A Sicilian Culinary Immersion: South East Sicily’s Finest Food & Wine Retreat – 5 Nights

Sicilian Cooking, Food & Wine Holiday Part 1 in South-eastern Sicily

AN IMMERSIVE CULINARY FOOD & WINE RETREAT & HOLIDAY

Hosted by Emilia Strazzanti Chef & Founder of Strazzanti Sicily Experiences & Helen Bezane Wine Expert & Founder of Bespoke Wine Tour Sicily

An immersion into the culinary world of Sicilian food & wine, immerse yourself into the island of Sicily with its melting pot of diverse terroir, Sicilian wine, ingredients, recipes, and Sicilian cooking classes & techniques. Meet the Sicilian winemakers, discover the Sicilian food producers, cook, taste, and expand your knowledge through intimate visits and masterclasses all led by experts in their field. 

Escape to the Sicilian dream and experience our 5 Nights – 6 Days Wine & Food Retreat in Sicily, savour vineyard strolls, farm to table ingredients, and a taste of Sicilian life through its food & wine in this enriched getaway. 

Your stay will be in an elegant Sicilian farmhouse transformed into a villa with traditional Sicilian stone walls and furnished with each room having its own identity and style. The villa is an oasis of peace and tranquillity as we are set in the middle of the countryside overlooking unspoiled beauty, dramatic valleys, and olive groves. Although we are in the countryside in a peaceful setting we are only a 10 minutes drive to the historic centres of Scicli & Modica, both UNESCO World Heritage Site Sicilian Towns where the Sicilian detective series Montalbano was filmed. 

Discover the art of wine with wine expert and guide Helen Bezane, learning and delving deeper into the world of wine as she leads you through vineyard strolls and tastings, revealing the heart of Sicilian winemaking. You’ll savour the essence of Sicily’s rich vineyards and discover flavours that reflect the region’s soul and diversity of soil, land and sea. With her WSET certification as a wine expert, Helen will shed her expertise of Sicilian wine, land and terroir to you through these personal winery visits and masterclasses. 

With wine, there must be food and your expert and host in the food world is Sicilian/Neapolitan Chef Emilia Strazzanti, 1st generation born in the UK after her parents left Italy during the Italian diaspora. Emilia will introduce you to the land of her heritage through the ingredients, the style of production with local artisan producers and guide you personally through hands-on cooking classes where you’ll learn to create classic dishes using fresh, local Sicilian ingredients. Her expertise combines her Michelin trained background as a Chef working in London, Paris, Milan & Sicily alongside her deep Sicilian roots where she learned Sicilian recipes from her Nonni and the traditions of Sicilian cuisine, offering a unique farm-to-table experience.

Whether wandering through picturesque vineyards and diving into the finest wine making secrets, cooking with the seasonal Sicilian ingredients, or simply unwinding by the pool in the idyllic surroundings of the villa, this Sicilian Wine and Culinary Experience is designed for true lovers of slow travel and farm-to-table haven. Let the sun-kissed views of Sicily’s countryside set the stage for days of discovery, indulgence, and connection.

THE DATES:

• Sunday July 6th – Friday July 11th 2025 (5 Nights)
• Arrival & Pick up from Catania Airport
• Departure & Drop Off to Catania Airport
• Location details shared on receipt of deposit

THE DETAILS:

• An all inclusive retreat from when you land in Sicily *flights not included & travel insurance required 

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE:

• Accommodation single occupancy with private double bedroom and ensuite bathroom
• All meals including breakfast, lunch and dinners *please note anything outside of the set menus is at your own extra costs
• All excursions & visits with entry fee, tastings, masterclasses, cooking classes
• All transfers including to and from the airport *Please note we have 1 group transfer provided for the airport transfers to & from Catania airport, anything outside of this is at an extra cost by the individual,
• Anything else not stated in the itinerary is at your own costs
• Please note if other transfers are required that are not part of the itinerary we can organize this for you at an extra cost

PERFECT FOR:

• The solo traveller who loves food & wine, who loves to explore a culture through its food & wine scene and to meet like minded people. You do NOT need to be an expert in cooking or wine to join as we will be with you to guide you and inform you along the way and to simply enjoy and immerse yourselves in the Sicilian way of living through food and wine. 
• Designed for those seeking an unforgettable journey and exploration into Sicilian food & wine. This retreat will transport you to the enchanting landscapes of South-Eastern Sicily, filled with Baroque charm and the peacefulness of the countryside with an itinerary filled with richness but also time to relax and unwind.  

PRICE:

• 2500 euro per person all inclusive 
• 25% non refundable deposit required to secure your space
• Remaining balance is due 60 days before the experience date *please see our T&C’s 

THE ITINERARY:

We like to leave you some surprises for your stay but here is the outline… remember all meals included, where they are not stated you will have a private Chef & Wine experience with your hosts.

• Day 1 – Arrival from Catania airport & welcome aperitivo with an introduction to your Sicilian food & wine immersion with dinner out in the Unesco World Heritage site town of Scicli
• Day 2 – Sicilian flour mill visit producing Sicilian antique grains, with a late morning wine visit & lunch at a winery
• Day 3 – A morning cooking class & lunch with an afternoon wine visit & dinner out in the UNESCO world heritage site of Modica
• Day 4 – Cheese & olive oil & lunch & a special wine masterclass with dinner 
• Day 5 – The final winery visit with a seaside town lunch out and then “The Last Supper” with cooking class & wine masterclass 
• Day 6 – Departure to Catania airport