Olive grove in Sicily, Italy

Slow Food & Leisurely Wine Tour of Southern Italy and Sicily

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

Italy

Places Visited

Catania, Tropea, Matera, Lecce...

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Suggested Duration

14 Days

Through the beauty of the cuisine, you will discover endless passion, embrace unfamiliar flavors, and take pleasure in history and gastronomy while exploring Southern Italy. Olive trees captivate with produce ready for harvest and grapevines absorb vibrant minerals, adding depth to sophisticated wines; lemon trees offer fragrant hints of citrus and the coastline erupts with revitalizing aromas of the sea. Celebrate zesty sauces and inspiring seafood, mouthwatering stews and refreshing salads during...

Customizable Itinerary

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Trip Highlights

  • Delight in the most popular varietals of grapes on the island of Sicily with a private vineyard tour around the Nero d’Avola Wine Region
  • Discover the coastal beauty of the often-overlooked town of Tropea while sampling renowned salami and pecorino cheeses in view of Santa Maria dell’Isola Monastery
  • Relish the classic flavor and buoyant texture of buffalo mozzarella made fresh at a dairy farm in Campania
  • Enjoy the refreshing citrus flavor of limoncello after a demonstration of crafting the traditional Southern Italian digestif
  • Learn how to craft the succulent texture and complementary flavors of regional Puglian cuisine during a private cooking class in Lecce
  • Bask in the array of flavors cultivated to accompany chocolate while exploring an artisan factory in the small town of San Marco dei Cavoti
  • Wander along with the vibrant fish market at the heart of Catania
  • Witness the charm and beauty of baroque and medieval cities across Southern Italy, including the unique subterranean city of Matera
  • Traverse the streets of Alberobello to view the fairytale-like architecture of trulli, whitewashed homes with conical rooftops
  • Taste the variety of flavors and captivating textures of hand-crafted gelato in the town of Pizzo, including the celebrated chocolate truffle  

Detailed Description

The pleasure of Southern Italy derives from the historic cities and enchanting cuisine shaped to perfection over millennia. Your 14-day gastronomical tour encompasses the rich flavors developed by chefs and harmonious relationship between farmers and the landscape. Your epicurean adventure begins with your arrival in Catania, Sicily. Your private transfer greets you at Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, transferring you to a luxurious hotel at the heart of the bustling baroque city. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy stunning architecture and vibrant culture at your leisure. In the evening, you will have your first taste of Catania with a traditional dish of Pasta alla Norma.

The following morning, your guide leads you on a stunning tour of Sicily’s second largest city to discover the palaces and remarkable churches. Sample the regional prosecco and local cuisine, embracing the active life of the famous fish market. Next, have a private tour of the architecture at Noto to sample the pastries before traversing the Nero d’Avola wine route to taste the stunning Nero d’Avola wine varietals. Venture north to reach Tropea in mainland Calabria. Traverse the historical streets and balanced flavors of Messina before taking the ferry over the Strait of the Messina to mainland Italy. Relish the stunning monuments and beaches around Tropea, traversing the galleries of Santa Maria dell’Isola Monastery before visiting the cafes in town to taste pecorino, salami, and celebrated sweet red onion.

Transfer to Matera, stopping in Cosenza to view a traditional Southern Italian city off the beaten path. Next, you have a private tour of Matera to visit the Sassi, the network of caves carved beneath the medieval streets and utilized for restaurants, homes, and shops until the late 1960s. Sample the traditional Altamura bread for a taste of the city’s inventiveness over the years. Next, you continue east to Lecce, stopping in Alberobello to view the trulli homes. Wander along the fairytale architecture before arriving in the baroque tradition of the architecture in Lecce. Explore the baroque charms of Lecce before partaking in a cooking class teaching you the staples of producing customary Puglian cuisine, from orecchiette to puccia.

Travel to the fortified seaside streets of Otronto to tour the serene streets and architecture. In the afternoon, you visit a vineyard to enjoy a quality lunch paired with wines produced on the property. Next, you travel to San Marco dei Cavoti for a lesson in chocolate making at an artisan factory in the heart of the cliff-top village. Transfer to Ravello along the Amalfi Coast, stopping to tour Pompeii and relish a private limoncello-making demonstration in the serene town of Positano, the gateway to Amalfi.

You visit the ancient Greek temples of Paestum before visiting a private dairy farm for a demonstration on how to produce the celebrated buffalo mozzarella. Your private transfer meets you at the hotel in Ravello on the final day and escorts you to Naples International Airport for your flight home. You could extend your stay in Southern Italy and make your way to Naples for a private pizza-making class in the birthplace of Italy’s most famous dish. 

Starting Price

$5,007 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service

4.89 stars based on 5085 reviews.

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