presidia of Sicily and their products, preparing for the next enchanting days. Transfer to your hotel and overnight in Palermo.
Day 2: Erice and Marsala
You will depart from Palermo for a short tour of Erice, a small medieval town that offers a spectacular setting and several interesting landmarks, as well as a lot of food artisan shops. You will visit the traditional Pasticceria Maria Grammatico, where you can discover the recipes of the Antico Convento, starting the slow food tour of Sicily experience. You will get to taste several delicious local delights of Erice, like the almond pastries with candied lemons, Cannoli, the “brutti ma buoni” (ugly but tasty) biscuits, or the Zibbibo local wine. After this unique insight into the gastronomy of Sicily, we proceed towards Marsala, famous for the wine with the same name, where you will have a traditional lunch. After lunch we discover and explore the Donnafugata historical cellars, where you will learn more about the antique wine refinement process. Free time to explore the center of Marsala, followed by transfer back to the hotel.
Day 3: Palermo and Monreale
This day of the slow food escorted tour of Sicily will be mostly be spent exploring Palermo and its magnificent heritage, starting with the old Capo Market and other highlights. Discover the streets of the city center, followed by a guided tour of ancient Palermo. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the ancient village of Monreale, close to Palermo, where you can admire the splendid Norman Cathedral and its cloister. Transfer to the hotel for overnight.
Day 4: Agrigento, Caltagirone and Syracuse
Start by getting to Agrigento, where we give you the opportunity for a unique tour of the Agrigento Valley of the Temples, one of the most fascinating archeological complexes in the world. You will discover the ancient Greek civilization of Sicily. After some free time to have lunch in Agrigento, we will visit Caltagirone, famous for its ceramics and pottery. You will also get to visit the laboratory and learn more about the craft of producing ceramics, with opportunities for shopping. The day ends with departure to Syracuse, where you have dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Ragusa, Modica, Noto and Syracuse
The unforgettable Sicily slow food tour continues onwards with a guided tour of Ragusa, a beautiful town that has been included in the UNESCO heritage for its Sicilian baroque architecture, together with other splendid towns in the vicinity. After you admire the amazing architecture of old city of Ragusa called Ibla, continue with Modica, equally enchanting and featuring the same style of architecture. In Modica, you could visit the Antica Pasticceria Bonajuto to sample their delicious chocolate and the Trattoria La Locanda del Colonnello for typical Sicilian dishes and local wines. On the way back to Syracuse, the slow food Italy experience stops in Noto, where you discover the secrets of the famous almonds, used in an astonishing number of Sicilian dishes, mostly desserts like marzipan, almond milk, nougat, martorana, amaretti, cassata and more. Overnight stay in Syracuse.
Day 6: Syracuse, Mount Etna and Taormina
Start the day with a guided tour of Syracuse and its impressive archaeological park, testament to the strategic importance of this site in ancient Greece. You will also get to explore the heart of old Syracuse known as Ortigia, admiring all the wonderful landmarks. The slow food tour of Sicily continues towards Taormina, not before stopping at the foot of Mount Etna for an enchanting wine tasting session. After reaching Taormina, check in at the hotel and free time.
Day 7: Taormina
Also known as the pearl of the Ionian Sea, a tour of Taormina will reveal its unique beauty and idyllic location. You will visit the Roman-Greek theatre and other heritage sights, with free time to explore its streets at ease, shopping or having lunch at one of the traditional restaurants of the village. The last experience of this exclusive slow food escorted tour of Sicily will consist in a farewell dinner.
Day 8: Departure
After breakfast, free time to explore or get ready for departure from Sicily.
Other tours of Sicily
If you are interested in other tours of Sicily, have a look at our 8-Days Escorted Tour to Sicily and Malta departing from Palermo, or at our Self Drive 8-Days Tour of Sicily from Palermo!
