|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cooking, Wine, Volcano & Walking Tour in Sicily’s Mount Etna Hills
Cook typical Sicilian dishes in classes at a great, family-run restaurant under Mount Etna and a delightful family in their home in Linguaglossa.
Enjoy warm, local hospitality at a lovely, historic, chic, family-run four star hotel with a wellness centre and spa in Linguaglossa.
Taste life in a typical Sicilian mountain town, where you see few foreigners.
Read about the “Italians you will meet” on this tour.
Italy Cooking School Tour Highlights
- In Linguaglossa, under Mount Etna, learn about life under the volcano with local people.
- Experience an optional walk with incredible views on black volcanic paths under Mount Etna.
- Cook typical Sicilian dishes with food loving locals: a friendly family in their Linguaglossa home, a talented family in their restaurant near Mount Etna.
- Discover fascinating layers of history at the well preserved ancient Greek theatre in beautiful Taormina.
- Experience the boisterous, ancient fish market in Catania full of every kind of Sicilian fish and seafood imaginable. Eat at this lively market too.
- Savour a gala dinner of home style local specialties at a beautiful, old country estate high in the hills with magnificent views that go forever.
Includes:
- 4 nights at 4 star hotel with buffet breakfast (The hotel owners own a bakery so you enjoy heavenly, fresh pastries and breads.)
- 2 full menu cooking classes
- 1 lunch
- 4 dinners
- excursions in the itinerary
- private transport from pick up to drop off at Catania airport with local driver
- one group transfer from/to Catania airport
- bilingual local guide/tour manager with you throughout the tour
Not included:
- 2 lunches so you can eat as light as you want
- wines with meals so you can choose your wines
4 Night Italy Cooking School Tour Itinerary
Tuesday
Arrive in Catania airport, transfer via private minivan to your lovely four star hotel in the heart of little Linguaglossa in Etna’s foothills. The 18th century palazzo, formerly a noble family’s home, was transformed to a chic, modern style hotel with very comfy, fun, minimalist style rooms. You can step out and explore this typical Sicilian mountain town on foot and taste local life.
Over lively conversation in your welcome dinner in a typical restaurant, get to know your group.
Wednesday
Optional two to three hour walk in the exotic foothills of Mount Etna following black volcanic sand paths and craters punctuated with green and gold trees overlooking the blue sea.
Or stay in Linguaglossa and pamper yourself in the hotel’s spa or explore Linguaglossa, full of interesting murals and good cafes stuffed with tempting Sicilian cookies and cakes.
At a winery in the hills, the fourth generation of a local family makes excellent wines and gives you a warm Sicilian welcome as they show you around the estate and taste their wines with you. At the winery, savour a light lunch of cheeses, olives, salamis and antipasti while you enjoy their Etna wines.
Return to your hotel to relax for a couple of hours.
In the late afternoon start your cooking class on seafood in a hill side restaurant with the effervescent owner and his friendly, knowledgeable chef son. Make authentic local dishes like sardines with stuffed with bread, raisins and pine nuts, swordfish rolls, and semifreddo with local pistachio nuts. Drink some prosecco wine and congratulate yourselves in a group cheer. Later, dig into your creations with some good Etna wines.
Thursday
In the morning explore Taormina with a friendly local guide and wonderful storyteller with a vast knowledge of history and local lore.
Discover fascinating layers of history at the amazing Greek theatre, build in the 3rd century B.C. with spectacular views of Mount Etna and the sea. Admire well-preserved 14th century palazzos on narrow, winding streets and pop into alluring bakeries full of Sicilian treats like almond, orange or pistachio cookies, cannoli and marzipan.
Lunch is on your own – perhaps at a relaxed local wine bar where you can taste local specialties and learn more about the regional wines.
Drive back up the hills to a home in Linguaglossa for an authentic Sicilian experience with the charming, hospitable family. They grow vegetables, olives, hazelnuts and have vineyards and sheep. The joyful, outgoing mother makes cheeses, salami, bread, and preserves like dried tomatoes.
Have fun making the local maccheroni, watch how to make tomato sugo and other genuine local dishes with the mother in her kitchen. Around their dining table with their family, eat all your creations together with their wine and chat about their every day life and yours.
Friday
After breakfast, drive to Catania and dive into the world of its famous, ancient, boisterous fish market. Street vendors at rustic tables shout out about their wares — everything from huge swordfish, to gyrating octopus, to all that comes from the Sicilian sea! (Enter “Catania Fish Market” on YouTube for a taste of the experience!)
Enjoy a grazing lunch (not included) at the market. If you wish, you can also browse at street markets full of shoes and clothes or enjoy free time inCatania.
Back to your hotel for a siesta.
For dinner, drive in the Mount Etna foothills to a lovely agriturismo, formerly a wealthy landowner’s estate with quaint houses made of black volcanic stone, where they grow olive and grapes. From 1000 metres (3000 feet) up, magnificent views extend forever over the mountains, to the volcano, to valleys.
If you wish, swim in their beautiful pool and lounge on their panoramic patio before dinner.
Their renowned restaurant featuring wonderful home style dishes of fresh, local ingredients is in the former grape pressing room where the décor takes you back to that time. An unforgettable dining and cultural experience.
Saturday
After breakfast, depart for Catania airport or train station. You’ll forever recall fondly the Sicilians you’ve talked and laughed with, their recipes and the incredible natural landscapes.
