- Wander through colourful markets and try the unique street food of Palermo
- Enjoy a hands-on cookery class with a local chef in Erice
- Sample a variety of local specialities during produce and wine tastings
- Visit unique heritage sites and baroque cities, including Agrigento and Noto
Sicily Food Adventure
8 Days
Excluding Flights
8 Days
from
Culture
Activity Level
Easy
See our Activity Level Guidelines to check if this holiday is right for you.
Comfort Level
Classic
Itinerary
Palermo Catania
Fly to Palermo
Fly to Palermo airport and transfer to the start hotel in the city centre. This busy port city situated on the north-western coast of the island encloses some very interesting and often overlooked attractions. There is some fine architecture to be admired, as well as good museums, palazzi and churches. It is the city’s food scene, colourful local markets and long established food shops, however, that give the city a very original and eccentric character worth discovering.
Accommodation: B&B Hotel Quattro Canti (or similar)
Start Palermo
This tour starts in Palermo, the regional capital of Sicily. This busy port city on the northwest coast encompasses fascinating and often-overlooked attractions. There is fine architecture to admire, good museums, palazzi and churches. It is the food scene, colourful markets and long-established food shops, however, that give the city an original, eccentric character worth discovering.
Accommodation: B&B Hotel Quattro Canti (or similar)
Explore the markets of Palermo and indulge in fabulous street food; optional afternoon visit to Monreale and the ‘duomo’
We start our week with a guided foodie tour through the historic centre of Palermo. During our walk, we wander through the carts and kiosks of street vendors, colourful markets and local bakeries while trying some of the best local specialities. These vary by season, but usually include arancini (fried rice balls stuffed with meat sauce and cheese), panelle (fried chickpea pancake), and sfincione (the traditional pizza of Palermo) – all delicious. As we walk, the local guide reveals secrets of Sicilian street cuisine and explains the history of the city, while pointing out notable monuments and historic streets, such as Piazza San Domenico, Vucciria and Quattro Canti. The rest of the day is free; you may decide to continue sightseeing at your own pace or take an optional visit to Monreale, famous for its duomo (cathedral), considered the greatest example of Norman architecture in the world.
Accommodation: B&B Hotel Quattro Canti (or similar)
Transfer to Erice; hands-on cookery class with a local chef; continue to Marsala and sample the local wines
In the morning, we transfer to our next destination, the hilltop town of Erice. The local gastronomy in this part of Sicily is strongly influenced by the Arabs, who occupied the area for many centuries until the Normans took over. A hands-on cookery course with a local chef gives us the opportunity to learn more about the interesting culinary fusions, while practising (and tasting) traditional regional recipes.
In the afternoon, we head to the southern town of Marsala, home to the much-loved fortified wines of the same name. A wine tasting is offered after a tour of one of the best local wineries.
Accommodation: Villa Favorita Bungalow, Hotel Carmine (or similar)
Morning visit to an olive farm for olive oil and produce tasting; transfer to Agrigento for a guided tour of the Valley of the Temples
In the morning, we leave Marsala and transfer to a traditional organic olive farm. We learn about the cultivation and production methods and sample olive oil accompanied by local produce. In the afternoon, we transfer to the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. A guided tour allows us to learn about the history of this archaeological park, which consists of eight temples (and various other remains) built between about 510 BCE and 430 BCE.
Accommodation: Hotel della Valle (or similar)
To Piazza Armerina; guided tour of the Villa Romana del Casale followed by a delicious produce tasting; afternoon visit to the town of Ragusa
Today’s destination is Piazza Armerina, home of Villa Romana del Casale. Built in the fourth century CE as a hunting lodge by a Roman patrician, the villa is home to well-preserved Roman mosaics, which are spread over 37,670sqft (3,500sqm). After a guided tour of this UNESCO-listed site, we enjoy a delicious produce tasting of Sicilian delicacies.
