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Tasting traditions: A Sicilian food tour adventure

Our Sicily food tour takes you from Palermo to Syracuse, with authentic cookery lessons, street food tours and local wine-tasting along the way. Read on for Charlotte's take.

Written by Aimee White, who interviewed Charlotte (Customer Relations Manager)
Published: 11 April 2025

 

"I wish all trips started this way. The quality of the local guide was incredible, and you could tell people were genuinely impressed. The street food tour was our lunch for the day - it was more than enough, even for foodies! We soon realised that everything tastes better in Sicily..."

 

Charlotte recently joined our Taste of Sicily food tour, a mouth-watering trip that caters to avid foodies with plenty of tasting and sampling opportunities. It's a true celebration of Sicilian cuisine and culture! Read on for Charlotte's take to find out more:

We had a stand-out tour leader

From the moment we met him, our local tour leader, Fabio, was the epitome of an Explore tour leader. He was informative, fun and decisive, and as this was a food tour he showed us quirky little places we wouldn't have known to visit otherwise. He really brought the trip to life and enhanced our overall experience.

More about our Tour Leader Awards
Various vegetables, including artichokes, eggplants, and onions, are displayed for sale on a market stall. Baskets and a vibrant, bustling market environment surround them.

Balancing action-packed itineraries and free time

We had 13 people in our group, which included a mix of couples, friends and solo adventurers. This was an action-packed itinerary but we still had our own free time, so Fabio would arrange a time for us to reunite to go for drinks or dinner.

 

Our first two days were spent in Palermo, where we toured the street food markets and tasted arancini (my favourite), spring onion wrapped in pancetta, panelle, pani ca'meusa ('workman's sandwich') and brioche con gelato. This was a fun, vibrant group bonding experience, and an immersive way to get your bearings.

Ancient stone columns stand on a stepped platform amidst scattered rocks and sparse vegetation, with a tree nearby and a partly cloudy sky above.

This food tour is a real treat

I also loved our group dinner at the agriturismo, where we tucked into sharing platters and jugs of local red wine. We visited local small family businesses, from the Morreale wine estate in Corleone to a tomato farm where we enjoyed lunch in a rustic setting. We also stopped off in the picturesque town of Onto Noto where we sampled their famous Granita (a refreshing frozen dessert) and went chocolate tasting in Modica, a small town that’s home to stunning Baroque architecture.

 

My favourite meal was at the agriturismo. It was a simple spaghetti dish, but the presentation and quality of ingredients were what made it stand out, with the courses all served family style.

Tomato plants grow vertically supported by strings, bearing clusters of red and green fruits. The plants are lined in rows within a large greenhouse, with a white ground covering below.

We stayed at a charming agriturismo

We stayed in comfortable hotels, plus an overnight stay in an agriturismo (a family-run accommodation) in Masseria. The agriturismo was particularly charming and while we were there, we made ricotta and chocolate-filled pastry ravioli for our dessert while drinking Prosecco! The family, who didn’t speak any English, showed us what to do, and we really felt like we were part of their family.

More about our accommodation
A woman stands smiling in front of a historic cathedral with intricate arches and a prominent dome. The sunny courtyard features trimmed hedges, potted plants, and a clear, blue sky overhead.

Highlight after highlight

The further south we ventured, the more the landsape changed - it felt like we were in a different country! The route transforms from cityscapes and Tuscan-like countryside before reaching the south coast.

I felt privileged to visit Ortygia Island (pictured); it's a compact island with soemthing for eveyrone. Fabio led us on a walking tour, which finished wit ha coffee tasting. Then we had free time to go to the beach club, bars or shopping, or simply walk around. We enjoyed our last dinner of the week here, which was a lovely way to round off an incredible trip.

Turquoise water gently laps against a rocky shoreline beneath a long pink sea wall, lined with colorful historic buildings. People relax on the pebbled beach and enjoy the sunny weather.

How I'd describe this trip in one word

Surprising. As well as all the food and drink experiences, we also visited the Valley of the Temples, which is home to Sicily's most famous classical remains. This trip had elements of classical Sicily without it being too much of a history overload, and obviously with a delicious foodie twist.
Take me to Charlotte's trip
Various flavors of gelato are displayed in metal trays, topped with fruit slices. Labels read "Limone," "Pera," "Fragola," "Mango," "Maracuja," and "Melone." Scoops are inserted for serving.

Charlotte's top five food and drink to try in Sicily:

  1. Arancini: Originating in Sicily, arancini balls are deep-fried and filled with cheese and rice.
  2. Cannolo: A tube-shaped fried pastry shell filled with ricotta cheese and a blend of sweet ingredients.
  3. Granita: This frozen dessert falls somewhere between shaved ice and sorbet. Famously delicious!
  4. Seafood: Particularly on Ortygia Island, where fresh, natural seafood allows the natural flavours to shine through.
  5. Grillo: Thanks to Sicily's fertile soil, a variety of rich and robust wines are produced here, including Grillo.
View all Sicily tours
Cannoli, topped with chopped pistachios and cherries, sit stacked in a display case. A red sign above reads "Cannoli di Sicilia." Trays of sweets are visible in the background.

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