SICILY FOR WINE LOVERS

1st day
Arrival at Catania airport. Transfer to Scilio Wine Hotel on Mount Etna. The Wine Hotel and cellars date back to 1815 and are surrounded by the orga¬nically cultivated vineyards, where for centuries the traditions of winemaking have been handed down from generation to generation. Accommoda¬tion in the reserved rooms and meeting with the Scilio family, Luisa will show you the vineyard, the old palmento (milestone) and the barrique, than you will taste their best wine and a delicious red passito of Etna. Dinner and overnight stay.

2nd day
Breakfast at Villa. Today you will be free to explore the Volcano Etna, largest active volcano in Europe, and admire a unique combination of nature and the uncontrollable essence of fire. You will see the Crateri Silvestri at Rifugio Sapienza or enjoy an amazing excursion by cobble car and jeep. Lunch at leisure. In the afternoon you will see Taormina and visit its Greco-Roman amphitheatre with a guide. You will enjoy the chic boutiques, bustling cafes and restaurants. Dinner at leisure and return to Scilio. Overnight stay.

3rd day
Breakfast and departure for a scenic drive through the Madonie Region to arrive in Castelbuono on Madonie Mountains. Accommodation at the luxury Relais Sant’Anastasia a beautiful Abbey restored to its ancient and noble splendour. It is surrounded by greenery and fertile lands and produce delicious wine as Chardonnay and Inzolia. Visit of the winery Sant’Anastasia and tasting of their best wines. Free afternoon to visit Castelbuono and relax! Dinner at leisure and return to the relais. Overnight stay.

4th day
Breakfast and departure for Palermo, en route, you will visit the Corvo Winery in Casteldaccia. Today Corvo is a historical brand not only for Sicilian wine making, but also one of the Italian great classical wines, one of most popular wines in the world. You will visit the Museum of Agriculture and the ancient “Bottaia”. Finally you will taste special Sicilian wines.
Departure for Palermo, where you will admire, with your private guide, the Baroque palaces, the twelfth-century Cathedral of Palermo, which houses a pantheon of royal tombs and finally you will see Palermo’s food market “Il Capo”, typical “par excellence”, full of colour and folkloric. Here you will taste typical street food such as “pani ca meusa”, “panelle”, “arancini”....Lunch at leisure.
Transfer to Monreale to admire the Arab-Norman magnificence of the Cathedral. This nearby treasure dates from the 12th century and shows the different architectural influences of both the Normans and the Arabs. Accommodation at Baglio Donna Franca in Marsala, Florios’ ancient estate , today it’s a little and charming hotel famous for the wine production.
Dinner and tasting of the wines produced by the firm, matched with bread and “Mostarda di cipolle rosse Giarratane”, olives “Nocellara del Belice”, cheese “Caciocavallo Ragusano”, “panelle palermitane”, “salsiccia pasquarola” from Valle del Belice.

5th day
Breakfast and visit of The Salt Road and its Salt Pans located on the coastline between the cities of Trapani and Marsala. Locals extract the salt from the seawater following the same procedure used by the ancient Greeks and Phoenicians who once colonized this part of the Sicily. Once extracted from the water and dried, the salt is heaped into mounds and covered in tiles so the rain won’t melt the salt before it’s packed. Transfer to Marsala to visit Donnafugata. The winery grew out of the commitment of a family in Sicily that has always believed in the extraordinary enological potential of its land and has 150 years of experience in producing premium wines. Don't miss the delicious red Mille e Una Notte, and Donnafugata's version of the famous Passito di Pantelleria. Guided tasting of 4 wines in the charming “sala delle botti”. Lunch at leisure. In the afternoon you will see Erice, a wonderful and mysterious medieval town made famous in ancient times as the birthplace of Venus. Walking through the cobble – stoned streets of the town, smelling a variety of aromas emanating from the numerous pastry shops for which Erice is famous. Stopping at the world famous Pastry shop by Maria Grammatico, here you will taste almond sweets, genovesi and nougat to match with Marsala wine. Dinner at leisure and return to the Baglio. Overnight stay.

6th day
Breakfast and departure for Menfi where you’ll visit the Tenuta Ravidà. This old patrician family whose roots date back to the 13th century were based in the western Sicilian town of Trapani until the mid 1700s and held high positions in the governments of the Kingdom of Sicily.
The family acquired the estate of "La Gurra" in mid-1700 and began to produce mainly cork, wine and olive oil. The olive oil was already known for its excellent quality. Meeting with Natalia Ravidà, the author of bestselling “Season of Sicily” a cookbook on Sicilian family food.
(Here it is possible to organize a cooking class with Natalie Ravidà). You will visit the farm to admire the olive tree and the vineyard and then you will enjoy a Sicilian lunch al fresco in the garden. Time for relax and return to the Baglio. Overnight stay.

7th day
Breakfast and departure for Palermo Airport, or choose an extension to visit other interesting wineries in the south of Sicily.