Italian Guided Tour | Food & Culture 2024
Villa Cariddi – Sicily
While it’s true that having a meal at Fazio will give you l’esperienza Italiana, nothing compares to travelling to Italy and immersing yourself in the country, the culture, the people, the food, and of course, the wines.
The Real Esperienza Italiana
My family comes from Sicily. Not having been there for the past two years due to Covid, I can’t wait to get over again to the beautiful island of my ancestors, ‘Isola Bella’. Join us on this wonderful trip where you will share in carefully researched experiences, both centered around food and culture. We have put together an itinerary that will showcase the best that Sicily has to offer. Including gorgeous beaches, live volcanoes, ancient Greek cities, spectacular seafood and exceptional wines.
Tour Dates
September 30
to October 14
2024
The tour includes seven nights at the luxurious Villa Cariddi with cooking classes conducted by Sam and Alessia. We will tour local historical and beautiful areas of Sicily; Mount Etna, Taormina and Siracusa.
All meals and drinks/alcohol are included. Once you arrive at the villa, you won’t have to worry about a thing. We’ll look after you.
Beauty therapist, Venera, is an added feature to our tour providing facials, massages, reflexology, manicures and pedicures.
Itinerary
Day 1
Saturday 30 September
Arrive at the spectacular Villa Cariddi, where you will check-in and settle into your accommodation for the next seven nights.
Villa Cariddi is located on a clifftop looking over the Strait of Messina to the coast of Calabria, surrounded by 10 hectares of citrus groves.You will have time to explore the villa grounds, relax and freshen up before welcome drinks and the Fazio team serving up a traditional Sicilian dinner on the terrace featuring delicious local wines.
Day 2
Sunday 1 October
To acclimatise to the Sicilian way of life, the Fazio team will serve a late breakfast. After breakfast is free time; this is an excellent opportunity to explore the local towns or enjoy the beautiful surrounding beaches.
Day 3
Monday 2 October
On Monday, we will have breakfast and coffee at the villa before being collected by our driver to visit Gambino Winery, one of Mount Etna’s most famous wineries. You will go on a tour, followed by traditional Sicilian lunch and wine tasting, of course.
Day 4
Tuesday 3 October
Today is a free day! After all, the activity from the trip to Gambino Winery must have left you ready for a pool day or a trip to the beach; there are many beautiful beaches that the team can get you to.
Day 5
Wednesday 4 October
We will have breakfast and coffee at the Villa before being collected by our driver to the speculator UNESCO island of Ortigia in Siracusa.
Day 6
Thursday 5 October
After a big day of cooking, eating, walking and shopping in Siracusa, there are many beautiful beaches that the team can take you to.
Day 7
Friday 6 October
On Friday, we will be spending the day in the beautiful town of Taormina. Spectacularly perched on the side of a mountain, Taormina is Sicily’s most popular summer destination, a chic resort town beloved of holidaying high-rollers and locals.
Day 8
Saturday 7 October
Saturday concludes our Sicilian experience with breakfast being served by the Fazio team out on the terrace, followed by any final packing if needed.
Please join us on our 2024 food and wine tour to Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean situated just off the ‘toe’ of Italy’s ‘boot’ and home to Sam Fazio’s parents before they emigrated to Australia.
Consequently, this tour promises to be something very special and personal.
We will be staying at the spectacular Villa Carridi on the east coast, looking across the straights of Messina onto the Calabrian coast. Throughout your stay, you will learn to cook some of Sam’s favourite dishes. In addition, your visit will include a tour and lunch at the renowned Gambino winery on Mt Etna, as well as a day exploring Taormina, Sicily’s most popular summer destination with its mediaeval churches and ancient Greek theatre. We will also spend a day on the island of Ortigia in Siracusa, where local chef Alessia will take us to the market to explore, buy beautiful fresh produce, and back to her home to cook a magnificent lunch.
You can do all this and more with Sam Fazio on the 2024 tour to Sicily. Set for September, when average temperatures range from lows of 15 to highs of 27, this tour is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy this beautiful region of Italy with hosts who know the language, culture, customs, and, most importantly, the food and wine. With plenty of free time to soak up the sun on the villa’s terrace, swim in the pool, explore nearby villages, enjoy a massage from our resident beauty therapist Venera, or relax, this is a tour that is guaranteed to give you l’esperienza Italiana.
Consequently, this tour promises to be something very special and personal.
We will be staying at the spectacular Villa Carridi on the east coast, looking across the straights of Messina onto the Calabrian coast. Throughout your stay, you will learn to cook some of Sam’s favourite dishes. In addition, your visit will include a tour and lunch at the renowned Gambino winery on Mt Etna, as well as a day exploring Taormina, Sicily’s most popular summer destination with its medieval churches and ancient Greek theatre. We will also spend a day on the island of Ortigia in Siracusa, where local chef Alessia will take us to the market to explore, buy beautiful fresh produce, and back to her home to cook a magnificent lunch.
You can do all this and more with Sam Fazio on the 2022 tour to Sicily. Set for September, when average temperatures range from lows of 15 to highs of 27, this tour is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy this beautiful region of Italy with hosts who know the language, culture, customs, and, most importantly, the food and wine. With plenty of free time to soak up the sun on the villa’s terrace, swim in the pool, explore nearby villages, enjoy a massage from our resident beauty therapist, Venera, or relax, this is a tour that is guaranteed to give you l’esperienza Italiana.