In the afternoon, we transfer to the baroque gem of Ragusa, one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. The town is part of the Val di Noto World Heritage site and 18 of the buildings are protected by UNESCO. After a short orientation walk, we have free time to enjoy a relaxing and well-deserved aperitivo (traditional Italian pre-dinner drinks and snacks) in a piazza.
Accommodation: Hotel Mediterraneo or Hotel Barocco (or similar)
Transfer to rural farm for cheese tasting; to the baroque town of Noto; time to explore and transfer to Catania
We start our day with a transfer to a family-run farm in the countryside near Ragusa, a province where cheese-making traditions are stronger than anywhere else in Sicily. After a cheese-making demonstration and a farm tour, we taste samples, including ricotta made by the owners. Later, we transfer to the other baroque gem of the Val di Noto, the town of Noto itself. After a relaxing stroll through what is considered one of the most beautiful historic centres in Sicily, we can enjoy another staple of Sicilian cuisine: granita (crushed ice flavoured with fresh fruit or nuts and sugar) accompanied by traditional brioche (a soft, fragrant sweetbread). In the afternoon, we transfer to Catania, our base for the last two nights of the tour.
Accommodation: B&B Hotel Catania (or similar)
Visit the loud, fast-paced fish market; travel to Etna for an excellent wine and produce tasting and short walk; return to Catania
After breakfast, we visit La Pescheria, the colourful, loud and pungent fish market, which is one of the oldest and biggest in Italy. Held every morning except Sunday, it is everything one expects an Italian market to be; following the local traditions, fishermen try to attract buyers with their loud voices and plenty of gesticulation. Nearby, there are also fruit and vegetable stalls plus other produce from the mountain villages around Etna.
Later this morning, we transfer to a renowned wine cellar on Mount Etna and enjoy a wine and produce tasting for lunch, followed by a walk (one hour, 3mi/5km maximum) around the most active volcano in Europe. We return to Catania in the afternoon, and in the evening our leader will recommend an excellent local restaurant where we can enjoy a farewell dinner.
Accommodation: B&B Hotel Catania (or similar)
End Catania; fly to London
This tour ends in Catania in the morning of Day 8. Depending on the group flight departure time, there might be some free time to explore the city. In case the group flight is scheduled to depart in the evening, you may also want to consider an optional day-trip to the charming hilltop town of Taormina (your leader will be able to provide you with directions and information locally).
End Catania
This Sicilian food adventure comes to an end after breakfast. If you’d like more time to explore this fascinating island, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.
Three- and four-star hotels
On this Sicily trip, we use three- and four-star hotels. Some have been chosen for their warm hospitality and typically Sicilian character and others for their convenient location. They are often near the historic centres we visit so we can easily explore the towns in the evenings or during our free time. Below are the hotels normally used:
Palermo: B&B Hotel Quattro Canti (nights 1-2)
Our first stop is Quattro Canti, a three-star hotel in the historic centre of Palermo. For foodies, the highlight may well be the rooftop restaurant, which serves Italian cuisine with views over the city.
Marsala: Villa Favorita bungalow (night 3)
In Marsala, we stay at the Villa Favorita resort (above). The Villa Favorita resort was built by wine entrepreneur Salvatore Amodeo in 1860 and we typically stay in igloo-style accommodations within the property. There’s also a pool with loungers, plus plenty of green space to wander.
Agrigento: Hotel della Valle (night 4)
After visiting the Valley of the Temples, we head to the nearby Hotel della Valle. Relax post-exploration with a dip in the pool or dine together in one of the two restaurants, which serve a mixture of Sicilian and international cuisines.
Ragusa: Hotel Mediterraneo or Hotel Barocco (night 5)
In Ragusa, we either stay at Hotel Mediterraneo (above) or Hotel Barocco, depending on availability. The former is a modern hotel within a few minutes’ walk of Ragusa Ibla (the old town); it has a restaurant-bar serving Mediterranean cuisine. The latter is within Ragusa Ibla and has a restaurant-pizzeria.
Catania area: B&B Hotel Catania (nights 6-7)
We spend our final two nights at the modern Hotel Catania. It’s well placed for our activities, and, when we’re not out exploring, it has a lobby shop for food and drink.
