Sicily Wine Tour

Lunch will be at a quaint trattoria and could include authentic Sicilian dishes like Insalata Fantasia di Arance (orange and marinated olive salad), Arancini (rice balls stuffed with Pecorino cheese and meat), Bucatini con le Sarde (pasta with sardines) and then finish off with some just-made cannoli….all paired with ambrosial Sicilian wines like a rich red from the Abbazia Sant´Anastasia estate and perhaps a rare Moscato di Noto.

After a leisurely lunch, enjoy some free time to do some shopping or strolling in Cefalù and then head back to your luxurious hotel in Palermo, an Art Nouveau castle facing the port. The evening is yours to relax at the hotel, dine in their fine restaurant and enjoy the facilities like the swimming pool, and tennis court. Benvenuto in Sicilia!

You will arrive at the wine estate around noon and enjoy a private tour followed by a special pairing of wines and rustic homemade dishes, this is a five-course extravaganza! All of the ingredients used (olives, garlic, eggplant, peppers, basil, oregano, fennel, sun-dried tomatoes, Pecorino cheese, and of course the wines) are all grown on the Tasca D’ Almerita estate. Following lunch in the beautiful ceramic tiled dining room, enjoy a walk in the vineyards, to aid the digestion and get some fresh air. Head back to Palermo in the late afternoon and unwind at your hotel. The evening is free with our suggestions for wine bars, dining, and entertainment.

After lunch, head back to Palermo and enjoy a three-hour guided walking tour of the enchanting 12th-century Cathedral (most recently added on to in the 1700´s) and nearby gourmet shops. The unique Martorana Fruits (Marzipan shaped to look like real fruits) come from Palermo and there are a few special, historic shops near the cathedral where you can pick up these and other gourmet goodies (great gifts). Enjoy your knowledgeable guide’s stories about Palermo’s legends and idiosyncrasies. In the evening, you will head back to your hotel for a free evening.

You will have a tantalizing pranzo today at Monte San Giuliano where Chef Matteo Giurlanda is to thank for some of the best pasta you will taste in your life. Enjoy a specially prepared traditional menu paired with excellent local wines such as the Fazio and Firriato estates. After lunch, savor some free time to explore Erice’s maze of medieval stone streets on your own. There are many beautiful panoramic spots to take in the views and a visit to the mythical pastry shop La Pasticceria di Maria Grammatico is a must. In the evening, you will drive towards Mazara del Vallo to the outstanding Kempinski spa resort. Tonight is yours to relax and dine on your own, or order room service tonight and make it special with a few candles and some fabulous wine. The impeccable rooms have some of the most comfortable beds we have ever had the pleasure of sleeping in, through our many years of travel.

Enjoy a convivial lunch right at the wine estate in their ancient “Baglio”. If you are lucky, their in-house Piemontese chef will be cooking for you and in that case, your lunch might have a northern Italian flair to it with an outstanding Risotto for example. On the way back to your luxury spa resort, you could stop in Selinunte if you were interested in archeology as there is a Greek “Valley of Temples”, very interesting indeed. Otherwise, you could get back to the hotel early to hit the spa. The night is yours to enjoy the resort.

Relax and enjoy lunch on your own. If you wanted to enjoy other spa treatments on your own they could include the “Essential Flower Body Scrub”, a refreshing and invigorating body peeling with myrtle, lemongrass, and spruce; “Fresh Lemon Bath”, a firming vitamin bath with sea salt and fresh lemon slices; “Special Skin Care for Two” purifying treatment with volcanic clay from Mount Etna, herbal steam and a relaxing milk honey Cleopatra bath; or perhaps the ultra-pampering “Spirit of Four Hands” massage with two massage therapists massaging you at once!

In the late afternoon, with a private sommelier, you will receive a private and exclusive wine tasting in the Kempinski enormous wine cellar focusing on six Sicilian wines from the East, such as Etna, the Aeolian Islands, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, and Noto. Tonight, you can dine again at the hotel or taxi into nearby Mazara del Vallo (10-minute drive) to try some excellent authentic fish restaurants.

Your first visit is to Donnafugata, one of our favorite wineries in Italy both for the wines and the people. Apart from making a stunning range of wines, this estate is also famous for their leading lady’s musical talent (co-owner José Rallo is a wonderful recorded singer) and for their numerous charitable works. You will enjoy a private VIP tour of the “Baglio” and “Barricaia” and then taste a range of dry red and white wines, finishing with their spectacular Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria (from the far-flung Sicilian island of Pantelleria).

Enjoy a light lunch at the cellar, in their large sala with the photogenic Botte barrels. Following lunch, you will visit the atmospheric wine museum at Florio. This is one of the prettiest wineries in Italy and your host Marcello has an absolutely effervescent personality, what fun! You will learn all about the wine and the history of the estate (this is nearly a national monument in Sicily) and then you will finish with a very special tasting in a private room, of Florio’s best wines such as their Passito di Pantelleria, Malvasia delle Lipari (from the Aeolian island of Salina), their Baglio Florio Marsala Extra Virgine and their 15-year-old Donna Franca Marsala- precious and rare!

On the way back to Palermo you will pass by the unusual and impressive sea salt mounds and stop for a visit at the Saline Ettore Infersa Saltworks, a producer, and vendor of super high-quality sea salt. Very interesting visit and a great idea for gifts! In the evening, you will be dropped off in Palermo at your destination of choice (we can add additional days to this itinerary or you can book your own hotel tonight), and this concludes a fascinating week in Sicily. We look forward to planning your next trip to Sicily as you will be back for more!