Nine of Sicily’s Tastiest Foodie Retreats to Book Now

Nine of Sicily’s Tastiest Foodie Retreats to Book Now

Hungry for a delicious Sicilian adventure? We’ve got you covered. Here’s the inside scoop on the lesser-trodden locations that are set to tickle your taste buds and elevate your culinary skills – thank us later.

Tutto bene: indulge in more of Sicily’s flavours through our
latest print issue, Volume 35: Celebration.



Okay,
so getaways to Italy often look like this: topping up your
tan while working through plates of pizza Margherita chased with
icy, zesty shots of limoncello. But the appeal of Italy’s
southernmost tip goes beyond sunshine and the perfect tomato sauce.
When exploring Sicily’s romantic, often rocky landscape speckled with
olive groves, sweeping sandy shores and bustling towns, it’s
difficult not to be seduced by the island’s wild beauty and local
grit. Whether you’re toying with the idea of a casual cooking class
or are craving a full-blown culinary hideaway, we’ve hunted down
the properties that deliver.

From farmhouses to villas, family kitchens and everything in
between, these are the most flavourful hangouts Sicily has to offer. But be warned:
these places are highly sought after and spaces often fill up a
year in advance, so start planning your trip now to avoid
disappointment.

Gastronomic getaways: top spots to taste your way around
Sicily


hotel

Hotel Villa Carlotta

Perched on a good-looking hilltop in tiny Taormina, Hotel Villa
Carlotta delivers Sicilian rusticity in the most beguiling of
settings. The intimate property has 29 bright and airy rooms, each
of which has floor-to-ceiling windows and sleek and stylish
furnishings – think wicker armchairs and plush navy-blue cushions.
Bed down in the villa’s tower suite and wake up to the
crystal-clear waters of the Ionian, before heading up to the
hotel’s rooftop terrace for a freshly baked breakfast brioche and
strong espresso. Okay, so this place isn’t exactly a full-blown
culinary retreat, but the cosy, traditional kitchen makes for an
ideal base for those looking to indulge in a spontaneous cookery
class. From truffle pasta to flaky pastries, you’ll discover the
beauty of local ingredients and snag a few secret family recipes
while you’re here.

Address

Via Pirandello 81, 98039 Taormina

cheese making in Anna Tasca Lanza's kitchen

hotel

Anna Tasca Lanza

For over a decade, Fabrizia Lanza has continued to share her
mother’s culinary dream. What began as a personal project in her
family’s 19th-century Sicilian villa has grown into a farm-to-table
hotspot that encourages students to learn and cook in a more
thoughtful way. Foodie enthusiasts will leave here understanding
the complexity of the landscape around them and how to source the
best ingredients. Courses include lectures, tastings and hands-on
lessons. Expect dough-mixing, wine production and coffee-roasting
aplenty. Beginners should start slowly with a one-day class, while
experts will love the five-day workshop.

Address

Contrada Regaleali, Case Vecchie, 93010 Vallelunga Pratameno CL


hotel

Peggy Markel’s Culinary Adventures

To embark on one of travel expert Peggy Markel’s food-fuelled
escapades is nothing short of a feast for the senses. With guests
offered an insight into the windy and wild island of Pantelleria,
Markel’s programmes only get started in the kitchen. The concept is
simple: to truly understand the specific flavours of a particular
destination’s food, we must explore and appreciate its environment.
The three-night Look-See retreat is hosted in the traditional
stone-built dammusi houses of Le Case del Principe. Guests are
accommodated in two-bedroom properties, each coming with two
private bathrooms and a fully-equipped kitchen hugged by a
sprawling outdoor terrace. To reserve your space and discover
Sicily’s world of wine, food and culture, visit the website for
more information and availability.

Address

Contrada Kattibugal, 91017 Pantelleria TP


hotel

Rocca delle Tre Contrade

Tucked into Santa Venerina’s rolling hills, this 12-bedroom
villa offers a refreshing change of scene from the classical
Sicilian farmhouse ubiquitous to the area. Sure, it’s home to an
earthy, overgrown garden packed with fragrant lemon groves, fruit
orchards and vegetable gardens, but there’s also a 25m heated
infinity pool, a housekeeper and an in-house chef who crafts some
of the most appetising lazy lunches we’ve ever tasted. From 23-30
April 2022, Rocca delle Tre Contrade is set to host a
full-immersion extravaganza for foodies led by renowned chef
Christian F Puglisi, bookable through The Thinking Traveller, via
the villa’s website. Highlights include vineyard and market visits,
fish butchery lessons, focaccia-making classes and wine
tastings.


hotel

Pizzo Dell’Ovo

Gather your gastronomy-loving gang and book into one of the two
villas (or both) on this perfect patch of olive tree-laden land in
north-eastern Sicily. While the property is offering a fantastic
week-long culinary getaway for a group (sleeping up to 30 guests),
we’re also very taken with the seemingly endless infinity pool that
overlooks the Mediterranean below. As for the culinary and culture
retreat, it is spread across seven days, during which you and your
crew will enjoy boat trips to the Aeolian Islands, cooking classes,
a hike up to the crater of Mount Etna, wine tastings, market trips
and more – with plenty of downtime at that perfect pool.

Address

98066 Patti, Province of Messina


hotel

Masseria Agnello

A masseria is, in essence, a large farmhouse with surrounding
outbuildings typically found in Puglia. Masseria Agnello knits
together the elements of a masseria we love the most: rustic
19th-century architecture, a working farm and charm aplenty.
Nearby, you’ll find lots to see, do and eat – don’t miss the
white-limestone beach at Scala dei Turchi or the fifth-century-BC
Valley of the Temples. The on-site restaurant excels at simple
Sicilian pasta dishes that go big on flavour, local wine and, if
you can convince the chef, impromptu cooking classes.

Address

Contrada Caruana 6, 92010 Realmonte AG

villa britannia outdoor flowers retreat

hotel

Villa Britannia

This personality-packed villa-meets-bed-and-breakfast is simple,
comfortable and exploding with Sicilian warmth. And, while the
thoroughly lovely guestrooms are vibrant with colour and cosiness,
all the real action happens in the kitchen. The villa’s chef and
sous chef host groups of as few as two people and as many as 35 in
their well-equipped kitchen. Expect an expert demonstration of the
ins and outs of Sicilian fare and ingredients, followed by a
four-course feast with wine on tap – cooked and corked by you and
your gang.

Address

Via Francesco Atenasio 18, 98039 Taormina


hotel

Agriturismo Bannata

An inland gem, Agriturismo Bannata is a six-bedroom Sicilian
sanctuary perfect for a group or family getaway. Set in a
traditional masseria, the communal spaces, restaurant and
guestrooms marry the conveniences of now with old-world touches
like original wood beams, cool-to-the-touch red-tile floors and
plush textiles. Spend lazy days around the large pool, savour the
spicy, assertive Sicilian dishes cooked with care by the chef and
get lost in the surrounding farmland, which produces the masseria’s
eucalyptus-scented honey, vegetables and golden olive oil.

Address

Contrada Bannata, 94100 Piazza Armerina EN


hotel

loveSicily

Sometimes you want to spend your holidays swimming laps in the
pool, lazing on the beach and letting lunch run into dinner. But,
for the tourist looking to spend a day – or several days – in the
kitchen, loveSicily is on hand. The company runs cookery classes
themed around pasta-based, four-course Sicilian and vegetarian
menus, with an extra class dedicated entirely to chocolate.

Address

Via Ritiro 7, 97015 Modica RG

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