Trip Experts
Sheena Rosentreter
Inside Sales Support
Shaelene Chapman
Adventure Specialist
Simone Sarnataro
Customer Operations Executive
Reviews
Add your own reviewADY: Sicily Food Adventure
An insightful view of the food influences, inspired by the Arabs and Normans. The island itself is incredibly fertile, enjoying an ideal climate for the cultivation of produce, such as olives, oranges, lemons, aubergines, tomatoes, pistachios and almonds, not to mention the fresh seafood caught right off the coast. A visit to the renowned wine cellar on Mount Etna, to enjoy a wine tasting and lunch, followed by a walk around the most active volcano in Europe.
Most Inspirational Moment
Learning from the accredited Tour Guide, which was allocated for the day, how the Temples of Agrigento was built.
Thoughts on Group Leader
He was very engaging and informative.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring a warm jacket for your Mount Etna hike.
Sicilian food adventure
An amazing trip exploring so much of Sicilian history and typical foods the Island. Our tour leader Tiziano went above and beyond his role to show us as possibile throughout the trip. We saw so much in 1 week.
Most Inspirational Moment
So much included to choose 1 moment.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Tiziano was amazing. He was friendly, helpful, approachable and super conscientious. He did as much as could and more to ensure our trip was a superb adventure.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for some long hot days on an amazing island with so much to offer.
Sicily - an island of contrasts
The tour introduced us to Sicilian food and we experienced making pasta, drinking Marsala wine, tasting mozzarella and warm ricotta straight from the buffalo cows, and visited an organic olive farm. This was in addition to eating loads of delicious street food, and exploring fish and vegetable markets. And then we visited beautiful historical towns of Ragusta and Nota – and learned about the ancient history of Sicily in the Valley of Temples in Agrigento. I also walked around a crater on Mount Etna. What a week ! Full of fun and learning.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing the exquisite Roman mosaic in the Villa Romana del Casale.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Francesco was passionate about his country, knowledgeable and good fun. A perfect group leader. He saved the day for me when I left my jacket in the first hotel and arranged for it to be couriered to the last hotel so I had something warm when climbing Etna.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Remember your colleagues names ASAP. Go with the Sicilian flow.
A packed week of food and culture
It’s incredible the amount of activities and experiences that this trip packs in. It’s pretty full on. But extremely interesting and rewarding, in terms of the amount you learn about Sicily… especially its food and culture.
Most Inspirational Moment
Our tour leader, Alessio, made the trip. But the nights in Palermo and Ragusa were the best. As those cities were most interesting. Along with the vineyard visit on Etna. All the visits to the produce makers (olive oil, cheese, wine) never felt like merely a sales exercise. There was no hard sell. But all were interesting. And delicious in terms of sampling. The mix of accommodation types was really good.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Alessio was brilliant at making sure everyone was enjoying themselves. You felt in very capable hands. We didn't have any dramas on our tour but I'm sure he would be excellent at sorting anything out if required. His local knowledge, as a Sicilian himself, and enthusiasm for the food and culture of Sicily is incredible. He can talk (!)but always in an interesting and sometimes amusing way.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't do this trip if you just want to sit on the beach or by the pool. You won't get much chance of that. Our group were almost all 50 years plus. There aren't any onerous levels of exercise involved but you do need to be able to manage a certain amount of walking. I would suggest that doing this in the spring or autumn is best to avoid the intense heat. But it did feel a bit end of season'ish in late September.
Sicily Food Adventure
An incredible week exploring Sicily! We toured food markets, made pasta from scratch, did an olive oil tasting at a local farm, saw fresh burrata being made at a buffalo farm then sampled cheese products, went to a beautiful winery on Mt Etna, then did a hike to the Volcanos craters. We learned so much about Sicily’s history, and culture, and of course, had lots of delicious food and wine!! I am already planning my next trip to Sicily!
