Food & Wine Tours - Europe - Italy

Culinary Getaway to Sicily, the “The Island of the Sun”

8 Days / 7 Nights – September 23 to October 1, 2010

Travel to the island of Sicily and enjoy authentic cuisine, taste great wines, shop for ceramics & art craft, visit village markets, cruise the Eolie Islands and relax in the blue Mediterranean Sea under the Sicilian Sun!

Thursday, September 23: Depart US for overnight flight to Palermo, Italy

Friday, September 24: Upon your arrival from the US at Palermo airport, you will be met by your Italian tour guide, Gisella Isidori. Travel along the Mediterranean Coast to reach Terrasini, the City of the Sea, and the splendid hospitality complex, Citta del Mare. (cittadelmare.it) Perched on the side of a hill overlooking the sea, the hotel has four swimming pools, a full service spa and fine dining.

Settle into our sleeping accommodations, relax and meet later for orientation and review the travel program while tasting a glass of Sicilian Nero d'Avola on the splendid terrace facing the blue Mediterranean Sea. A simple light lunch will be served.

After a little siesta, we will visit the Terrasini port and enjoy a Welcome Dinner of typical local cuisine.

Saturday, September 25: After breakfast this morning we will enjoy a special cooking class with Gisella Isidori at the hotel and you will cook Italian specialties for your lunch!

After lunch and a little siesta we have a couple of options. We can relax sipping some great Sicilian wines near the pool, or take a boat ride to visit Ustica, a nearby Mediterranean Island or enjoy a natural bath and massage at the hotel spa.

Back to the room to get ready for a pre-dinner Prosecco and the dinner at one of the restaurants at Citta del Mare.

Sunday, September 26: After breakfast we will travel to Erice, the incredible medieval village overlooking the bay. After a light lunch (Erice is famous for couscous dishes made with fish) we will visit the old city of Trapani, the famous Marsala cellars, and the tonnare (tuna packing plant). Trapani is the home of the windmills used to grind sea salt. Back to Citta Del Mare for dinner.

Monday, September 27: After breakfast, we will travel to the town of Salemi to learn about their unique braided breads followed by a visit to the Greek archeological area of Silenunte. Back to our hotel we will have a Farewell Dinner.

Tuesday, September 28: Early breakfast and then off to Palermo to visit the old City, the mercato della Bucceria (market) and the famous Cathedral. Lunch at the market tasting authentic local Sicilian specialties. After, we will drive along the Sicilian Coast stopping to taste the famous granita, an icy frozen mixture traditionally made of coffee and eaten with brioche. Then we arrive in the beautiful seaside city of Cefalu a medieval town built on the site of an ancient Greek settlement. Dinner at Villa Catalfamo (or similar) where we will also have our sleeping accommodations. This secluded farmhouse compound includes individual cottages surrounded by fruit and flowering trees and a private beach. (www.villacatalfamo.it)

Wednesday, September 29: Breakfast and off to Taormina. The upscale town of Taormina is perched on a hilly slope and offers breathtaking views of the sea and Mount Etna. Along the way we will stop to Santo Stefano to visit the ceramic factories planning to have lunch in Castelmola. Located above Taormina, Castelmola offers stunning views of Mount Etna and the bay of Naxos. After lunch we will go into Taormina for upscale shopping and then dinner in Taormina a Mare. Back to Cefalu.

Thursday, September 30: Early breakfast and then off to visit the Eolie Islands. After a boat tour of this incredible “volcanic archipelago”, we will stop in Salina where we will visit a caper plantation (very interesting!) and enjoy a special light pastry to be tasted with a glass of the famous sweet Malvasia wine.

Back to Cefalu' we will get ready to pack and to meet later at the farmhouse private beach for an Italian barbecue.

Friday October 1: Early breakfast and travel to the Palermo airport for your flight home.

Price for the tour is $3495 based on double occupancy.
Add $500 for single occupancy.

Tour package includes:

• Airport transfers
• 7 nights accommodations, double occupancy
• Breakfast daily, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
• Boat Tour to Eolie Islands
• Italian tour guide 24/7
• Transportation within Sicily

Does not include:

• Roundtrip airfare to and from Palermo
• Additional checked bag charges
• Meals and beverages not included in itinerary
• Personal expenses
• Travel insurance (recommended)
• Passport charges

A deposit of $500.00 due by May 15, 2010.

Final payment due (Final price subject to fluctuation in currency)

This Tour is offered by:

Gisella Isidori International Food & Travel Consultant gisidori@hotmail.com www.gisellaisidori.com		Donna Sullivan donnabsullivan@aol.com Phone: (1) 713-291-3492