SICILIA INSOLITA
OENOLOGICAL & GASTRONOMIC TOUR Code TT
Leaving from Palermo and from
Catania
Introduction: In the splendid natural and artistic
scenarios that Sicily affords, the true destination of this journey
is a culture of good wine and good food. A culture, a millenary
passion, an art. An ephemeral art, more than any other, as it
dissolves at the moment of its consumption, but at the same time
a concrete art, because it gets inside us, giving us the sensations
the eyes and the nose have been promised. "Sicilian cuisine"
is also the history of all peoples that for millennia were attracted
by the fascination of the island. This gave us the olive oil
of the Greeks, tomato and eggplants from beyond the ocean, sponge
from Spain, sugar and aromas from the Arabs, dried cod from the
Normans. What gives the "typical" quality to world-famous
specialties like Cassata is the character, or,if we like, the
soul of the Sicilians.
General program: Sicily is so large and so rich in natural
beauties and art that one would need months to visit it. Our
tour gives a chance to "try" a little of everything,
reducing the transfers required to a minimum. The historical
and artistic sites we will see travelling towards the various
"wine provinces" prepare us to enter wine cellars that
are over a hundred years old, to taste the best wines, guided
by expert oenologists, and to have lunches based on dishes typical
of the place and seasonal produce. At the end of this "leap"
into the past we will find hotels with facilities suited to the
third millennium, and after a few hours' rest we will go to some
of the best restaurants to discover the modern interpretation
of local cuisine by their cooks.
Itinerary - Palermo
Day 1: Palermo
Arrival in Palermo - Transfer to hotel with own transportation.
The day is reserved for resting after the journey. At 7:30 p.m.,
tour briefing by our staff. Accommodation at Hotel Delle Palme:
see next page for hotel details.
Day 2: Palermo Gastronomy
This day is devoted to "flavours" in the city, which
we will enjoy in two ways that are as different as they are fascinating.
The first setting is very old: the "Focacceria Son Francesco"
is 100 years old, and the opposite church is 750 years old. It
serves "Pani c'a meusa" (bread with spleen in it),
"panelle" and dozen of other specialties. It has always
bee the Palermo fast food where you can eat and drink the soul
of the city. In the evening, in marked contrast with the old
flavours of lunchtime, we will enjoy the refined dishes interpreted
by the chef at the restaurant in Piazza Virgilio, such as fish
slice with citrus fruit foam, or "Tagliolini di Pasta Fresca
con Bottarga di Ricciola in Forchetta" (Pasta with amberjack
botargo). Itinerary: Palermo, guided visit including Palace Chapel
and St. John of the Hermits Church, Monreale with its splendid
Arab-Norman Cathedral and the Benedictine Cloister. Visit to
the historical Capo marker. Overnight at Hotel Della Palme.
Day 3: Pellegrino Wine Cellars/Pantellaria
Moscato
The Pellegrino wine film was found in 1880. We will read its
history among the walls and barrels of the cellars. The wines
made here are sweet ones, so intense as to have given rise to
legends. Indeed, tasting them one has no difficulty in believing
that this liquid replaced ambrosia as the "nectar of the
Gods" on Olympus. Lunch will be served on top of two silos
that in 1880 contained wine and now, magnificently restored,
afford a very beautiful sea view. Dinner at the Baglio Oneto
restaurant. Sea delights with kiwi and champagne sauce, fresh
pasta with sea urchin sauce and Sicilian pesto are just an idea
of what you will get the chance to taste. Itinerary: Segesta,
visit to the temples. Erice, a halt to visit the little medieval
town which has not changed for six hundred years. Marsala. Baglio
Oneto hotel: a fortified feudal abode surrounded by olive trees,
with a splendid view of the sea.
Day 4: Tenuta la Lumia/Nero D'Avola
This is a rather special visit: the old eighteenth-century fortified
palace-cum-museum, actually of Arabic origin, is the home of
the La Lumia barons. They will open the doors to give us hospitality,
in a more family than business manner, and to transmit to us
their love for the countryside, their grapes and their wines,
which we will not fail to try. Lunch too, rigorously based on
dishes typical of the local culinary tradition, will be characteristic
by homemade preparation. So we will get a chance to know Baron
La Lumia who, using a particular growing technique going back
to the ancient Greeks, is responsible for the rebirth of this
strong and resolute wine. "Cannelloni with ricotta, fennel
and pine seeds on a light puree of chickpeas with smoked bacon",
"frozen cream made with almonds and dried figs and honey
with the scent of Old Marsala Florio" - we are guests at
the Baglio Della Luna, a restaurant with a dinner that will stick
in the memory. Itinerary: Sellinunte and a stop to visit the
archaeological area. Licata, Agrigento. After dinner, a nighttime
visit to the illuminated temples, which include the Temple of
Zeus and the Temple of Juno. Overnight at Hotel Dioscuri Bay
Palace, with a splendid sea view.