Most Inspirational Moment
all the local experiences (family run cheese farm, olive oil, wineries, cooking classes, etc)
Thoughts on Group Leader
Veronica was amazing - so knowledgeable and passionate about Sicily! Marco our driver was also great!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Book a post-night in Catania! After an incredible week of exploring the island, it is nice to spend one extra day by the seaside or exploring the city of Catania
Sicily
Trip itself was good, weather not so good, but our memories of the holiday were spoilt by the delays to our return to England. While Etna erupting and closing Catania airport was no ones fault, British Airways did nothing whatsoever to help us find a replacement flight, in the end we had to find one through Expedia and fly back with Easyjet at considerable expense to ourselves. We did try to contact Exodus for any advice or help they might give, but had zero response, not your best moment.
Most Inspirational Moment
Getting back home with no help from Exodus or British Airways
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't rely on Exodus to book your flights, ours kept changing, and as they were very early outwards and very late return we had booked hotel rooms, but they resulted in staying at the wrong Heathrow terminal on departure, and paying extra because we had to change the dates. On return the Hotel we had booked at Gatwick was superfluous as the flight was cancelled and we flew to Luton 12 hours later.
Etna in action!
This is a fantastic tour if you’re interested in both the food and the history of Sicily, as the tour combines both of them very well. The trip manages to pack so much in, every day there is something new to see, a new place to visit and a new tasting experience. The tour hops from hotel to hotel, using 5 different establishments, everything from small boutique style, to a holiday village with dome shaped bungalows and a 2 night stay in a large hotel complex on the outskirts of Catania. My week was full of a few unexpected things! Lost luggage between Milan & Palmero airports, absolute torrential rain on day 1 while in Palmero, an abandoned walk on Etna due to more extreme weather and to top it off an eruption of Etna on my departure day which coated Catania & the airport in a layer of black volcanic ash! This resulted in the airport being closed, several flight changes and finally getting home 2 days later than planned! It’s a packed itinerary, some early morning starts and a lot of distance covered in the bus. A good guide book together with the trip notes will help you no end.
Most Inspirational Moment
Lots of moments to mention. Visiting a mountain village to learn how to make pasta, the whole village was covered in thick fog! The visit to Ragusa, a perfectly beautiful town, I wished we’d had a little more time there. Being in Catania when Etna erupted! Although she ruined my return home, as a bit of a volcano enthusiast it was a bit of a special moment being part of that.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Alessio was a superb group leader. As an original native of Palmero himself, his knowledge of Sicily was unsurpassed. I found him informative, a great story teller and I appreciated that he shared a lot about life in Sicily as a real local, it gave what he said true authenticity. He very clearly knows his job, and seems to know someone familiar in every town! I liked that Alessio wasn’t overbearing as a group leader, if people wanted a bit of ‘space’ away from the group there was always time to do this.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Despite thinking May would be glorious weather, I’d pack a raincoat and an umbrella as well as your sun cream.
Food Trip to Sicily
A thoroughly enjoyable, varied holiday. Plenty of interesting visits, no shortage of excellent local food and wine.
Most Inspirational Moment
The cookery experience, and then enjoying the results!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Knowledgeable and enthusiastic, Francesca worked really hard to make our trip work.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Wear loose clothes! Be prepared to hotel hop and abundance of coach travel.
Great trip
Really enjoyed this trip, we got to see most of the island of Sicily whilst being able to taste some traditional dishes and wines.
Most Inspirational Moment
Visiting the local markets in Palermo and Catania
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader Francesca was a little disappointing- she wasn’t proactive enough. On the first night she didn’t organise dinner for the group, she had to be prompted to organise the optional extra tour. There were issues with one persons room in Ragusa but she didn’t offer to sort it out in the end myself and my companion helped the other person. The coach driver had a room in the main hotel whilst an elderly lady had a room at the top of 2 flights of stairs in another hotel down the road. She felt uncomfortable, I felt the group leader should have swapped the room etc. She left us 3 nights to sort out our own meals and in Catania just left us without a clue where the best places to go to were. Also in food tasting she always made sure she got her food first, she should wait until guests had their chance to taste the food. On the plus side her knowledge of Sicily was excellent and she was very interested in making us fall in love with the country and culture.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for rooms in Sicily to not always have access to windows and fresh sir
Well worth waiting for: the first post-Covid trip!
