We are so glad you are interested in joining Peggy Markel Culinary Adventures in Sicily. After 22 years, Peggy introduced a revamped version of the Sicilian program in 2022 by inviting Linda Sarris, a New Yorker living in Palermo and her long-time friend, to accompany her on this trip. Linda brings a fresh perspective from living there and together they have designed a primo bespoke experience. This is a juicy opportunity to spend time with both of them as they will take guests on an exploration of Sicily’s exuberant beauty.
We look forward to sharing with you the many wonders of Sicily’s delicious cuisine, varied landscapes, and warm culture. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@peggymarkel.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Sicily’s island borders embrace ages of influence – Greek ruins dot the land, Arabian eggplants, lemons, saffron, and nutmeg thrive in the volcanic soil and local artisans hand-make chocolates and cheeses.
Strong and elemental, Sicily retains an unconquered character and a romantic spirit, and you can taste it in her food. Sicilian dishes draw on history but abound with independent ideas and innovative interpretations that stand apart from the cuisine of mainland Italy.
On Sicily: A Different Italy we will coil our way through this dramatic region, from Palermo’s boisterous markets to the lesser-known entroterra, home to noble wine estates; down to Modica for hand-produced chocolates, an elegant manor house in Vittoria, and to Ortigia for the freshest fish. We will unlock the secrets of Sicilian cuisine and eat, drink, and enjoy a region where the sense of taste alone leads one down countless passages of history.
Note from Peggy — “I could think of only one person to accompany me again on this Culinary Adventure and that was Linda, who has fallen for Sicily as deeply as I have. She presently lives in Palermo and leads tasting tours through the Ballarò market and knows her way around the wiles of the isle, in cheeky style. It will be a blast and you will be in excellent hands with both Linda and me at the helm, taking care of you – our friends will be waiting to receive you everywhere you go.”
Benvenuti!
“We have had so many wonderful conversations looking back and reflecting on the beauty of our ‘culinary adventure’ in Sicily. Our reflections are deep about the beauty of food being the conduit for understanding other cultures and their people. A true ADVENTURE and a wonderful learning experience.”
– Carol & Nolan Blades, Canada, 2 x alumni
ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
Please note: this program starts in the historic center of Palermo on the evening of May 12, 2024. Departure from Ortygia island on May 19, 2024 after breakfast. We recommend you book your departure flight from the Catania airport.
| 2024 Dates | City | Lodging | Nights |
| May 12 | Palermo | Hotel Palermo Quattro Canti | One |
| May 13-15 | Regaleali | Anna Tasca Lanza | Three |
| May 16 | Vittoria | Baglio Occhipinti | One |
| May 17-18 | Ortygia | Hotel Gutkowski | Two |
| May 19 | Departure Ortygia |
DETAILED PROGRAM (Subject to Change)
DAY 1 – PALERMO
Our journey through Sicily begins in the bustling capital city of Palermo. In the heart of the centro storico, our group will meet at the hotel for a welcome aperitivo and dinner to clink glasses and start our Sicilian culinary adventures off with a bang.
DAY 2 – PALERMO / REGALEALI, Fabrizia Lanza’s Private Estate
After breakfast, we’ll start our Culinary Adventure right away with a morning walking tour of our favorite outdoor food market: the Ballarò. We’ll sample local delicacies as we stroll in awe through the labyrinths of the market and enjoy a street food lunch while getting to know each other.
We will travel through Sicily’s entroterra (the center of the island) by train. In the late afternoon we’ll arrive in Regaleali, the wine estate of Tasca D’Almerita, European Winery of the Year for 2020, one of the most important producers in Sicily and home of renowned cookbook author, Fabrizia Lanza, and the site of the Anna Tasca Lanza cooking school. The expanse of the “world of Regaleali” is breathtaking. 1,000 acres of soft rolling hills are planted with vines, olives, and almonds. Upon arrival, there will be time to relax and settle into our rooms before meeting for an aperitivo and supper.
A food historian and amazing storyteller, Fabrizia, will share her knowledge of local cuisine and traditions with a welcome dinner at Case Vecchie.
DAY 3 – REGALEALI, Fabrizia Lanza’s Private Estate
Our day begins with breakfast in the cooking school kitchen, followed by a walk through the rose garden. We’ll march right into the kitchen with a few good things in our basket for a hands-on cooking class and lunch with Fabrizia. The food prepared is a combination of the countryside dishes and also of great Sicilian aristocratic families. In true farm-to-table fashion, most of the food that will appear on the table during our stay at the estate is produced on the farm: fowl, lamb, sheep’s milk cheese, wheat, olive oil, bread, vinegar, vegetables, and freshly picked fruit.
In the late afternoon we’ll have a rest or take a walk through the vinyard-lined estate before meeting up for a sunset aperitivo and candle-lit dinner in the courtyard of Case Vecchie.
DAY 4 – REGALEALI, Fabrizia Lanza’s Private Estate
This morning, be ready for another mouth-watering day. It’s springtime, so no doubt the focus will be on fresh ricotta. And what better way to taste it than to go straight to the source? We will visit a local sheep farmer and celebrated cheese maker who will share his craft with us. Breakfast will be served at the shepherd’s. As usual, Linda will be snuggling up with a newborn lamb or farm puppy in her arms, and you are welcome to join in.
Lunch and a cheese tasting will be served at Regaleali when we return. The menus are decided on that day, to take advantage of not only what’s fresh, but what inspires us in Fabrizia’s gardens.
Our afternoon hands-on cooking lesson will focus on pasta making. The garden and the seasons will dictate the ingredients for our sauce, and therefore, our pasta shape as they always go hand-in-hand.
Fabrizia wrote and directed a documentary film on Sicily’s sacred festivals and the food that accompanies the celebrations. This evening, after dinner, we will have a private screening of the documentary “Amuri: The Sacred Flavors of Sicily”.
DAY 5 – VITTORIA, Baglio Occhipinti
After breakfast, we will bid farewell to Fabrizia and Regaleali as we head southeast toward Vittoria.
We’ll check into our rooms at Baglio Occhipinti and slow down over a traditional local lunch al fresco paired with natural wines from our host Fausta’s sister ~ Arianna Occhipinti. In the afternoon, guests can relax and maybe take a dip in the saltwater pool before meeting for our hands-on cooking lesson followed by dinner and a glamorous overnight stay.
DAY 6 – MODICA – ORTYGIA, Hotel Gutkowski
After breakfast we will depart from Baglio Occhipinti and head to the Baroque town of Modica. Chocolate is what Modica is famous for and gives southern Sicily a gastronomic star. In the morning, we are well embraced by Peggy’s friend, Innocenzo Pluchino, at his countryside chocolate lab Ciomod, for a hands-on chocolate class and lunch.
We’ll continue on to the historic island of Ortygia, in Siracusa. Check-in at our eclectic, seafront, boutique hotel and head into the piazza for a light apericena of cocktails and Sicilian snacks.
DAY 7 – ORTYGIA, Hotel Gutkowski
On our last day we will mosey around beautiful Ortygia and visit the outdoor market! Enjoy everything Ortygia has to offer such as the stunning Duomo to wide open piazzas and the lungomare seafront promenade, with some free time for last minute shopping or a quick dip in the Ionian Sea just below our hotel rooms. This evening we will gather for a private farewell celebratory dinner.
DAY 8 – Departure
Breakfast and departure from the island of Ortygia. Airport transfers can be arranged. Please plan for a later departure since it takes one hour to travel to the airport in Catania.
Buon viaggio!
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