Day 5: Feudo Principi di Butera/Inzolia
and Chardonnay
The "five Glasses" award of the Gambero Rosso-Slow
Food Guide, the "Five Grapes" award of the Italian
Association of Sommeliers, mentioned in the most important Italian
and overseas specialist guides. The Feudo Principi di Butera
wines are important. The estate has been kept and maintained,
as it was hundreds of years ago. The old wine-cellars will be
the splendid setting to the tasting of wines that are the "theme
of the day". We are in the heart of the countryside and
lunch is based on what the countryside offers: dried tomatoes,
cheeses, grilled seasonal vegetables, olives, caponata
these are the recurrent starters; the main course, with seasonal
vegetables, will be based on roast meats; and to finish, of course
there are sweet cannoli with ricotta cream or Sicilian cassata.
The interpretation of the dinner will be by the chef at the restaurant
"Al Fogher" in Piazza Armerina. Itinerary: Piazza Armerina
and guided visit to the splendid mosaics. Butera, Caltagirone.
Hotel Villa San Mauro: an excellent 4-star hotel finely fitted
out with top-quality local ceramics.
Day 6: Azienda Vinicola COS/Cerasuolo
di Vittoria
In the eighteen century, Vittoria Colonna, Countess of Modica,
Produced a robust red wine with an unmistakable taste. Today
Cerasuolo di Vittoria is still a noble wine. We will go and taste
it at the COS wine production centre, situated to the north "where
the sun never strikes" and the very modern room equipped
for wine tasting. We are still in a country atmosphere and the
products of the land are once again the protagonists: homemade
bread and focaccia, cheeses and seasonal fruits, processed pork
meats (including spicy ones), roast or braised meat accompanied
by greens and potatoes in the end, with the ever-present coffee,
typical local confectionery. In the evening the Villa San Mouro
chef will present us with a more modern version of local dishes.
Itinerary: Ragusa, a visit to the town. Vittoria and Caltagrione.
Day 7: Scammacca Del Murgo/Etna
Wines
Murgo Etna Rosso DOC, Murgo Entra Rosato DOC, Murgo Entra Biano
DOC, Tenuta S. Michele, Arbiato. These wines come into being
in a microclimate by major thermic excursions delaying the harvest
for more then a month. The land is a sandy volcanic earth, rich
in minerals. The volcano Etna is not just a natural spectacle,
but a presence interacting with man. It is here we find Scammacca
Del Murgo, and it is here we will taste the "volcano wines".
Optional free visit of Taormina in the afternoon. We will dine
at the Locanda Del Vinattiere. The buffet includes dozens of
different types of processed pork meats, and cheeses, all produced
locally. Other dishes inspired by the local tradition, like eggplant
panzotti with Sicilian pesto, will be accompanied by Metodo Classico
Siciliano, Feudo Arancio Grillo, Regaleali Nero d'Avola and Grecale
passito Florio. Itinerary: Mount Etna, and a stop to visit the
volcano. Accommodation in Catania. at hotel Parco degli Aragonesi.
Day 8: Catania
Breakfast at hotel. Free transfer to the airport (Catania).
Itinerary - Catania
Day 1: Catania
Arrival in Catania Transfer to hotel with own transport.
The day is reserved for resting after the journey. At 7:00 p.m.,
tour briefing by our staff. Dinner at hotel restaurant. Accommodation
at hotel Parco degli Aragonesi: see below for details.
Day 2: Taormina/Scammacca Del
Murgo/ Etna wines
Murgo Etna Rosso DOC, Murgo Entra Rosato DOC, Murgo Entra Biano
DOC, Tenuta S. Michele, Arbiato. These wines come into being
in a microclimate by major thermic excursion delaying the harvest
for more then a month. The land is a sandy volcanic earth, rich
in minerals. The volcano Etna is not just a natural spectacle,
but a presence interacting with man. It is here we find Scammacca
Del Murgo, and it is here we will taste the "volcano wines".
The interpretation of the dinner will be by the chef at "Al
Fogher". Itinerary: Taormina and Mount Etna, visit the volcano.
Hotel Villa San Mauro: an excellent 4-star hotel fitted with
top-quality local ceramics.
Day 3: Aziends Vinicola COS/Cerasuolo
di Vittoria
In the eighteen century, Vittoria Colonna, Countess of Modica,
Produced a robust red wine an unmistakable taste. Today Cerasuolo
di Vittoria is still a noble wine. We will go and taste it at
the COS wine production center, situated to the north "where
the sun never strikes" and the very modern room equipped
for wine tasting. We are still in a country atmosphere and the
products of the land are once again the protagonists: homemade
bread and focaccia, cheeses and season's fruits, processed pork
meats (including spicy ones), roast or braised meat accompanied
by greens and potatoes in the end, with the ever-present coffee,
a typical local confectionery. In the evening the Villa San Mouro
chef will present us with a more modern version of local dishes.
