Amore Siciliano

Six nights accommodation

Daily breakfast

Four cooking lessons followed by lunch

All lunches and dinners except two dinners where you are free to explore on your own

All excursions, tastings and entrance fees in the itinerary

Transport to/from Catania airport

Day One
Transfer from the Catania airport to your accommodation in Modica, a lovely family-run hotel where you will experience a real slice of Sicilian life. After you’ve settled in, enjoy a welcome dinner where you will be taken through the plan for the week’s culinary adventure.

Day Two
This morning, wake up to the smell of dark, rich, Sicilian coffee and a breakfast of sweets from Ptinio, one of the best-loved pastry shops in Modica. Next, on to your first cooking lesson. The class begins around 9 a.m. and typically lasts for 3-4 hours with lunch afterwards. A local chef will teach you authentic Sicilian recipes using fresh, simple ingredients. Make dishes including Sfuogghiu (sausage and ricotta pie), pasta alla picurara (potatoes cooked in milk) and maccarunna (macaroni). After a busy morning’s cooking, savor your efforts while learning more about the region and its customs from your teacher. In the afternoon, a walking tour of the beautiful Baroque city of Modica. Your guide will show you the main points of interest but also some of the lesser known back streets that offer wonderful views of the city and its life. Return to your hotel for dinner.

Day Three
After breakfast, your second lesson, followed by your meal with local wine. The afternoon is devoted to an exploration of the coast starting from a lovely winery close to the sea and moving on for a walk at the Vendicari Nature Reserve visiting the newly restored Tonnara. Following, visit Noto, which beyond the magnificent architecture, hides many culinary specialties such as wonderful honey, sweet wines and almond-based desserts. Return to Modica. Tonight, dinner on your own, with freedom to explore the town and its many wonderful restaurants.

Day Four
Today is dedicated to visit the COS biodynamic winery to understand their wine-making process and choice of producing organic wines in terracotta jars. After a tasting of their best wines, enjoy a lunch of local cheeses and meats, paired with exceptional reds and whites produced on the estate. After lunch, visit the Ragusa area, renowned for its caciocavallo ragusano cheese along with decadently creamy ricotta, both produced using traditional methods on farms. Don’t miss seeing the Piazza San Giovanni and its Baroque cathedral, while Via Roma and Corso Italia are ideal shopping streets for local products. In the evening enjoy some of Modica's rustic delicacies such as scacci and arancini as well as a variety of cheese accompanied with some of our favorite wines.

Day Five
After breakfast, another cooking lesson follwed by lunch of your creations. In the afternoon, visit the historical city center of Siracusa on the island of Ortygia with its maze of narrow, picturesque, Baroque streets and piazzas. One of the most important cities in ancient Greek civilization, Siracusa today contains a wealth of historical ruins and ancient archeological sites. Here you will be free to wonder around the fish market and explore the city center where you can see the Temple of Apollo, the Duomo with its magnificent Baroque façade and Doric temple columns (which was originally a Doric temple), the legendary Arethusa Fountain and the Norman Maniace Castle. Perhaps stop at a seafront cafes and or shop at the charming boutiques for local products and crafts. Dinner on your own in Siracusa, following return to Modica.

Day Six
Your final cooking lesson with your local chef. Again, you’ll experiment with local ingredients and regional recipes and the combinations of the freshest of foods combine for a delicious luncheon. In the afternoon, time to pay tribute to one of the most important and famous products of south-east Sicily — chocolate. Modica is especially famous for its chocolate and sweets, thanks to the Mexican tradition of chocolate brought to Sicily via the Spaniards centuries before. Visit Bonajuto’s famous chocolate laboratory in the town. After a factory tour, sample the amazing sweets. Following, there is time for you to further explore Modica and for any last-minute shopping in the historical city center. Tonight, sit round the table for your farewell dinner!

Day Seven
Transfer back to Catania airport. Arrivederci!

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
9/12/2010 - 9/18/2010	$2,750
9/26/2010 - 10/2/2010	$2,750
10/17/2010 - 10/23/2010	$2,750
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

Your host Katia was born in Modica, and grew up just 20 minutes away in Ispica, and her partner and husband Ronald was born and grew up in Limassol, Cyprus (another beautiful Mediterranean island). They got married in Sicily on a gorgeous sunny April day in 2003 and decided that the southeast region of Sicily is a place they love and and want to stay, after having lived for several years in the UK, working as university researchers in ethnic relations and artificial intelligence, respectively.

ABOUT COOKING COURSES: Classes will be in the new kitchen of your accommodations, which also boasts an herb garden on the terrace. The vegetables, fish and meat that you will work with are all from local producers. Your chefs for your classes share a deep passion for Sicilian cuisine and they will introduce you to the wonders of Sicilian cooking, which is based on a solid understanding of main ingredients and fundamental techniques, alongside an uncompromising attention to detail. You are sure to come away with a better understanding of Sicilian cooking and a great range of recipes and skills to try out back home!

For the past two years your hosts have been hard at work restoring a wonderful house right in the historical centre of Modica where they have designed a great kitchen environment for the cookery courses. The cookery school offers three double en-suite, air-conditioned rooms with telephone access, wireless internet and flat-panel TVs, and there is additional access to more double and single rooms in the adjacent building (Casalbergo Garibaldi), whose rooms are also all ensuite as well. The main living area is divided into a large kitchen (where the courses will take place) and a large living room, with both offering access to the terazza. You can sit back and enjoy the views with a nice glass of wine from your hosts' wide collection. The building is located right in the center of Modica. Shops, bars and restaurants as well as the main sites of Modica are within easy walking distance, and from the terrazza of the house you can enjoy the duomo of San Giorgio with the scalinata (stairs) that lead from the heart of Modica up to the duomo.

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