Sicily + the Aeolians: The Island of Salina

Salina and Mt. Etna

It’s human nature to be free. And freethinkers have always flocked to the Aeolian Islands, a cluster of volcanic miracles located off the northeast coast of Sicily. Here, niche agriculture remains uninterrupted by the rest of the world. Extraordinary capers and Malvasia grapes: everything is saturated with flavor, a combination of sun and sea. Traditionally, Aeolian cuisine was poor, consisting of soups, breads, wild greens and humble sea fish. Little did we know that the world would be in search of such authentic tastes and humble beginnings. Salina, a jewel in the rough offers her wild self to be tamed at the table.  We travelers are invited into the kitchen to embrace and embellish with careful hands and artful eyes.

For this Culinary Adventure, we will stay in the whitewashed resort of Capofaro owned by the Tasca D’Almerita family, famous for their wines on 1000 acres in the center of Sicily known as Regaleali, and particularly their malvasia grown in an ideal setting on Salina. We’ll cook with one of the island’s brilliant chefs and sit at the table of another. Salina offers an abundance of richness and flavor. 

From Capofaro, you’ll glimpse three of the other islands, including Stromboli, which is often smoking from constant eruption. With rich, black volcanic soil and lush greens set against the pure azure of the ocean, Salina is truly one of the world’s most beautiful places. It takes time to get there, but you will feel removed from the world and dropped into a dreamlike place. From Salina, we venture back to mainland Sicily and visit winemakers and artisan producers on Mount Etna. She’ll be settled in her chaise mountain lounge, smoking, just waiting for us.

Reserve my spot

Inspiration: My son who first told me of his experience sailing around Salina. The tomatoes. Capers. Stromboli. Black sand. A glass of chilled Malvasia with a saline note, perfect for fish and and dishes laced with capers. Swimming off the boat in Polara where Il Postino was filmed.

Date

September 15 – 22, 2024

Prices

Double: $7,950 per person
Single Supplement: $900

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From my journal…

Let me just say, taking a trip like this opens your eyes and heart. There is every reason to believe that natural beauty combined with culture and taste is the key to a soothed soul. If you are like me, it’s the food of happiness.

I have spent a lifetime moving from one beautiful and nourishing place to another, even while certain parts of my life were falling apart and there were woes, heartbreaks, losses and disappointments. But I never ceased to give in. There are too many treasures and opportunities to enjoy one’s life.

Press

Nine of Sicily’s Tastiest Food Retreats to Book Now [Suitcase Magazine]

Designer Lucy Penfield Hosts a Moroccan Dinner Party

Up Close with Peggy Markel – Food, Travel, and Storytelling

“In Search of Flavor” Podcast Episode with Peggy

Local Flavors by John Lehndorff [Boulder Weekly]

Peggy Markel + Her Epic Culinary Adventures — The Flair Index

5280 Magazine: “Eat, Drink, Be Merry”

SB Digs: “Peggy Markel’s Culinary Adventures”

AFAR Magazine: “Where to Go in 2015”

Elephant Journal: “A Virtual Tour of Peggy Markel’s Culinary Adventures. #walkthetalk”

The Boulder Weekly: “The Transformative Power of Travel and Food”

Monica Pedersen’s Make It Beautiful: Designs and Ideas for Entertaining at Home

Boulder Daily Camera: “Peggy Markel Marks 20 Years of Creating Authentic Travel”

I Want Her Job: “Interview with Peggy Markel”

The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia, Illustrated by Peggy Markel

The Wall Street Journal: “Top 10 Culinary Guides”

Eat Drink Etc.: “Peggy Markel’s Culinary Tours”

Zingerman’s Roadhouse: “A Toast to Uncle Joe”

Fine Living: “Learn to Cook in Paradise”

Women’s Magazine: “Profile: Raging at the sky”

Denver Westword: “Slowing Down”

Travel Agent Magazine: “An Appetite for Travel”

The Sustainable Kitchen

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