Itinerary: Ragusa, a visit to the town. Vittoria and Caltagrione.
Day 4: Feudo Principi di Butera/Inzolia
and Chardonnay
The "five Glasses" award of the Gambero Rosso-Slow
Food Guide, the "Five Grapes" award of the Italian
Association of Sommeliers, mentioned in the most important Italian
and overseas specialist guides. The Feudo Principi di Butera
wines are important. The estate has been kept and maintained,
as it was hundreds of years ago. The old wine-cellars will be
the splendid setting to the tasting of wines that are the "theme
of the day". We are in the heart of the countryside and
lunch is based on what the countryside offers: sundried tomatoes,
cheeses, grilled seasonal vegetables, olives, caponata
these are the recurrent starters; the main course, with seasonal
vegetables, will be based on roast meats; and to finish, of course
there are sweet cannoli with ricotta cream or Sicilian cassata.
The interpretation of the dinner will be by the chef at the restaurant
Baglio della Luna, mentioned by guides as one of the first four
Sicilian restaurants, serving "Cannelloni with ricotta,
fennel and pine seeds on a light puree of chickpeas with smoked
bacon", "frozen cream made with almonds and dried figs
and honey with the scent of Old Marsala Florio". Itinerary:
Piazza Armerina and guided visit to the splendid mosaics. Butera,
Caltagirone. After dinner, a nighttime visit to the illuminated
temples, including the temple of Zeus and temple of Juno. Overnight
at Hotel Dioscuri Bay Palace with a particular sea view.
Day 5: Pellegrino wine cellars/Pantelleria
Moscato
The Pellegrino wine film was founded in 1880. We will read its
history among the walls and barrels of the cellars. The wines
made here are sweet ones, so intense as to have given rise to
legends. Indeed, tasting them one has no difficulty in believing
that this liquid replaced ambrosia as the "nectar of the
Gods" on Olympus. Lunch will be served on top of two silos
that in 1880 contained wine and now, magnificently restored,
afford a very beautiful sea view. Dinner at the Baglio Oneto
restaurant. Sea delights with kiwi and champagne sauce, fresh
pasta with sea urchin sauce and Sicilian pesto are just an idea
of what you will get the chance to taste. Itinerary: Segesta,
visit to the Temples, Marsala. Baglio Oneto hotel: a fortified
feudal abode surrounded by olive trees, with a splendid view
of the sea.
Day 6: Terre di Ginestra 651/Distinto
Magnifico
The Calatrasi wine film a very different visit from the
previous ones. So far we have visited centuries old films
inside there are true oenology history museums. This time we
will enter the kingdom of technology and modernity. More the
six hundred meters up, new wines come into being that are as
sparkling as the air you breath. lunch will be based on the dishes
typical of the rural tradition like bruschetta made with the
famous bread from Piana Degli Albanesi, and first courses with
greens and roast sausages. In the evening we will be going to
one of the bet supplied wine-shops in Italy for a tasting session
accompanied by bruschetta, processed port meats and cheeses and
an exquisite "little supper" Itinerary: Erice, a halt
to visit the little medieval town which has not changed for six
hundred years. Segesta, visit to the temple. Palermo. Overnight
at Hotel Della Palme.
Day 7: Palermo Gastronomy
This day is devoted to "flavours" in the city, which
we will enjoy in two ways that are as different as they are fascinating.
The first setting is very old: the "Focacceria Son Francesco"
is 100 years old, and the opposite church is 750 years old. It
serves "Pani c'a meusa" (bread with spleen in it),
"panelle" and dozen of other specialties. It has always
been the Palermo fast food where you can eat and drink the soul
of the city. In the evening, in marked contrast with the old
flavours of lunchtime, we will enjoy the refined dishes interpreted
by the chef at the restaurant in Piazza Virgilio, such as fish
slice with citrus fruit foam, or "Tagliolini di Pasta Fresca
con Bottarga di Ricciola in Forchetta" (Pasta with amberjack
botargo). Itinerary: Palermo, guided visit including Palace Chapel
and St. John of the Hermits Church, Monreale with its splendid
Arab-Norman Cathedral and the Benedictine Cloister. Visit to
the historical Capo market.
Day 8: Palermo
Breakfast at hotel. Free transport to the airport (Palermo).
RATES INCLUDE:
- Bus transportation by deluxe
coach as per itinerary
- Accommodation in 4 star hotels
as indicated or similar
- Guided visits and tastings at
wine cellars
- "Wine lessons" during
the tasting
- Meals and beverages as per itinerary
- Multilingual guide (English/Spanish/Italian)
- Local guides where requested
RATES DO NOT INCLUDE:
- Porterage and tips
- Transfers from/to airports
- Anything not mentioned as included
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