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Cooking & Culture Journey Tour in Sicily’s Baroque Towns
Explore South East Sicily and experience its UNESCO World Heritage Baroque towns like Noto and Ragusa Ilba, Greek ruins, chocolate and fine wines. With warm, welcoming Sicilians, get immersed in local life and discover hidden corners, artisan food products and beautiful nature. Stay in the home of your cooking teacher’s grandma, now a beautifully renovated B&B in the heart of Modica, so you experience real Sicilian life.
In your cooking classes at home, your local cooking teacher uses many recipes from her grandmother’s notebook, so you learn traditional Sicilian recipes. In Modica, let Bonajuto’s renowned rich chocolate melt in your mouth at their laboratory. Visit an organic winery and learn their winemaking techniques before a lunch of local specialties with their exceptional wines.
Includes:
- 3 cooking classes followed by lunch
- all lunches and dinners except two dinners where you are free to explore on your own
- 6 nights accommodation with breakfast
- all excursions, tastings, entrance fees in the itinerary
- transport to/from Catania airport
6 Night Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive at Catania airport, private transfer to Modica to a beautifully renovated palazzo owned by your welcoming hosts in the heart of Modica.
Your rooms for the week have private bathrooms, hair dryers, air-conditioning and TV. From the terrace, you gaze at expansive views of the town. A few steps away you’re on the main corso to experience local life.
Please note: Modica sits on a series of terraces with numerous staircases and the palazzo is on a staircase so you’ll get some good exercise. If walking is not for you, please let us know so our friends can make arrangements and you enjoy your stay.
Enjoy a welcome dinner and meet your fellow food adventurers.
Day 2
In your palazzo kitchen at 9:00 in a three to four hour class, your host teaches you authentic Sicilian recipes, many handed down from her grandmother. Make dishes like Sfuogghiu (sausage and ricotta pie), pasta alla picurara (potatoes cooked in milk) and maccarunna (macaroni). Savor your efforts for lunch at home.
After a siesta, tour the beautiful Modica on foot since your home and cooking school are in the heart of historical Modica. Your guide shows you main points of interest as well as less known back streets with wonderful views of the city and its life.
Dinner is on your own in Modica, so you can explore the town and its many wonderful restaurants.
Day 3
After breakfast, it’s time for your second full menu cooking class at home, followed by lunch.
After a rest, drive to explore the coast starting at a lovely winery close to the sea and move on to walk in the Vendicari Nature Reserve visiting the newly restored Tonnara. Drive to Noto, renowned for its magnificent Baroque architecture, home to wonderful honey, sweet wines and almond-based sweets.
Return to Modica for dinner.
Day 4
This morning visit Siracusa’s historic centre of Ortygia and the market. Then you’re free to explore Siracusa, one of the most important cities in ancient Greek civilization, to see the Temple of Apollo, the archaeological park with Greek theatre and Ortygia’s Baroque cathedral facing a lovely piazza. Sip a cool drink at cafes and watch local life go by.
After lunch, return to your home in Modica for free time. Dinner is on your own in Modica.
Day 5
In the morning, take part in your last cooking class followed by lunch of your creations.
Modica is famous for its chocolate, thanks to the Mexican tradition of chocolate brought to Sicily via the Spaniards centuries before. Visit Bonajuto’s famous chocolate laboratory in town. After a factory tour, sample the smooth and creamy chocolate. After satisfying your sweet tooth, free time explore Modica on your own or relax at home.
Visit Mulino Cavallo, where the current owners have maintained the traditional water mill and the old dwellings used up until the beginning of the nineteenth century by their family. We can see how they still use the mill to produce excellent whole meal durum wheat flour.
For dinner we visit the seaside village of Pozzallo.
Day 6
We dedicate this day to visit a biodynamic winery near Acate to understand their wine-making process and why they produce organic wines in terracotta jars.
Visit Ragusa Ibla, to visit the picturesque, old Baroque town. The Ragusa area is renowned for its caciocavallo ragusano cheese along with decadently creamy ricotta, both produced using traditional methods on farms.
Gather with your group around the table for a final farewell dinner.
Day 7
After breakfast, leave for Catania airport. Take home precious memories of the gregarious Sicilians, a new found knowledge of the region, and of course, a host of local recipes that you’ll love and use long into the future.