We first booked this trip to travel in April 2020, and had postponed it 3 times before we heard it would happen – and with fewer restrictions/requirements as the departure date approached, for which we were most grateful.
Most Inspirational Moment
Too many to mention, but street food in Palermo markets, lunch in Piazza Armerina, and all the incidentals associated with visits to local producers (meeting water buffalo herd, cookery lesson near Trapani). Visits to cultural sites were a good contrast: it was interesting to see how they had developed and changed since we visited over 15 years ago. The fact that, despite its being the first tour for over 2 years, it all seemed to run smoothly.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Rosario was really enthusiastic about the history and culture of his home island, and ready to transmit this in his good English; he also has a good sense of humour, which may have been tested at times. He managed to deal with the varying requirements of the group, and was always ready with recommendations of ways to spend any spare time, or places to eat. Our driver, Maurizio, was excellent, both at negotiating some of the roads and dealing with slight changes to the route, in particular being led through Piazza Armerina by a police car, rather than having to wait for an hour while the Giro di Sicilia passed through.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't expect a restful holiday! Apart from at the beginning and end, with 2 nights each in Palermo and Catania, we stayed somewhere different every night; that provides a challenge for sensible packing. if you're going in early April as we did, you may need some warmer clothes to deal with the time in Ragusa, Noto and Mt. Etna: while the UK was having a heatwave, we were all scrabbling for extra layers to cope with the cold winds!
Start
Finish
Availability
Land Only Trip Price
Optional Single Supplement
Sunday Sunday
06 Apr 2025 06 Apr 2025
Sunday Sunday
13 Apr 2025 13 Apr 2025
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2899 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 724 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 375
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Sunday
20 Apr 2025 20 Apr 2025
Sunday Sunday
27 Apr 2025 27 Apr 2025
Availability Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2899 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 724 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 375
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Sunday
04 May 2025 04 May 2025
Sunday Sunday
11 May 2025 11 May 2025
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2749 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 687 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 375
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Sunday
11 May 2025 11 May 2025
Sunday Sunday
18 May 2025 18 May 2025
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2749 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 687 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 375
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Sunday
01 Jun 2025 01 Jun 2025
Sunday Sunday
08 Jun 2025 08 Jun 2025
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2749 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 687 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 375
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Sunday
15 Jun 2025 15 Jun 2025
Sunday Sunday
22 Jun 2025 22 Jun 2025
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2749 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 687 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 375
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Sunday
31 Aug 2025 31 Aug 2025
Sunday Sunday
07 Sep 2025 07 Sep 2025
Availability Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2679 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 669 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 375
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Sunday
07 Sep 2025 07 Sep 2025
Sunday Sunday
14 Sep 2025 14 Sep 2025
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2679 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 669 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 375
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Sunday
21 Sep 2025 21 Sep 2025
Sunday Sunday
28 Sep 2025 28 Sep 2025
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2679 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 669 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 375
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Sunday
28 Sep 2025 28 Sep 2025
Sunday Sunday
05 Oct 2025 05 Oct 2025
Availability Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2649 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 662 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 375
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Sunday
12 Oct 2025 12 Oct 2025
Sunday Sunday
19 Oct 2025 19 Oct 2025
Availability Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2649 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 662 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 375
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Sunday
19 Oct 2025 19 Oct 2025
Sunday Sunday
26 Oct 2025 26 Oct 2025
Availability Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2679 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 669 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 375
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesWould you like to include flights with your booking?
- ATOL protected
- Competitive flight prices
- Full refunds in the event of FCDO cancellations or major disruption at your UK departure airport
- Specialist support to rearrange flights and transfers
- Regional flights available from many UK airports
You may also like
The Adventure Begins Here
Get regular inspiration straight to your inbox from Exodus’ experts.
Sicily Food Adventure
8 Days
Excluding Flights
8 Days
from